Time to close this loss making line

Dec 5 2008

I READ with interest over the last few weeks about First Scotrail and the £80 million that should be invested in the Ayr Stranraer line.

What a total waste of money. This line has been dead and buried for years, probably since the 60s, since Lord Beeching days. I would not imagine that this line even makes a profit. With all probability of Stena Line pulling out of Stranraer and moving up to Cairnryan.

This would eliminate the need for a train service past Girvan, as buses would then be used to bus passengers either direct to Ayr or to link-up with a train at Girvan, which would need to run to connect with the boats.

All too often I have seen a boat nearing Stranraer and the train not waiting and leaving before the boat docks. So please Scotrail and Scottish Government do not allow money to be wasted on this line. The money would be better spent on improving the Ayr-Glasgow line with a 20 minute service and better quality trains.

As for the Open Golf at Turnberry next July, I have written to Scotrail suggesting that the golf trains should be terminated at Ayr and the back of the train station to be used as a coach park with a direct coach link from there to Turnberry thus cutting the travelling times for golf commuters by 50 minutes, rather than use Girvan station which is totally inadequate with limited space, and would eliminate the station area being clogged up with coaches.

Thomas M Climie

Dalrymple Street

Girvan.