Sir, The arrogance displayed by J Gilmour (June 27) questioning the need for and cost of reinstating rail services to Leven is breathtaking.
We note he stays in Kirkcaldy, already well served by trains, decent road connections and even better bus services, but is not volunteering any withdrawal of rail services there to save the public purse which seems to be the entire basis of his argument.
Leven town itself represents only 20% of the catchment population for a Leven rail link which would also serve as convenient railhead for the surrounding towns and villages (Methil, Methilhill, Buckhaven, Windygates, Kennoway, East Wemyss, Largos, Lundin Links and the southern East Neuk), many not well served by buses.
The nearest stations at Markinch and Kirkcaldy are just not close or well connected enough for us.
Regular rail services to Leven would bring the area within commuting distance of the wider Edinburgh jobs market, not presently realistic by bus, not to mention study and leisure opportunities for local people in an area of high deprivation.
The last feasibility study for the line (in 2008) showed a high cost benefit ratio for reinstating the rail link, estimating 350,000 passenger journeys per year.
Given the relatively modest capital cost likely to restore rail services, why on earth should the sizeable population of this neglected corner of central Scotland continue to be denied transport options other communities take for granted?
Allen Armstrong 28 Viewforth Buckhaven
The case for a Leven rail link
Sir, I would like to reply to the letter by Joe Gilmour (June 27).
The main reason this railway link should be reinstated is because the Levenmouth (and East Neuk) area with a population of 51,837 and rising is Scotland’s largest urban community with no rail link, and the buses can never provide the speedy links the modern world needs to prosper.
Mr Gilmour may well be able to get around on buses quite contentedly and his home town of Kirkcaldy also has its railway station.
He, however, has forgotten one key fact.
It is not just the link between Kirkcaldy and Leven that’s the issue. People from Leven yearn to travel far beyond Kirkcaldy, and would like to be able to do a whole journey by train, where they can get to their destination quicker and in relative comfort.
Just as importantly, Fife’s tourist industry will surely crave the chance of visitors being able to travel straight to the heart of the region, with its historic castles and houses, and, of course, the golf links.
Tourists will certainly want to book their tickets right to Leven if they can, instead of stopping short at Kirkcaldy or Markinch and then dragging their heavy luggage onto buses.
Mr Gilmour’s two questions can readily be answered.
Leven’s station is anticipated to be built near the leisure centre opposite the bus station which would provide a useful transport hub between trains and buses.
As for train fares, trains are gaining popularity all the time, as shown by the reopening of other Scottish railways, so it seems more and more people still prefer to travel like this, despite their gripes.
The Alloa-Stirling route now has four times the amount of passengers a year than was predicted for it when it was put back into action in 2008.
As for the cost of reconnecting Leven to the national network, what is the reported £76 million for this scheme compared to, for instance, the £191 million recently spent on improving a single East Midlands M1/M6 motorway junction, according to the Highways Agency in England?
For too long, the town of Leven (as well as Buckhaven, Methil, the Kennoway/Windygates area, and the East Neuk, too) has had to make do with a substandard road network, and has also had to endure the negative effects that the lack of a decent transport link has had on peoples’ livelihoods, travel plans and their job prospects.
This isolation has also left a lasting impression on the Levenmouth area’s business scene especially on the High Street, which has only recently suffered the closures of two major fashion shops.
As well as passenger trains, there is a very significant potential for freight trains, taking goods off the inadequate roads serving Levenmouth.
There are many local businesses that could do well from having these tracks back, not least Diageo, Silberline, Pfaulder-Balfour Ltd, NHS Fife, James Donaldson, and many others.
A major road haulage group Malcolm Logistics, part of the Malcolm Group already work with Diageo, and realise just how significant the Leven line could become.
They envisage it as a huge boost to their operations, with special trains, which they already own and operate elsewhere in Britain, combining with a modern freight depot along the line to provide a modern freight and passenger service that can only be of benefit to all even, surely, MrGilmour.
