Transport Scotland has confirmed that it will undertake detailed design for the reopening of an 8.5km mothballed route serving the Levenmouth conurbation – said to be the largest settlement in Scotland without a direct rail link.

The project will include new stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, is expected to cost around £70M and will make journeys to Edinburgh possible in an hour and ten minutes.

Wider ambitions are also being taken forward to improve bus and active travel provision in the area, which has declined economically following the closure of the railway and the local coal mining industry in 1969.

“Improved transport links, which give Leven a direct rail link to the capital, will lead to an enhanced local economy, bringing better access to employment and education and the potential for new investment,” said Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure & Connectivity Michael Matheson.

Community group the Levenmouth Rail Campaign has been pushing for the reinstatement of train services for a number of years. Its chair Eugene Clarke told TP Weekly News: “The loss of the railway has been a huge barrier for people getting jobs in places like Edinburgh, so one of the impacts of this will be to change that and bring prosperity to the area.”

The campaign has experienced high and low points over the years, he said, but key to its success has been strong support from the local community and efforts to maintain connections with politicians.

“Something that really concerned us and drove us on was the impact on young people,” he added. “We hope that through restoring the railway they can start to have higher expectations for themselves and develop good careers.”

The Cabinet Secretary has also committed £5M to a Levenmouth Blueprint fund, available to fund initiatives that seek to maximise the benefits of the transport investment in the area.

(Image: Transport Scotland)