Kelvindale Station opened 2005
The SNP Government says it wants a passenger-centric rail service so why are Kelvindale, Gilshochill and Maryhill stations now threatened with closure and the very existence of the entire line under threat?
In the Transport Scotland document ‘Rail 2014 – Public Consultation’, launched by SNP Ministers Alex Neil and Keith Brown, Glasgow is singled out as having 11 stations located less than one mile from another rail station offering similar services. The lease costs associated with these 11 stations total £208,000.
The alternatives suggested for Gilshochill and Maryhill stations therefore are that passengers go to Summerston and that Kelvindale passengers go to Anniesland. This of course completely ignores the location of these communities, the geography of the area and the added costs of getting to these alternative stations. Why take a bus from Cadder or Maryhill to Summerston, or Kelvindale to Anniesland in order to get the train into Queen Street?
The result would be that passenger numbers would significantly drop on the line; the threat to close Ashfield on the same line underlines the threat.
At the same time, as our constituency MSP, Patricia Ferguson, has highlighted, the Edinburgh/Glasgow Improvement Programme threatens to end any remaining Queen Street, Summerston, Anniesland service by terminating the existing northern service short of Queen Street and forcing passengers to travel to the city centre via the Anniesland, Partick route instead.
Our Community Councils will be campaigning against these threats as will Maryhill Kelvin Councillors and our constituency MSP. You can also help by letting friends and neighbours know about the threat and encourage them to support the campaign to save our stations.
Let the SNP Government know you oppose this threat to our stations and rail line by sending your views on the consultation to:
Postal submissions should be sent to:
Rail2014, Transport Scotland, Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G4 0HF
The closing date for the consultation is 20 February 2012
I find the proposal to close the station unacceptable:
It was only opened in 2005.
It is a well used station.
It is user friendly—-including for the disabled and parents with buggies,(Unlike Anniesland))
It offers an excellent quick route to the City Centre,Buchanan Galleries, Concert Hall and Sauchiehall Street.
It links with Edinburgh trains at Queen Street.
It is therefore an important link to Edinburgh Airport.
It is also a link with East Coast trains which I use frequently going to Newcasle,Durham—–!
The roads in the area are already congested and doing this will increase congestion as those with cars will take them out again.
Our bus service is poor.
It is going to handicap the elderly and those who do not drive.
In short I find it really very worrying.
Also many people do not know about this proposal and are horrified when I mention it.