Edinburgh-St Andrews - assumption is by car
12, 08 26 23:44
An article in The Scotsman about electric vehicles cited a return Edinburgh-St Andrews journeys as a good example of one which could easily be undertaken by an electric car.
The automatic assumption appeared to be that of course one would drive from Scotland's capital to the Home of Golf, implying that the existing public transport is just not good enough.
This is what StARLink has been saying for years, yet Transport Scotland seems to think that 'better buses', whatever that may mean, is all that is required to bring about a mass switch from private cars, thus alleviating any traffic problems St Andrews may have ( though of course Transport Scotland claims there is no evidence of any such).
The assumption in the article appeared to suggest otherwise.
Here is the text of the letter to The Scotsman from StARLink:
Dear Editor
I was interested that Frederika Klarén used the return journey between St Andrews and Edinburgh as an example of a round trip of 100 miles or so which could be easily undertaken by an electric car rather than one powered by petrol or diesel (Perspective 7th August).
Some might be surprised that people making that journey would need to use any kind of car; surely a town of the stature of St Andrews has good public transport links, especially with Scotland's capital?
On paper, this may appear to be the case. There are 2 trains an hour from Edinburgh to the nearest railway station; however, Leuchars is over 5 miles away from the Home of Golf. For those not wishing the hassle of changing modes, there is an hourly direct bus service between Edinburgh and St Andrews but perhaps the journey time of at least 2 hours is the reason that the vast majority of travellers between these places choose to drive. As a result, the A91 into St Andrews is the busiest road in North East Fife and unfortunately, electric cars cause just as much traffic congestion as do those using fossil fuels.
A publicly-funded professional study showed that a railway line to St Andrews, enabling travellers to board a train at Waverley and disembark in St Andrews, was the best way to achieve the greatest switch from cars and so reduce traffic issues, including congestion, in and around the Fife town, as well as reducing emissions. However, Transport Scotland simply dismissed these findings, saying that all St Andrews needed was 'better buses', though there has been neither hide nor hair of these since.
Which is a somewhat roundabout way of saying that the automatic assumption by Ms Klarén that people travelling from Edinburgh to St Andrews would drive, demonstrates that the existing public transport options, even the direct bus, simply do not cut it. Something much more attractive, such as a direct train, is required to get as many cars as possible, including electric ones, off the road, such that when somebody wishes to travel from Edinburgh to St Andrews they will not automatically reach for the ignition keys.
Yours sincerely
Jane Ann Liston
Convenor - StARLink (St Andrews Rail Link) campaign
The automatic assumption appeared to be that of course one would drive from Scotland's capital to the Home of Golf, implying that the existing public transport is just not good enough.
This is what StARLink has been saying for years, yet Transport Scotland seems to think that 'better buses', whatever that may mean, is all that is required to bring about a mass switch from private cars, thus alleviating any traffic problems St Andrews may have ( though of course Transport Scotland claims there is no evidence of any such).
The assumption in the article appeared to suggest otherwise.
Here is the text of the letter to The Scotsman from StARLink:
Dear Editor
I was interested that Frederika Klarén used the return journey between St Andrews and Edinburgh as an example of a round trip of 100 miles or so which could be easily undertaken by an electric car rather than one powered by petrol or diesel (Perspective 7th August).
Some might be surprised that people making that journey would need to use any kind of car; surely a town of the stature of St Andrews has good public transport links, especially with Scotland's capital?
On paper, this may appear to be the case. There are 2 trains an hour from Edinburgh to the nearest railway station; however, Leuchars is over 5 miles away from the Home of Golf. For those not wishing the hassle of changing modes, there is an hourly direct bus service between Edinburgh and St Andrews but perhaps the journey time of at least 2 hours is the reason that the vast majority of travellers between these places choose to drive. As a result, the A91 into St Andrews is the busiest road in North East Fife and unfortunately, electric cars cause just as much traffic congestion as do those using fossil fuels.
A publicly-funded professional study showed that a railway line to St Andrews, enabling travellers to board a train at Waverley and disembark in St Andrews, was the best way to achieve the greatest switch from cars and so reduce traffic issues, including congestion, in and around the Fife town, as well as reducing emissions. However, Transport Scotland simply dismissed these findings, saying that all St Andrews needed was 'better buses', though there has been neither hide nor hair of these since.
Which is a somewhat roundabout way of saying that the automatic assumption by Ms Klarén that people travelling from Edinburgh to St Andrews would drive, demonstrates that the existing public transport options, even the direct bus, simply do not cut it. Something much more attractive, such as a direct train, is required to get as many cars as possible, including electric ones, off the road, such that when somebody wishes to travel from Edinburgh to St Andrews they will not automatically reach for the ignition keys.
Yours sincerely
Jane Ann Liston
Convenor - StARLink (St Andrews Rail Link) campaign