It’s a year since the £116 million Levenmouth rail link opened in a fanfare of celebration and publicity.
It includes two stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, with direct trains to and from Edinburgh every half hour.
The official opening by First Minister John Swinney marked the first trains to the area in 55 years.
And more than 300,000 journeys have been made since.
Tourists are already arriving, Leven beach is noticeably busier and the property market is said to be buoyant.
However, 12 months in, there’s a feeling the area is just at the start of its regeneration journey with a lot more still to come.
A year ago, we spoke to local businesses and community members about their hopes for Levenmouth once the rail link opened.
We’ve now gone back to ask if they have been realised.
Leven is ‘buzzing’ thanks to rail link
Community council chairwoman Teresa Watson says Leven is definitely busier.
“Leven is kind of buzzing at the moment,” she said.
“Lots of new businesses are popping up, which suggests more footfall.
“There’s a new tapas bar, Collier’s Coffee has moved to bigger premises and the old Cumming’s shop is back in use.”
An air of positivity has led to more events being organised in Leven this year.
And the annual Promfest, which Teresa helps stage, is also back for another year.
“Last year a huge number of people came to Promfest by train and it was busier than ever,” she said.
“The only complaints I’ve heard is there aren’t enough carriages on the trains and people are having to stand.
“That shows the services are being well-used.”
Positive start but still more to do
Ayshea and Michael Morris run Beachcomber Amusements on Leven Promenade.
And they invested in their business ahead of the railway’s opening, remodelling the front of the arcade and installing new machines.
Michael says the railway is a boost but there is more to do.
“There’s a lot more foreign tourism,” he says.
“I’m hearing French, German and Spanish accents.
“While that’s maybe more to do with the economy, it feels positive.
“Locals themselves are more positive, with many suddenly realising what’s on their own doorstep.
“It’s definitely put us on the map and connected us back to the rest of Scotland.
“But things like the sea defences still need to be fixed and there are other bits and pieces still to be done.
“All of that will take a bit of time but we’re going in the right direction.”
Property market boost ‘direct result of the train’
Leven estate agent Jim Parker mentions the Levenmouth rail link in every property advert.
And he believes it is helping to attract buyers.
“Elsewhere, the top end of the market is struggling but Leven seems to be buoyant,” he says.
“I think that’s a direct result of the train.
“I didn’t think it would be so quick but it’s apparent the effect it’s had.”
Jim, of Fife Properties, added: “We always mention the direct line to Edinburgh.
“Why would you even live in Edinburgh and pay that money for a huge property when you can have a better quality of life in a seaside town and commute?”
Rail link investment is ‘a work in progress’
While the Levenmouth rail link opened on time, some of the infrastructure around it is not complete.
A bridge across the River Leven at Mountfleurie has yet to open and a river pathway and ponds are not in place.
Leven sea wall, badly damaged by a storm in 2023, has also still to be fixed, although funding is now finally in place.
Councillor Colin Davidson, convener of the council’s Levenmouth area committee, regrets the time taken to finish those projects.
However he added: “It’s a work in progress.
“We’re in a state of flux but we’re moving forward with the investment.
“The railway is there and I think it’s been very positive. But it’s just the start.
“The number of people coming to Levenmouth has increased and people in general are feeling upbeat about it.”
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