By Claire Warrender

ALMOST 4000 PEOPLE have joined the call for the re-opening of the Leven to Thornton rail link. Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick has received overwhelming support from people who have signed a petition calling for the railway line to be reinstated.

Launched four weeks ago, the petition was circulated by members of the Silverburn and Letham Glen development group and Leven Community Council to ensure residents and businesses were included in the consultation.

The 4000 names are in addition to the 500 collected by Mrs Marwick in Leven High Street.

She has now forwarded the completed forms to the South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) asking it to include them in its Levenmouth transport study.

“I am delighted that so many people and organisations have come together in this campaign to re-open the Leven to Thornton railway line to passenger and freight trains,” said Mrs Marwick.

“To gain almost 4000 signatures of support for re-opening the line is simply fantastic and I must congratulate both Silverburn and Letham Glen development group and Leven Community Council on their hard work in distributing the petition to local people and businesses.

“This certainly illustrates the depth of feeling there is amongst the people of Levenmouth and the East Neuk for the line to be re-opened.”

Pamela MacDonald, secretary of both the development group and the community council, and Ann Pitt, development group chairman, handed the completed petitions over to Mrs Marwick yesterday.

Mrs MacDonald said, “We put the petition in local shops, hotels and businesses, including Diageo.

“Other group members distributed the petition amongst work colleagues, friends, neighbours and family.

“We think the reopening of the Leven to Thornton railway line is essential for the regeneration of the whole area and could help people get to jobs in and out of the area and encourage tourists to visit Levenmouth and the East Neuk.”

Mrs Pitt added, “The feedback we received when gaining signatures was very good.

“The re-opening of the rail line would help regenerate the area and link up Levenmouth and the East Neuk with the rest of the country.”