Councillor calls for rail link action group

Cllr Colin Davidson wants to set up an action group bringing together various parties in a bid to give more momentum to the Levenmouth Rail Link campaign.

The call comes just weeks after it was revealed that the link was not included in the Edinburgh City Region Deal.

Cllr Davidson, who was also this week elected as deputy chair of transport group Sestran, described the news as a huge disappointment and said a group needed to be formed to work out how to take the project forward.

“If we create a group of business people and politicians, along with the rail link group, I think we have a chance of taking it forward,” he said.

“We need to try and get a broad range of interested parties, trade unions, businesses and politicians to work together on how to deliver this.”

Cllr Davidson said he hoped that the group, which he has already been working on putting together, would be able to secure a rail link for the area before the next Scottish Parliament election in 2021.

“If a spade goes in the ground before the administration ends that would be a success,” he said.

“And we need to do it in the next five years because people are getting sceptical about the lack of movement.”

Despite the recent setbacks, Cllr Davidson believes positive that the rail link will happen.

He also said it was important that the political parties worked together on the issue.

“I feel positive this can happen,” he said. “I’ve spoken to people in Government and asked them if this is deliverable.

“They say this case financially stands up better than the Borders Line.

“Using that as a barometer, there’s no reason we can’t bring a rail link.

“I don’t care if Nicola Sturgeon comes and opens it or if Ruth Davidson cuts the ribbon. We need to use the talents of the various parties.

“We have a lot of political experience in this area. We need to use it, along with the rail group, businesses, unions, and deliver this.”