A9 dualling - how will Scotrail compete?

[Noddy]

The point is it's not commuting, commuter passenger numbers (so journeys to Edinburgh/Glasgow) are down pretty much everywhere, other passenger numbers not so much. Both Stirling and Fife to Dundee, not heavy commuter flows, with roughly the same frequency of trains as 2018 are relatively stable. There's more evidence the change has reduced Fife-Inverness passenger numbers than increased Stirling-Inverness.

The end-end journey time is very similar on either route from Edinburgh-Perth, and that is with 1 stop via Stirling against 3 via Fife, if the Fife route only had one stop, either Inverkeithing (for Dunfermline connecting the 8th City) or Kirkcaldy (it has a better car park) then it's likely Fife would be faster, it's simply much shorter. The previous Fife services were often directional uplift/setdown only to limit commuter use but provide the northbound connectivity.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2026 ==

Passenger numbers from Inverness to Perth and Glasgow are down around 20-30%. There’s no reason not to think Stirling numbers wouldn’t be the same if the service had not been improved.

It’s undoubtedly quicker via Fife if you don’t stop and the Perth-Ladybank section is free from any delays. But even you are saying to only stop once in which case you’re only gaining a very small number of Fife passengers from one Fife station, at the expense of all those you loose from Stirling. You seem to assume that just because there is a train service everyone will carry one using it even if you halve the service. This isn’t the case. And it still doesn’t solve the operational issues of the single line section between Perth and Ladybank, which is avoided by going via Stirling. Or the lost connections at Stirling.

Not sure what your point is, both Edinburgh and Glasgow have direct services to Highland Main Line Stations, regardless of the route of Edinburgh services south of Perth, no need for anyone to change.

As I’ve already said if you’re connecting a 1 hour interval is much better than a 2 hour connection interval. This really isn’t rocket science.

 

[HighlandStorm]

Not sure what your point is, both Edinburgh and Glasgow have direct services to Highland Main Line Stations, regardless of the route of Edinburgh services south of Perth, no need for anyone to change.

By only using direct services, you effectively cutting your journey options in half. Yes it will suit some people with a lot of luggage who can be flexible with when they travel to wait for a direct train. In the past it really was desirable to aim for a direct train to avoid changing at Perth, where you could well find yourself joining a full and standing service or facing a fair wait if a connection was missed.

Routing via Stirling has made the service more robust, there is now a standard route for Inverness to Edinburgh trains, and it is a much better station to change at, with more options for onwards travel to either Edinburgh or Glasgow (or places in between). Ordinarily, it is a same platform change to get Aberdeen or Dundee services to Glasgow and Dunblane services to Edinburgh. Changing at Stirling for Glasgow there is the back up option of the Alloa trains - though that requires a change of platform.

There is also a nicely refurbished waiting room on Platform 3 at Stirling, complete with charging points / power sockets.
Changing in Perth it's so damn cold, you feel like you run the risk of being eaten by marauding polar bear (and that's in July, never mind winter) and instead of a same platform change, its a lengthy trudge to an outpost that might as well be a different station.

 

[HSTEd]

Perhaps you could get higher speeds with new trains fitted with tilting, magnetic track brakes and all motored axles.

On single track lines increasing speed tends to increase capacity, not reduce it.

But I am skeptical you would get that much.

 

[Harpo]

I would support the A9 dualling if it included tollbooths to gather revenue to repay the enormous cost.

Be careful what you wish for, especially if there is no viable alternative.

Per mile, a bridge or tunnel toll seems fine but on trunk roads it can be substantial, such as the return trip in a car over the length of the M6 toll which is now over £20 but fortunately avoidable.