A TRANSPORT body has called for explicit assurances that no train stations will be closed as part of a Government review of Scotland's rail network.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport said it was "extremely concerned" about the prospect of stations being shut in the west of Scotland after the Rail 2014 consultation was launched last November.
And, despite being told there are no "current plans" to close any stations, it has called for a presumption against closure "except in the most extreme cases" to be built into Government policies.
Its concerns were spelled out in a formal response to the consultation yesterday in which it also called for a greater role in determining how train services in the west of Scotland were delivered. The SPT said: "Where station patronage is under threat, more should be done to promote marketing and attractiveness of services and enhance proposals. Consideration also needs to be given to the knock-on effects of the wider transport network, the impact of modal shift to car and the financial pressures on supported bus budgets."
Concern over the fate of 11 stations in and around Glasgow was heightened in December when Transport Scotland included them in a list of 14 that are within a mile of each other and delivering similar services. They included Ashfield, Barnhill, Duke Street, Gilshochill, Kelvindale, Kennishead, Maryhill, Mosspark and Nitshill.
The Government consultation will inform how train services are delivered from 2014, when the ScotRail franchise, currently operated by First Group, is due to be renewed and Network Rail, responsible for track and infrastructure, enters its next five-year control period.
Transport Scotland has insisted it is not considering closing stations, but is reviewing whether they are in the best locations. A spokeswoman for the agency said: "There are no plans to close rail stations in Glasgow, or any other part of Scotland for that matter.
"Rail 2014 is a consultation – it sets out options, not views or proposals. We wish to stimulate debate and genuinely want to hear people's views on how the rail services should develop.
"We are keen to encourage access to the network and will look at the case for additional stations on existing routes."
SPT was stripped of responsibility for heavy rail services in 2006 when Transport Scotland was established.
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