Levenmouth Rail link opens

The long awaited Levenmouth rail link has officially been opened by Scottish First Minister, John Swinney in a ceremony on 29 May. As well as the official opening, it will begin welcoming passengers onto its services on 2 June.

300 guests travelled between the new Leven station and Edinburgh Waverley before the first minister unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion. The first minister and guests then headed to Cameron Bridge station for a welcome reception.

The Leven rail link project which has cost just over £100 million, has been in planning and development since August 2019 and will run from Leven in the Firth of Forth westwards, stopping at a new fully accessible station at Cameron Bridge before heading towards Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, where it will link up with the Fife Circle Line.

This will mean that for the first time since 1969, Leven will have an hourly passenger service towards Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy.

The First Minister said: “Many people have long waited for the return of rail service to Levenmouth, and I am delighted to be part of the open celebrations.

“This rail link exemplifies the Scottish Government’s commitment to investing in our public services, growing our economy, taking climate action, and investing in key areas that will help eradicate child poverty.

“By improving access to leisure, economic, employment and educational opportunities, alongside improving the connectivity to and from the area for residents, visitors and businesses, this rail link will help transform the lives of families and young people in the area.”

The first minister reserved praise for the local volunteers at the Levenmouth Rail Campaign group who had campaigned for the line’s reinstatement for many years.

Commenting on the station and the line’s reopening and the affect it will have on the local community, Dr Allen Armstrong, chair of the Levenmouth Rail Campaign (LMRC), said:

"All campaigns and their contexts differ but ten years is a very short time-span in the life of any rail campaign.

"The fact that disadvantaged Levenmouth – in decline for over five decades since mining, docks and railways closed and where social capital and civic engagement is not that strong - was able to mount an intensive community-led campaign which played such an important role in achieving its main objective, well-supported by Council and elected representatives, has been a source of both surprise and pride.

"Levenmouth is back on the map and regeneration prospects aided by other project in the pipeline are brighter now."

The Scottish government and Fife Council have committed a collective £10 million to developing and maximising the economic benefits of the new rail link.

The line stretches over five miles will also benefit from just over one kilometre of active travel routes as part of a wider Scottish Government transport programme.