Follow The Iron Road to Airdrie

I've had a hectic start to the week, somewhat more so that the usual week, but Monday marked a new stage for Bathgate.

It was the laying of the first stretch of new track to link up Bathgate with Airdrie and to create another through route from Edinburgh to Glasgow. The platforms along the route are developing nicely. The new one at Bathgate will make my journey to the station change as the direct line down Mid Street will be more direct than my current journey down Hopetoun Street and St. David's Street.

The BBC article mentions most of the new and upgraded amenities along the line but fails to mention Blackridge Station. The village to the West of Armadale was overlooked by planners when the route was first planned but with all party backing a campaign was launched to provide the people of Blackridge with a station on the line that was going by them anyway.

While the provision of direct train services from Bathgate to Glasgow and Airdrie to Edinburgh are great aspects of new line, the regular service for Blackridge enhances the residents opportunity to use public transport. There are currently only two direct express buses to Edinburgh in the morning from Bathgate the X1 at 0610 and 0700; the latter arrives in the East End at 0816. But only one back out the 1715. It is hardly encouraging for those who maybe work at the Gyle to use public transport. So a train stopping at Edinburgh Park may well encourage more people out of their cars.

The contractors Balfour Beatty are confident that the track laying and electrification will be completed by December this year, on schedule. Seeing some of the things they have done to work through the snow and flooding recently I'm confident that they will be doing all they can to make sure they do deliver on time.

I personally am looking forward to going straight through to Glasgow without having to worry about the last bus time back to Bathgate in the early evening.

This Train will Call at ....Blackridge...

Good news for residents in Blackridge the Scottish Government has agreed funding for them to have a platform as part of the Bathgate to Airdrie railway reinstatement programme.

While the Scotsman may be heaping praise on Fiona Hyslop for this success I'm like to single out independent councillor Stuart Borrowman who actually really got this campaign going and was convener of PlatformBlackridge a group which had all party support. No doubt the council will pass the passing application for the station at a nod now and Blackridge can become better connected than it has been for years.

The people of Blackridge have for too long lived with a poverty in public transport provision, their needs often overlooked. This success for PlatformBlackridge will greatly benefit many in that community, along with the others already set to benefit from the new line. It is a great step forward.

Crack Open Over Track

I was getting ready for an afternoon watching football yesterday when I saw Bristow Muldoon MSP for Livingston trying to defend his ammendments to the Borders Railway.

For the record Mr Muldoon is convener of the Scottish Parliament's transport committee who had recommended the proposals without Mr Muldoon's ammendments after 3 years of consideration. His first ammendment is possibly one that is seen as a wrecking proposal to the whole scheme either the developers must commit to the whole project of not at all. The second is to do away with the proposed station at Stow.

Seeing as the provision of the Border's railway is part of the partnership agreement which Mr Muldoon's Labour party and the Liberal Democrats entered into in 2003 this act of possible sabotage of a much needed public trasport scheme in an area where public transport is seriously lacking is an act of rebellion against the Partnership Agreement. It also shows the true lack of depth to Labour's committment to fight climate change. If Mr Muldoon is not prepared to fund an essential public transport initiative from within goverment funds but pass the excess unto the council tax payers of the borders, why was the same not done to Edinburghers for the overspend on the Parliament Building?

If Bristow is to be even handed he must apply the same rules to the Aidrie-Bathgate rail line. However, as this would pass the burden of debt, in part, unto West Lothian council tax payers (ie his electorate) I doubt this will happen.

Right to Cycle (2)

I wrote earlier this week about one farmer's unilateral action against the 75 Cycle Route near Blackridge. Well today I'm glad to report that an agreement has been met between the council and the landowner and the route will be restored within a fortnight.

Right to Cycle

A farmer near Blackridge has blocked off a section of National Cycle Route 75 which runs across his land, this is a major route linking the Forth and Clyde valleys.

The sustainable development charity Sustrans say that £150,000 of public money was spent on the tarmaced section that the farmer Roy Orr has blocked off. Mr Orr claims that this was done without planning permission and has fenced in the section to enable him to farm his land.

Under Scotland's new access legislation however West Lothian Council have ordered the route to be reinstated or appealed by 9 June.

Diversions are currently in operation until this dispute is settled.

Second Weekend of Pre-Wedding Tradedy Hits West Lothian

The news that two West Lothian men died while attending a stag party in Blackpool came on the day David Livingstone, who was killed in car crash in Bathgate last Saturday, was due to be married.

Barry Bryce from Armadale and Scott Hunter from Blackridge got into difficulties when a wave swept them off steps on the sea wall.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families involved.