McInnes adds voice to campaign for faster train services

12.00.00am GMT Mon 16th Apr 2007

A leading voice on transport for the north east, Cllr Alison McInnes, is backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats' plans to cut rail journey times between Scotland's cities, so that the train is always a faster option than the car. She said, "An hourly service from Inverness to Aberdeen, and cutting journey times across Scotland are targets we have identified here in the North East and which feature in Nestrans' (North East Scotland Regional Transport Partnership) regional transport strategy. It is essential that reliable and efficient rail services are available to give people a real alternative to using the car. This is a worthwhile investment which will pay back environmental dividends"

McInnes, who is the Liberal Democrats' key North East Scotland regional candidate for the forthcoming parliamentary elections continued, "Improvements to rail services must be coupled with a review of fares policy to increase trains at off peak times and make train travel more affordable."

Party Leader Nicol Stephen outlined the plans yesterday, saying "Liberal Democrats have been the first in government for decades to build new railway lines, so Scotland is leading the way for the rest of the UK. We have increased investment in public transport six-fold.

"In the next four years we will build the Borders railway, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Airport rail links, the Airdrie-Bathgate railway, the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line and trams in Edinburgh. That is just the starting point for our railway expansion plans.

"To get more people out of cars they must have fast, convenient and comfortable public transport. The train should be a faster option than the car for journeys between Scotland's cities.

"To deliver on this pledge we will cut journey times, increase capacity, reduce overcrowding, tackle bottlenecks and improve service frequency across a number of key routes. We will ensure that people across Scotland benefit from this investment.

"Liberal Democrats are committed to taking forward new railway developments across Scotland. We will cut train journey times between Inverness, Aberdeen and the central belt, across the Highlands and between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife and the Borders."