By Aileen Robertson

FIFE RAIL passengers will soon feel the benefit of the new Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link, transport minister Stewart Stevenson said yesterday.

Mr Stevenson was at Alloa station to see hundreds of local people board the first passenger train to leave the platform in 40 years.

Making the historic journey were local pupils and former rail employees who worked on the old line.

The anticipated final cost of the construction project for the rail link is £85 million.

The launch was the culmination of eight years’ work which saw the reinstatement of about 13 miles of existing, disused and abandoned railway line between Stirling Station and Longannet Power Station, Kincardine.

Alloa station now allows direct, hourly passenger services to Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street, and onward services from Stirling to Edinburgh.

The line will also provide a more efficient freight route to carry coal from the west of Scotland to Longannet and potentially provide freight services to other customers.

Mr Stevenson said the reopening was good news for everybody, including Fife rail travellers.

“One of the objectives of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line is, of course, to provide passenger services for people from Alloa to Stirling and onwards to Glasgow.

“That’s very important for people here, but also what it will do is enable heavier freight trains to take a more direct route to Longannet Power Station, saving about 110 minutes off freight journeys with freight trains with 500 tonnes greater capacity.

“The release of the routes currently used by freight trains across the Forth Rail Bridge will open up the opportunity for us to improve rail services into Fife from the south and from the north.

“And, of course, part of the £70 million that ScotRail is now unconditionally providing to the Scottish Government as part of the rail franchise extension is targeted at improving rail services into Fife.”

He said only minor adjustments to rail infrastructure would be needed to enable more services to run in Fife.

“We’re already seeing First Scot-Rail looking to get additional capacity and support services into Fife, so we’re looking to see that in the very near future, and in the longer term to keep building the improvements in Fife because Fife is a major commuter area into Edinburgh,” he added.

“As business succeeds in Fife, people are commuting from West Lothian and Edinburgh to Fife so it’s two- way traffic we are looking to support.

“This is good news right across Scotland. It creates many opportunities for rail freight services in other parts of Scotland and, with the £70 million additional investment, we’re improving services to Dundee up to Aberdeen, and right up to Wick and Thurso.”

Kincardine councillor Willie Ferguson said, “This is a great day for passengers travelling to Alloa, and freight to Kincardine will support the power station and other employment in the area.

“It is my vision that this is extended into Fife for passengers, and to the port of Rosyth where it would support industry.”

Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, said, “With the reopening of the line Stirling will see its role as a transport hub grow and with more people using the train to commute into Stirling there will be real benefit for local shops and businesses in Stirling.”

Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, added, “The benefits are huge and long-lasting, with house prices alone showing the new confidence in Clackmannanshire.”