Alistair Aynscough, Colinsburgh, Leven
A former MP’s word of thanks
Sir, As the dust has now settled on May’s general election, I wanted to take the opportunity through your letters page to thank the people of Ochil & South Perthshire for their support over the last 10 years as the MP for the area.
I want to pay an extra special thanks to the 16,000 plus people across this constituency, from all parties and none, who were able to back me in May, and to everyone who also supported me in previous elections your support was much appreciated.
It has been, and always will be, a source of tremendous pride that the people of our constituency placed their faith in me in 2005 and then again in 2010.
Assisting people locally with their issues of concern, many of them very complex, was always a significant part of my commitment to constituents and I am sorry that I am now unable to bring to a conclusion a number of cases that were active at the time of the general election.
I do hope that such matters are able to be resolved to the expectations of constituents.
While I am of course disappointed by the recent election result, I am pleased that my staff and I made local issues such a high priority, as I believe this is a fundamental responsibility for a Member of Parliament.
I will miss the exceptional working relationships that developed between my office and constituents and hope that I can continue to call as friends many of those who I came to know over the last 10 years.
Finally, I would publicly like to take this opportunity to personally thank my staff of the last 10 years who have worked tirelessly for constituents.
I wish them well in their future endeavours.
Thank you.
Gordon Banks MP for Ochil and South Perthshire 2005-2015
Royal publicity machine
Sir, Once again the royalist publicity machine puts out meaningless statistics in order to justify the obscene amount of money spent on our royal family.
They claim that the yearly expense only comes to 56 pence for every person in Britain, but this put another way is about £33 million, and they just received a 6.7% pay rise.
This money also does not include the cost of security for them and their properties, and there is a lot of them.
Also not included is the cost of maintaining their palaces, castles and mansions, which are for their exclusive use.
Someone should add this on and make the figures public if they dare.
The working class are being restricted to cost of living rises and welfare cuts, including library closures.
I laugh when it is stated at this time of austerity we are all in this together.
How gullible do they think we are?
Alister Rankin 93 Whyterose Terrace Methil KY8 3AP
Boy racers lack consideration
Sir, On Saturday afternoon, June 27, my wife and I took her mother and a friend, both in their 90s, to Camperdown House for a delightful afternoon tea provided by the final year students of D&A College which is to be highly recommended.
On leaving the steps at the front, two trail bikes with no registration flew past with no consideration for the people around.
They could see the consternation they caused, so obviously thought it was good fun and returned with one of their mates a few moments later, sped past once again and drove up to the north exit at speeds in excess of 30mph.
These youths obviously take delight in upsetting other people’s pleasure in the beauty of Camperdown House and Park, and are going to be the cause of an accident if not dealt with.
What can be done to reduce the chance of this happening?
Duncan Stewart Burnside House Duntrune
Pleasing some of the people
Sir, With reference to the car parking letter from T Mitchell (June 26), I have a different complaint on the same subject.
I am an elderly lady, and although thankfully not disabled enough to warrant being awarded a blue badge, I do have difficulty in walking and using stairs, and I always try to find a parking spot in Gellatly Street car park as near to the lifts as possible.
Recently I have found many more official disabled parking spaces have been allocated on some of the floors and they are, of course, near the lifts, so I now have to park further along and then walk back to the lifts, enviously passing the new (and as T Mitchell says, usually empty) disabled spaces in which I am not allowed to park.
Before these new spaces came along, I was willing to take my chances of trying to get a very much needed space near the lift, and often I did, but accepted it when I couldn’t, but now I am not happy knowing I can never get one any more.
When you are old you are supposed to be either officially disabled or not at all, but I don’t have many friends of my age group who are not at all disabled.
I’m sure if the council officials read these various complaints they will say ‘you can’t please all the people all the time’.
Mrs B Bowman 17 West Park Road Newport