I have raised concerns with Abellio ScotRail that the new Borders Railway could see a reduction in the number of trains and carriages available on the Fife Circle. These concerns arise from the Transport Minister’s reply to a written question where he said that the trains “planned to be used on Borders services also work across other routes in central Scotland, including, predominantly, Fife.”

Once again it looks like it will be Fife commuters that will be disproportionately hit and questions have to be asked as to why it is consistently the Fife Circle that is hit with carriage reductions.

The opening of borders railway should not come as a surprise to anyone, especially Abellio who were awarded the contract after work on the new line was already well underway. We have the iconic, and now UNESCO awarded, bridge over the Forth, we must now ensure that the line is fully serviced for the people of Fife.

Last year Fife was similarly affected during the Commonwealth Games, when the Fife Circle experienced a reduction in the number of train carriages available to ensure there would be an increase in the number of carriages used in Glasgow. At this point ScotRail was run by First Group.

In my letter to the Managing Director of Abello ScotRail I stated that any potential cut backs in carriages and reduction of seats in Fife would mean that Fife commuters are once again being “penalised to ensure the needs of another part of the ScotRail franchise is met.”

I had hoped that when the ScotRail franchise transferred from First to Abellio that Fife services would no longer find itself being cut to plug gaps elsewhere but the answer from the Transport Minister seems to indicate otherwise.

You can read my letter below: