SNP Government proposals for the rail network will be a ”nightmare” for commuters in Tayside and Fife, the party’s former leader has warned.
Gordon Wilson launched a blistering attack on plans that could see all passengers on cross-border services forced to change trains at an interchange hub in Edinburgh.
The suggestion is contained in a controversial consultation document from government quango Transport Scotland that caused fury when it was published in November.
Mr Wilson, a former Dundee East MP, described the consultation as an ”embarrassing failure” and advised Scottish ministers to send it back for a complete rethink.
But, publishing his full response today, he will insist the ”immediate priority” is ensuring that East Coast trains from London continue through Fife, Dundee and Angus to Aberdeen.
It is proposed that the services could terminate in Edinburgh with ScotRail taking over the rest of the journey north.
”This will leave Aberdeen and intermediate station passengers, laden with luggage for long-distance journeys, forced to travel in ScotRail’s inadequate rolling stock and having to change trains and platforms in Edinburgh,” said Mr Wilson.
”This will be a nightmare for families with young children, the elderly and disabled. It also downgrades the status of Aberdeen and Dundee within the transport network.
”One would have thought that Transport Scotland would have been alive to the difficulties likely to be faced by travellers from Aberdeen, Dundee and Fife all heavily populated areas and would have argued the case for retention of the service.
“Instead, the contrary is true. The paper opens the gate to loss of the direct London service.
“The service from Aberdeen gathers passengers at intermediate points like Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee and Fife. They are entitled to have their travelling interests considered by Scotland’s transport agency when it formulates policy.”
Mr Wilson also suggested the pricing structure of the East Coast service which is regulated by the UK Government deterred people north of Edinburgh using the service.
He also said the service was not marketed properly in the region and that this suggested the company could be considering terminating it in Edinburgh in the next franchise round.
He added: ”This is an essential route. Its retention should be a priority and not offered up as a sacrificial victim by Transport Scotland.”
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said: ”We are delivering major rail service improvements across Scotland that is the reality of our record in government: more services, more trains, more seats, and more journeys.
”The consultation does not represent our proposals it is an opportunity for the public to have their say about all the options and questions. We will publish our plans after the consultation so that we can keep making our rail services better, exactly as we have done over the past four years.”
The Rail 2014 consultation also includes proposals for slower trains, higher fares and more passengers asked to stand. And it suggests there could be a greater reliance on interchange stations meaning passengers will have to change trains more often.
The franchise is up for renewal in 2014.
The Scottish Government has insisted the consultation is designed to make Scotland’s railways ”fit for purpose”’ but, after much criticism, said it did not ”reflect the views of ministers”. It will publish its detailed proposals on the future of the railways after the consultation closes on February 20.
Photo by David Cheskin/PA Archive