At its meeting of 23rd June 2022, East Dunbartonshire Council considered the following Motion:
“When ScotRail launched a consultation “Fit for the Future” it was suggested that the purpose of the May 2022 timetable review was to ensure the service met the needs of customers and the Scottish Government’s aims as Scotland recovers from the pandemic and in the future.
The planned reduced timetable in Scotland was for 2150 weekday services. This has been reduced to 1456 in the present temporary timetable.
On the 4th November the Council agreed a motion which compared the proposed May 2022 timetable with the 2019 timetable for the Milngavie Line.
Comparisons included
1) The number of trains operating across off-peak hours during the day has been reduced from four per hour to two.
2) The number of trains operating on a Saturday during the day has been reduced from four per hour to two.
The new temporary timetable takes the reduction further with the number of trains operating on peak hours from four per hour to two.
The Council has raised the issue of poor performance on the Milngavie Line consistently with ScotRail and the Scottish Government over recent years and this reduction will make it harder to access rail services and reduce the attractiveness of rail as a way to travel.
Council believes
1) It is unfathomable, given the Climate Crisis with a clear need to promote the use of public transport, that access to rail services has been reduced in East Dunbartonshire.
2) Our Communities who use both the Milngavie Line and Glasgow main line should have their services re-instated.
3) This reduction has made it less attractive for tourists and walkers to come to Milngavie, the gateway to the West Highland Way, which is critical for the local economy and tourism in the area.
4) As East Dunbartonshire plans and works for recovery from the pandemic, service levels should be re-instated to pre pandemic level in order to support the local recovery and ensure it is environmentally sustainable.
Council calls on ScotRail and the Scottish Government to confirm that services will be re-instated on the Milngavie and Glasgow main lines.
Council will write to the First Minister, the Transport Minister, ScotRail and Transport Scotland stating our position.”
As instructed, the Motion was communicated to the First Minister, the Transport Minister, ScotRail and Transport Scotland. The Scottish Government’s response is appended for Members’ information.