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Chamber

Plenary, 15 Dec 1999

15 Dec 1999 · S1 · Plenary

Item of business

Fife Rail Service

Livingstone, Marilyn Lab Kirkcaldy Watch on SPTV

I am pleased to support this cross-party motion. The Fife rail service is paramount for the economic, social and environmental well-being of my constituency. In common with the rest of Fife, Kirkcaldy needs and depends on a rail service that is reliable, punctual, accessible and meets people's needs and that has safety as its first priority. Indeed, safety must be first, second and third on ScotRail's and Railtrack's agenda.

Since being elected in May, I, like Helen Eadie and Tricia Marwick, have travelled on the Fife line. My mailbag supports our frustration with and concerns about this appalling and inadequate service. As someone who has begun commuting only recently, and as a regular user of the rail service between Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh, empathise with the feeling of frustration felt by constituents and members.

Too many trains are overcrowded. It is commonplace for large numbers of adults to be crushed like sardines—that is the only way to describe it—into corridors, with many people not able to board the train, and for arguments to take place at the door about who will board and who will not. Too many trains are cancelled without any explanation. Recently on the Kirkcaldy to

Edinburgh line, a class 117 train, which I believe is older than me, had serious engine failure, resulting in smoke being emitted from the engine area and penetrating the saloon. My constituents thought that the train was on fire.

According to the response to that incident that I received recently from ScotRail, the engine blew— in layman's terms—because those trains are well past their useful life. However, they have to be used on the Fife service in order to provide a "sufficient"—that is the word that ScotRail used— number of seats and capacity. I do not think that members would agree with ScotRail's use of the word "sufficient"—it is not the adjective that we would have used.

We want to encourage use of public transport. I support the minister's transport strategy and we are already seeing evidence that it is working. However, ScotRail must recognise commuters' needs and put in place a sustainable development plan for the line.

We must not forget that in many constituencies—including mine—an increased number of stops and stations is required. I hope that there will be an increase in the number of stations in Kirkcaldy, with stations at Dysart and, perhaps, Sinclairtown. Car parking is another major issue—the car parking at Kirkcaldy station is absolutely diabolical. If one arrives after quarter to 9, one cannot park anywhere near the station, which deters people from using public transport.

I, too, have written recently to ScotRail's managing director, Alastair McPherson, who, in his reply, acknowledged the problems and told me about his plans to introduce new rolling stock. Many members are aware of the delays to those plans, but he stated that the introduction of new stock was imminent. Although we look forward to that, I am concerned that it will amount to the cascading of second-hand stock. The Fife service must be seen not as a second-class service but as a major one. In addition to new rolling stock, we need increased capacity, which, we are told, there will be in 2000—but when?

I asked Mr McPherson to join me on a journey between Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh, and he has agreed. I look forward to putting these points—and others that have been raised today—to him.

I conclude by echoing the words of the motion. We call on ScotRail to announce and implement an action plan to ensure that we have reliable, punctual, safe and—important for my constituents—affordable rail travel.