Thornton to Leven

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-31146978?

Fife Council has pledged its commitment to the campaign to reopen the rail link between Thornton and Leven.

The local authority has appealed to the public to sign the petition organised by the Levenmouth Rail Campaign.

Depute Leader, councillor Lesley Laird, attended a public meeting on Wednesday and presented the case for re-instating the defunct line.

Ccouncillor Laird said: "Re-opening the Levenmouth Rail Link is vital for improving the local economy.

"Levenmouth has so much to offer residents, businesses and tourists. There is no doubt, improving its transportation links would open up the potential of the area and its people to do even more."

Fife Council and the Levenmouth Rail Campaign have produced a leaflet detailing "the many benefits of a rail link to the area".

The Thornton to Leven Rail Link, which was part of the branch line around the East Neuk of Fife, was closed to passenger services during the Dr Beeching era of the 1960s.

The railway line was operational for freight until 2001.

Campaigners have argued that the infrastructure of bedding, rails and bridges remain intact and could be brought back into use for both passenger and freight services with some upgrading.

http://www.lmrc-action.org.uk/index.asp?MainID=17632

This would seem to be a good comparison line for Frome to Radstock and East - West Rail, with re-instafement of existing track that has lain out of use rather than a complete relay job.  Of course, that is no guarantee what so ever that the track won't end up being ripped up for alternative use, or the project not progressed.

[Red Squirrel]

...This would seem to be a good comparison line for Frome to Radstock and East - West Rail, with re-instafement of existing track that has lain out of use rather than a complete relay job. 

...or Cambridge to St Ives? Let's hope not!

[grahame]

...This would seem to be a good comparison line for Frome to Radstock and East - West Rail, with re-instafement of existing track that has lain out of use rather than a complete relay job. 

...or Cambridge to St Ives? Let's hope not!

That's what I had in mind when I added "that is no guarantee ..." on my earlier post. However, Cambridge to St Ives has somewhat different metrics - I don't think there's a 3 lane each way parallel clogged dual carriageway from Leven down the Fife coast that prevents sensible bus use on normal roads like was the case stated for the A14 / not simply having the buses run on that road.

Your prompt of Cambridge does remind me of another project in this category - March to Wisbech

[MarkRanger]

But hopefully they will not come up against a council who refused to accept either the transport or cost arguments for the rail re-instatement of Cambridge - St.Ives, simply because the then government told them they could have money for a guided busway and nowt else. History is proving the points made at the time to be valid

Hence my point on the Okehampton re-instatement thread that many schemes are influenced a political support element

[caliwag]

I'd like to think that the Scots have rather more sense than bugger about with a bus way, especially since that the French are laying rails on these routes again. (see earlier post).