MSP Brown hits out after services from Cambuslang to Edinburgh are slashed
Dec 23 2009
by Douglas Dickie, Rutherglen Reformer
A GLASGOW MSP has hit out at ScotRail for cutting train links between Cambuslang and Edinburgh.
Liberal Democrat Robert Brown has been left outraged that services through Cambuslang on the Edinburgh via Shotts routes have been slashed to just four a day.
That means 28 trains will pass through Cambuslang on route to the capital without stopping. However, many of them will still stop at places like Bellshill and Uddingston.
Previously an hourly service, trains to Edinburgh will now only stop at 6.23am, 7.24am, 6.22pm and 11.15pm.
Mr Brown, who lives in Burnside, claims those times do not suit many commuters, some of whom have written to him expressing their concern.
He has taken the matter up with ScotRail protesting the new arrangements.
However, both ScotRail and Transport Scotland say the vast majority of passengers travelling from Cambuslang to Edinburgh use one of the four trains they have maintained while the station is well served by the Argyle Line to Glasgow.
Mr Brown said: “This situation with Cambuslang station is ridiculous and entirely unsatisfactory for those who live in Cambuslang who need to travel to Edinburgh or Midlothian for work every day. Cambuslang is a well used station for this.
“It’s a huge inconvenience for those living in Cambuslang to leave earlier in the mornings to take an extra journey to arrive at Bellshill or Motherwell just to board a train which until last week stopped at their local station.
“Bellshill station is hardly a warm and sheltering place to wait in the freezing winter mornings and we must find ways to make this situation better if passengers will have to wait there every day.
“Many people from the Cambuslang area find it convenient to get on the Edinburgh train at Cambuslang. Whilst it stops at a lot of stations, it is comfortable and convenient to avoid awkward train changes, and it takes people straight in to Waverley or Haymarket in particular.
“And to have only four trains a day stop at Cambuslang out of a possible 32 is not at all reasonable.
“That’s why I’ve written to Scotrail to complain to ask them to review the situation.
“We must find ways to enhance the connectivity between Cambuslang station and the east coast. It can’t take much of a timetable adjustment to resolve this.
“The people who use Cambuslang station travel have commuting needs beyond that of just going into Glasgow Central and back. Scotrail must recognise this.”
A spokesperson for Scotrail confirmed the new hourly Glasgow Central-Edinburgh via Shotts service began on Monday, December 14, saying that it more than doubled the number of trains running.
They added they created the timetable to specification set down by Transport Scotland.
They said: “There are still direct services from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh with scheduled stops at Cambuslang.
“These include two trains in the morning for a pre-9am arrival at Edinburgh and the key evening peak train returning from Edinburgh.”
He added: “The timetable was produced to the specification of Transport Scotland and is designed to meet the needs of as many customers as possible.
“The route between Glasgow Central and Uddingston Junction is extremely busy and it is not possible to simply re-time the trains because that would impact on other services – notably the London to Glasgow services, which we are not able to change.”
The spokesman stressed that ScotRail consulted widely on the timetable, particularly with Regional Transport Partnerships, and also examined passenger numbers travelling east from Cambuslang.
Its analysis found that there was an average of 34 passengers per day to travelling to or from Edinburgh or Haymarket, with a negligible number of passengers of passengers to any other station on the route.
The ScotRail spokesman said Mr Brown has been advised: “Our passenger counts confirm that the vast majority of the passengers travelling east from Cambuslang will be using the two trains that continue to call there in the morning and the evening return service.
“These matters are kept under constant review and should the opportunity arise in the future, we would further consider this position.”
A spokesperson for Transport Scotland added: “Transport Scotland developed the new timetable with ScotRail, using existing rolling stock resources and considering other services utilising this line.
“A review will be conducted to assess any feedback Transport Scotland and ScotRail receive following the December changes, to ensure the objectives behind these enhancements are being delivered. This is normal practice and will help inform any future decisions to alter timetables.”
