THE fact that more than 1,000 trains running through Inverkeithing station to Edinburgh have been cancelled over the past two years underlines the problems that people relying on rail links with the capital from Cardenden, Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath rail stations have been facing.

Not all these cancellations have involved trains using the line that goes through the three local stations, as a good number have been from the southern line linking Aberdeen with Edinburgh, but the total involving the local stations still runs into the hundreds.

Conservative MSP and Times columnist, Murdo Fraser, has slammed figures released which reveal that rail commuters from Inverkeithing were faced with more than 1,000 cancelled trains, due to ‘traincrew shortages,’ in just under two years.

The politician, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, described the data, provided by Network Rail as “shocking” and has called for action to be taken by Scottish Government to address the matter.

The Scottish Conservatives asked the rail body for information on the number of cancelled rail services for trains that were due to stop at Inverkeithing from October 20, 2017 to September 28, 2019, and this showed there were a total of 1,010 such cancellations.

There were many days when rail commuters based at Inverkeithing experienced the number of cancelled trains reaching double figures. Thirty train services were cancelled on April 9, 2019, with 28 being cancelled on April 16, 2019, and many will have involved links to Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Cardenden.

The data was provided through the Freedom of Information Act.

Mr Fraser has previously raised the issue of problems suffered by rail commuters on the Fife Circle Line with the Scottish Government. This problem was underlined by revelations that a staggering 110 peak-time journeys on it were cancelled between April and September 2018.

Commenting, Mr Fraser said: “Fife commuters have had to endure cancellations, delays and overcrowded trains and some trains skipping stations, for too long. To have more than 1,000 cancellations on trains that were due to stop at Inverkeithing rail station in just under two years due to ‘traincrew shortages’ is shocking and really not good enough.

“I have previously asked the Transport Minister, Michael Matheson, to address concerns of Fife rail commuters and recently ScotRail announced that they will supply more carriages on busy commuter lines in Fife.

“This is obviously very welcome but there should never be 1,010 cancellations due to ‘traincrew shortages’ in this day and age.”

ScotRail promised 10,000 added extra seats for passengers each day as part of a £475 million investment in new and upgraded rolling stock and a spokesperson said: "There is no denying that Scotland's railway has went though some challenging times in recent years but the latest figures are more encouraging and show that we delivered e best autumn performance in five years.

"More trains are arriving on time and this shows the impact of the unprecedented investment in Scotland's railway to give customers the service they expect and deserve."