A Fife councillor has queried the reason for two daily trains failing to stop at Leuchars, despite the apparently high demand for services.
Tim Brett said the 0638 from Inverurie and the weekday 0929 service from Edinburgh both went through the village’s train station without pausing to pick passengers up even though the services did so during the Open Championship at St Andrews.
Mr Brett said he had been given contradictory explanations for this, ranging from only one train at a time being allowed on the high girders of the Tay Bridge to it being a deliberate omission to provide faster services from Edinburgh to Dundee. However, he said: “The regular crowds on Leuchars platform would suggest there certainly is demand for the stops, especially the 0638 ex Inverurie, which leaves Dundee at 0820 and arrives Edinburgh at 0932.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The inclusion of additional calls at Leuchars station has been considered, however the impact of this would mean that end-to-end journey times on the lines would be extended.
“Whilst we were able to manage that impact for the short period during the Open at St Andrews, a permanent timetable change would have the impact of increasing journey times for the majority of other passengers.”
A ScoRrail spokesperson also said there are over 30 trains per day calling at Leuchars in each direction between Edinburgh and Inverurie from Monday to Friday.