BeGreen Dalry says

But when will it return to the days that every train stopped in Dalry.  It's not much use having new trains if you can't get access to them when you want.

Jonathan Kelk says

I think this is excellent news, at peak times the trains do get very overcrowded by the time they get to Paisley.

But the problem that needs to be sorted is the pricing. I work near Braehead Shopping Centre, and to get there by public transport costs £10 a day (at peak time, which is necessary if commuting!). Driving in is cheaper than that, and much quicker. And now I'm car-sharing it is costing me just £3 a day! So current pricing is only practical if either you have no alternative or you happen to work within walking distance of a station.

Other countries can do train travel so much cheaper, why can't we? (I genuinely don't know, so any info would be interesting)

BeGreen> If every train stopped, then everyone else's journey would be longer, and then less people will use the train. It is a balancing act that is done based on passenger numbers - I assume?

BeGreen Dalry says

They managed to stop all the trains in Dalry pre electrification.  They then added on extra stops, how long does it take to stop at a station? I do agree that the prices must be looked at.

Keep it Real says

Regarding the stopping pattern of the train services:

Initially there will be no change to the current timetable.

However, this is going to be reviewed. As you may know, there is to be new track between Glasgow and Paisley (a third line). This will allow more services to be provided, probably from 2012 onwards.

If, as I do, you would like more trains to stop at Dalry throughout the day (eg. a half hourly service to Glasgow and an hourly service to Ayr and an hourly service to Ardrossan or Largs), then you need to write to your local representative on Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

This is Councillor John Reid who is the Depute Leader of North Ayrshire Council. He can be reached at Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE.  Alternatively, you could write to him at SPT, whose address is:

SPT
Consort House
12 West George Street
Glasgow
G2 1HN

You should also send a copy of your letter to Passenger Focus, who deal with rail passengers concerns, at the following addresss:

Passenger Focus

FREEPOST (RRRE-ETTC-LEET)
PO BOX 4257
Manchester
M60 3AR

This should also be taken on board by the Community Council, who were very active on this issue in the early 1990s.  The pressure they put on the railway operators at that time did result in significantly more peak time and evening services to/from Ayr.  However, it did not result in the necessary half hourly service, which is long overdue.

Somewhat incredibly, there will be no public consultation on proposed timetable changes. But you can still make your voice heard by contacting both of the above organisations. 

Campaign now and make a difference.  There is plenty of time to do so. 

Hopefully BeGreen could launch some kind of petition or prepare a standard letter for people to sign.   It is exactly what BeGreen should be getting involved with. 

Dalry Resident says

I'd take the train to Glasgow Central, it'd give me a chance to read a lot more. But 1 train every hour and Dick Turpin prices before 9am makes it untenable.

Billy Long says

You have to realise that this is an improvement to the service to the long weary commuter who travels to and from work on a daily basis. Not only are we to get brand new spanking trains but we now have brand new double deckers that Stagecoach have now introduced on their services between Irvine and the Garnock Valley. So the the more comfortable and easier access to them is all the better especially if someone who is elderly or disabled finds travelling on public transport difficult.

I would like to see some more trains stopping at Dalry especially calling for Ayr, Largs and a more half hourly service to Glasgow, but the demand has to be there as well. It doesn't make it environmentally green if people have to get in their cars and travel from Dalry to the likes of Kilwinning or Glengarnock to catch a more suitable train to get to their destination. Glengarnock station has more trains stopping at it so why can't Dalry? Then again that station also serves not only Glengarnock, but Kilbirnie and Beith too, plus they have a part time ticket office. Dalry could do with rail ticket machines that take card payments or you should able to buy rail tickets at a post office. I can remember in the 1980's you used to go in to a post office and buy a SPT ticket for roughly £8 and that gave a family of four unlimited travel throughout Strathclyde for a day on trains, buses and the Glasgow Underground.That was great value. So why can't we have a system that the post office sell us SPT/Scotrail  rail tickets? Or give Dalry Station a ticketing Machine? 

We probably won't get more trains stopping at Dalry until there is an explosion in Dalry's population. Until there is a by-pass built there probably won't be any more housing estates be built around the town and it look's like with this week's budget by the Tory/Lib Dem's that we will be heading straight back in to a recession so there won't be a recovery for sometime yet as more people will end out of work so the trains and buses should be quieter. 

Billy Long says

I forgot to mention in my last comment that one rail project I would like to see is the reopening of the old rail link that connected Dalry to Kilmarnock with a railway station and a bus connection at Knockentiber to Crosshouse Hospital. Buts that's just a dream and probably never happen ever again. But then again old rail links across Scotland have reopened, so you never know.

Billy Long says

I would like to ask Keep It Real if the third new line to Paisley through to Glasgow - if it is the old railway line that went from Elderslie to Paisley Canal from The Glasgow to Ayr Line?

Keep it Real says

Billy - the third line will be built between Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central between the existing tracks.  Work has now started and will cost £27 million.

There were 4 tracks there at one point, now there are 2. 

There are separate proposals for extending the Paisley Canal Line to Elderslie, but these are more long term.

I would ask again that BeGreen respond to this issue.  There would be demand for more rail travel if the supply was there.  Good service provision leads to strong demand.

Billy Long says

Thank you very much Keep It Real for the information regarding the above comment.