Bring a halt to local rail chaos

The study would also look into providing new rail halts with park and ride facilities at the Allander in Bearsden, Westerhill in Bishopbriggs and Woodilee in Kirkintilloch.

The funding to undertake the feasibility study would come from the Rail Pipeline Fund, recently initiated by the Scottish Government.

The motion is being put forward by the SNP group at the council.

Milngavie MSP Gil Paterson said: “It is gratifying that after many months of work lobbying the rail operators Abellio ScotRail, Network Rail and Transport Scotland about measures to resolve the unacceptable train performance on the Milngavie rail line East Dunbartonshire Council can now make application to the new Rail Pipeline Fund.

“This was established recently by the Scottish Government to tackle local problems with the rail infrastructure.

“MSP Rona Mackay and I have written jointly to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and the council requesting their support for the re-twin tracking of the line from Westerton to Milngavie.

“We believe this is the first action necessary if we are to improve local rail services. We hope to meet with both organisations soon to outline our concerns and highlight potential solutions suggested to us by rail professionals.”

Ms Mackay said: “The travelling public are rightly sick and tired of unannounced train cancellations, station skipping and late arrivals.

“The Milngavie rail line was recently reported as the worst performing line in Scotland so something has to be done to resolve these unacceptable problems.

“Once this urgent twin tracking work is completed it will enable the three new rail halts with park and ride facilities which will resolve much of our congestion problems and reduce the bad air quality experienced in East Dunbartonshire.”

She added: “I hope when SNP Cllr Gordan Low’s motion is decided on 26 April the debate does not descend into a party political points scoring argument and all councillors see its merit.”