Golf Street Halt and Barry Links least used stations in Scotland
A recent Network Rail report, ‘Initial Industry for Scotland’ has identified Golf Street Halt and Barry Links as among the least used stations in Scotland, with 190 people using Golf St. Halt and just 90 using Barry Links in the year 2009/10. It appears however that fears of imminent closure of the stations have been discounted by Network Rail. They point out that the report is is a general overview of the how the railway in Scotland is being utilised and how that may develop in the future. Any decision about the future use of stations is a matter for the government who tender franchises to rail companies who will agree the level of service provision.
The community council are not surprised at the low numbers of passengers recorded as using the stations - given the number of trains that actually stop there! Apart from the Open Golf Championship, which happens once every 8 or 9 years, there is one train per day heading for Dundee which stops just after 6am and one train heading to Aberdeen which stops just after 7pm. – Not a shock therefore to discover hardly anyone gets on or off at these stations!
In light of all the new-build housing in Carnoustie, coupled with the government’s drive to get us out of cars and onto public transport, perhaps its time for rail companies to re-assess the potential demand for more trains to stop at Golf Street Halt and Barry.
We can’t remember any surveys being undertaken the recent past - can you?
