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Strategic Transport Project Review 2.

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  1. Tulyar
    Member

    Given that this has had a mention under NC500 thread - which has rather wildly veered off course into Fife & further South, here's a few ideas to deliver some enhancements

    1) review a high speed ferry service for Burntisland (space for P&R / direct rail connection / resume operation of original ferry terminal - recently restored. Direct to Newhaven with connections to very frequent bus services & future tram. A 180 passenger ferry may soon be available (new vessel in build) with 35-38Kts top speed from Southampton-Cowes (c.11Nm in 25-30 min - equivalent to a 12-15 minute crossing Burntisland-Newhaven) Thus could offer 30 min frequency peak hour service, and off-peak availability as a tender for larger cruise vessels. Redjet3 has ticket for Class D estuarial operation which covers it out to limit between Kirkcaldy & Portobello. The hovercraft was apparently busy for commuter trips. A Kirkcaldy-Edinburgh journey of under 45 minutes looks possible. A lease of the vessel might prove the project, especually with a 30 minute frequency and <15 minute crossing time.

    2)a Troon-Campbeltown high speed ferry. A charter option 12 passengers - bikes carried - is offered by Kintyre Express which would deliver a Glasgow-Campbeltown journey of around 2 hours vice 4 by road. Unfortunately the Class D limit kisses the south end of Bute and corresponding points to East & West. Economics and sea conditions might dictate something of perhaps 80-160 passenger capacity (no motor vehicles). The current Argyll Express boats (A Calmac company)- de-rated for Gourock-Dunoon - might be suitable for a trial operation.

    3) secure the track-bed for the railway that originally served the military pier (and layer ship-chop/scrapyard) at Cairnryan much is still in place including bridge abutments and formation (excuse for a survey trip anyone?) back to the main line. This could reduce the road danger noted on the A75, where each sailing delivers a convoy of HGV's charging East towards Gretna. This would also enable foot passengers to get to the ferries directly from a rail passenger service - not all have a bus connection, and few of the bus connections (officially) carry bikes - but have rail connections at Girvan & Maybole.

    4) to support the freight connection with the ferries The South chord at Newton should be restored so that freight services would not need train paths North of Ayr, and can use the rail line through to Mauchline - cutting around 20Km off the route via Barassie.

    5) Clearly the link from Alloa to Dunfermline puts more places within cycling distance of a train service

    6) A more radical - more express coach stops on motorways & main roads with better links to walk, cycle and get local taxis to join the service with guaranteed picking up, because driver has been sent a manifest of passengers wanting to catch coach at that stop - a local bike hire like the e-bikes being tested for St Andrews University. Likewise rural buses, where you can ride to the stop, and get on the bus with a bike.

    7) A national standard for interoperability for bike hire schemes, so I can travel to any location in Scotland with bike hire and use it

    Posted 5 years ago #
  2. acsimpson
    Member

    Those all sound good. Although I hope a Dunfermline to Alloa Rail line would not wreck the West Fife Cycle path. It is currently a gem of infrastructure.

    Posted 5 years ago #

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