On the third anniversary of Halbeath Park and Ride there have been renewed calls for a rail halt.
While a Transport Scotland spokesperson stressed a new station at Halbeath doesn’t feature in the Scottish Government’s current £5 billion investment programme to 2019, it’s been revealed the ambitious plan might never happen, thanks to the proximity of a major pipeline to Mossmorran.
Fife Council’s transportation spokesman John Wincott said use of the £10 million Scottish Government-funded site had risen again, from around 550 to 600 vehicles a day to between 700 and 800 this year.
Meanwhile, the site has seen a 27% increase year on year, according to Stagecoach East Scotland.
Commercial director Douglas Robertson said: “With continued work on the new Forth crossing and disruption to the road network in the area, Halbeath has been a welcome retreat for many motorists choosing to leave their car behind and we’ve regularly seen over 800 cars parked on site during the last few months.”
What would now be the icing on the cake would be an integrated rail halt.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alex Rowley said: “I am very disappointed that little progress has been made with the Edinburgh government passing the buck to Fife Council while the local MSP and MP try to divert all the attention to a rail link to Alloa.
“I understand that there will have to be priorities and I would suggest that the Halbeath halt and a direct link to Inverkeithing would be far more beneficial to higher numbers of people and to the local economy and should be prioritised as such.”
But SNP councillor Ian Ferguson said a rail halt was “way down the list” of transport priorities because of its location.
This, he claimed, was down to the rail line running parallel to the pipeline.
“If we wanted to build a platform, it would have to be on top of the pipeline.”
And that, while technically feasible, would be a huge job, he added.
MP Douglas Chapman said like Ferrytoll, Halbeath had proved a popular choice and he hoped its success continued.
“Even with the new Queensferry Crossing opening next spring, we still need to work hard at shortening journeys by car to lower emissions.
“I am trying to win as much as I can for west Fife and the west Fife railway is an example of great idea that, even at this early stage, has won much public support.”
The Transport Scotland spokesperson added: “The Scottish Government is committed to ongoing improvements to rail services and connectivity and is willing to consider projects subject to its investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.”
