By Claire Warrender

REOPENING the Leven to Thornton railway line to freight would be a relatively straightforward process if there was commercial demand for it, it would appear.

Network Rail confirmed yesterday that the section of line between Cameronbridge and Thornton junction has never officially closed but is described as temporarily out of use.

This means that should a company ask to use the track to convey freight, Network Rail would be obliged to enter into commercial negotiations and a detailed business case would then be drawn up.

Work to upgrade that section of track has recently been undertaken and is ongoing, and it is understood operators have expressed an interest in the line.

Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick, who is campaigning to re-establish the route for both freight and passengers, has taken the revelation as the clearest sign yet that the return of trains to Levenmouth is a viable option.

Mrs Marwick’s long-term vision, and that of other campaigners in the area, is for passenger services to run from a rail halt next to Leven swimming pool to Thornton junction where they would link in with the Fife Circle line to Kirkcaldy and beyond.

However, while Network Rail owns the entire track from the Bawbee Bridge to Thornton it is only the four-mile section from Cameronbridge that is presently open, and only for goods trains.

To bring the entire six-mile stretch back into use for passengers would require work to upgrade the track and install new signalling, and a considerable amount of money would have to be made available.

Network Rail said it would not be up to them to decide whether passenger trains should be reinstated.

A spokesman said, “This branch is available for use by freight subject to commercial demand but infrastructure investment would be required for the reinstatement of passenger services.

“We own the land and there is a bit of the network already on it. Ultimately, it is up to the government to say what should run on it.”

Mrs Marwick said the fact Network Rail owned the land and the line was intact made reopening the Levenmouth rail link an attractive option as, unlike with other planned railway projects, such as the Borders route, the compulsory purchase of land and homes was not needed.

“For me this is confirmation that Leven to Thornton junction reopening to passengers is one of the most attractive and cost-effective plans in the whole of Scotland,” she said.

“The line is there and there is no requirement to compulsory purchase land or houses.

“All we need now is for the campaign to continue so that we can convince the government and other agencies of the overwhelming case to reopen the Leven to Thornton line to passengers.”

Meanwhile, confidence has been expressed that the majority of people in Levenmouth would use the route after a survey revealed only a minority of people supported the £300 million Borders project.

The poll commissioned by a national newspaper found that 54% of people living near the Edinburgh to Tweedbank route were ‘quite or very unlikely’ to use the service, even if train times suited them.

Just 17% said they were very likely to use the line and 24% were quite likely.

Although the South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) has yet to complete its feasibility study into the plans for Levenmouth, Mrs Marwick said she was positive it had overwhelming support.

“Leven to Thornton would be a connecting train to Kirkcaldy, unlike the Borders railway that goes all the way up to Edinburgh. Some people argue they would be quicker going by car,” she said.

“In the case of Leven to Thornton, it would be a transport opportunity for folk who currently don’t have much choice. For example, the Standing Stane road is appalling to drive along and buses to Edinburgh and Glasgow are few and far between.

“We also have a number of people who would like to take jobs elsewhere in Fife but don’t have the transport links to do it.”

The MSP said the Borders railway plan had polarised the community, with people either strongly for or against it.

“Part of the polarisation was because of things like compulsory purchase of land and houses to create a line that had been torn up.

“In Levenmouth we don’t have that so there is no polarisation whatsoever.”

Independent Fife councillor Andrew Rodger said re-opening the Leven to Thornton link had been the priority of the former Levenmouth Regeneration Group which he chaired.

“We felt it would bring in jobs and tourism to the area and safeguard the jobs already there,” he said.

“Nobody has ever talked to me against it and said it is a waste of money.”

The campaign also has the support of the Levenmouth Community Regeneration Group, the Community-Led Environmental Action for Regeneration Fife, the Fife Federation of Small Businesses and Leven and Kennoway community councils.