By Claire Warrender

THE HIGH-PROFILE campaign to reopen the Leven to Thornton railway line has received an “astonishing” amount of local support ahead of today’s debate in the Scottish Parliament.

A busload of Levenmouth residents will travel to Edinburgh to hear Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick lead the member’s debate on the possibility of reinstating the disused route.

Starting at 5pm, the motion will further raise the profile of the campaign to persuade the Scottish Government that reopening the line is vital to the regeneration of the Levenmouth area.

“There has been great enthusiasm for this locally and my office has been inundated with calls from people wanting to come through to parliament for the debate,” said Mrs Marwick.

“I’ve never had a response like this to anything else I’ve ever done in parliament and the only thing I can put it down to is, in all the years I’ve been involved in politics in the Levenmouth area, we’ve always campaigned against things.

“We campaigned against shutting the pits, against the poll tax and against ship-to-ship oil transfers, but this is one of the few things the people of Levenmouth can campaign positively for and it’s just opened a floodgate.

“I’ve had Emails from people wishing me well and saying they’re coming through.

“It’s quite astonishing.”

Mrs Marwick has cross-party support for her motion, which follows confirmation that the South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SESTRAN) is commissioning a £75,000 feasibility study into ways of improving accessibility to Levenmouth, including the possibility of reopening the railway line.

Although the route closed to passengers in the 1960s, it was used until recently by freight trains and the line is still intact.

“The line is complete from the Thornton junction to just beside the swimming pool in Leven, and because of that it’s unlike most other rail schemes, such as the Borders where houses had been built on the site of the former railway and there had to be compulsory purchases,” she said.

She said the line was imperative for transforming Levenmouth’s fortunes as it would provide transport for commuters and would attract new businesses into the area.

“It will also be used for freight for the likes of Diageo and Donaldson’s and it is very important we get the infrastructure in place before 2011 when the Forth Road Bridge could be closed to heavy traffic,” she said.

“I don’t expect a decision from the minister on this tomorrow but it’s important we get this back on the political agenda.

“It was on the agenda in 1999 but the then Labour Government and Labour-led Fife Council would not give it priority.

“The difference this time is the SNP-Liberal-led council have identified the reopening of the Leven to Thornton railway as one of their priorities.”

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell has called on the Scottish Government to state its intentions over the Levenmouth rail link, writes Gordon Berry.

The issue has been raised in a letter to transport minister Stewart Stevenson.

Sir Menzies said the regeneration of the Levenmouth area is of “vital importance,” and that the re-introduction of the line would be “hugely beneficial.”

“The provision of good public service links would aid economic development, assist tourism, and reduce CO2 emissions.”