Frustrated Leuchars commuters went for their normal train to Edinburgh on Monday morning – to discover the service no longer runs under ScotRail’s new timetable.
The popular 7:27 train from Leuchars to Edinburgh is one of 700 services the state-owned rail company has cut in introducing a temporary timetable.
It was previously the last train to get workers into the capital before the traditional start of the working day at 9am
Commuters can now choose between the 6:51 service and the 7:53. The latter arrives in Edinburgh Waverley at 9:13.
Engineer Peter Hodgson, 45, is from Newport-on-Tay. He has been commuting into the capital for around three years.
“It’s really disappointing. I’ve got meetings. I’ve got appointments. They are all going to be delayed now.
“It’s heavily negative to be honest. It’s unacceptable that I can’t make my work commitments.”
ℹ️ We'll introduce a temporary timetable tomorrow because of driver shortages. This timetable will provide greater certainty and reliability for those travelling.
Click below to find out why we're making these temporary changes.
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) May 22, 2022
He said ScotRail had not done enough to protect key services.
“The recent changes are just going to deter people from going on the train.
“I can’t see how this is going to get better. It’s a big step backwards in my opinion.”
Main Edinburgh commuter service already hit
ScotRail had already cut the 7:11 from Leuchars to Edinburgh in a timetable change brought in on May 14, only a week before the latest timetable containing further cuts.
There are also fears surrounding the impact on The Open later this summer.
ScotRail announced the temporary timetable earlier this month in response to train drivers refusing to work on their rest days, as they had previously volunteered to do.
Train drivers’ union Aslef is balloting its members for further industrial action after rejecting a 2.2% pay offer.
Dental hygienist Michelle Haworth-Jones, 64, drives from Kirriemuir to Leuchars for onwards travel to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
She said she is normally happy with ScotRail’s service.
“But this timetable change has thrown me a little bit. Because it affects me trying to get in for patients.
“If this train that’s due now is affected in any way then I can’t get into work on time.
“I was quite annoyed when I first found out. I have to see my patients sometimes very early in the morning.
“That’s not fair because my books are booked up for two or three months at a time.”
New ScotRail timetable sees morning services cut
Paralegal Kim Falconer, 62, also missed her usual Monday train into the capital.
“I was looking at the signage. I noticed my usual train wasn’t up so I had to go and ask.
“They said it’s lots of different trains that have been affected. Not just the later trains. Which is what I’d picked up from over the weekend.”
David Simpson is ScotRail service delivery director.
He apologised to customers and said the company had been forced into making “some very difficult decisions” regarding its timetable.
ScotRail cuts: 7 of the hardest hit journeys in Tayside and Fife
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