Brian Whittle’s crusade for better transport connections in the South West has continued during a meeting with Scotrail bosses at the Scottish Parliament.
The South Scotland MSP met with Scotrail Managing Director Alex Hynes and other senior members of his time and raised the public’s continuing concerns about the Station Hotel in Ayr as part of a wider discussion about rail services in the South West. Since the exclusion zone was first established around the hotel, Brian has been speaking regularly with Transport Scotland and other agencies to try to minimise the disruption to travellers. He’s also called on South Ayrshire Council to hold a summit for local politicians, including those in Dumfries & Galloway, whose constituents have been impacted by the suspension of trains south of Ayr.
Brian has been pushing the Scottish Government to improve the area’s road and rail links through a long-term programme of investment as a way of boosting the local economy. During his conversation with Scotrail, he also highlighted the campaign to re-open Cumnock railway station.
Recently, Brian lodged a motion in the Parliament highlighting the work of the various local campaigns seeking to improve roads like the A77 and rail links to Stranraer, which he hopes can be the basis of a debate in Holyrood.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“It was good to speak to Scotrail and have another opportunity to raise the concerns of constituents about the lack of rail service south of Ayr. I’m told that, while the aim is still to get trains moving through the station again, Network Rail are looking at the possibility of setting up a temporary station south of the Station Hotel.
The disruption at Ayr Station, particularly on the weekend when the A77 was closed, has only served to highlight how dependent communities in the South West are on a few key routes. Sadly, those routes have suffered from a lack of investment for years.
Rail services south of Ayr need to be restored as soon as possible, but that shouldn’t be the end point. We need a long term plan to improve train services and roads in the south west instead of just making-do and mending what we have now.”
