Stuart McMillan MSP has welcomed the news that ScotRail are proposing to introduce an extra hourly service on the Wemyss Bay rail line – having campaigned for this service to be increased since 2018.
The local MSP was informed of the proposed changes prior to ScotRail launching a six-week consultation for the new timetable, which includes an improved Sunday service between Gourock and Glasgow to be introduced in December this year.
From June 2024, on Mondays to Saturdays, the new timetable will also provide two fast trains each hour between Gourock and Glasgow in addition to two trains each hour between Wemyss Bay and Glasgow.
Additional weekday services will operate at peak times between Gourock and Glasgow and in the evenings, two trains per hour will operate to Gourock with an hourly train serving Wemyss Bay.
Commenting, Stuart said:
“As I said in April when the temporary reduction in rail services were introduced, this was disappointing, but it was to help make way for an improved timetable from June 2024. I therefore welcome the consultation and would encourage constituents to respond to it before it closes on Monday 20 November.
“I have long called for an additional hourly service to be introduced on the Wemyss Bay line as there has been a westwards population shift in Inverclyde – and that’s before the new developments proposed for Spango Valley and the former Inverkip Power Station have even been built.
“Introducing an extra service on this line could also help reduce the volume of cars on the A78, as the train will now be a more attractive option for commuters.
“The proposed timetable will also mean that there will be four trains per hour passing through Port Glasgow train station, scheduled to be spaced out so there is a train approx. every 15 minutes.
“I also think the additional hourly service on a Sunday will be popular amongst commuters.
“Ultimately, these changes will see more trains serving Inverclyde – with the Wemyss Bay line to go from 38 trains a day to 62, while the number of trains serving the Gourock line will rise from 71 to 77. That’s an extra 30 trains per day – and while in some cases it might mean slightly longer journey times, the trade off for more services is something I suspect most commuters will value.
“I was also pleased to hear that despite the reduction in services over summer, the number of passengers travelling on the rail network for leisure purposes increased by 25% compared to the year previous.
“This shows that more people are choosing rail travel – and with the Peak Fares Removal Pilot now in operation, I hope passenger numbers will not just return to pre-pandemic levels but increase beyond that as we know we need to encourage more people to use public transport to help meet Scotland’s net zero targets.
“So please take the time to respond to ScotRail’s consultation. Whether you want to commend or challenge the proposed timetable changes, either way, it helps ScotRail better understand what passengers want from the rail service and to plan routes accordingly.”
