TRAINS running from Fife to Edinburgh must have more carriages on them to stop overcrowding, a Fife MSP has said.

Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland Fife, has called for an ongoing problem with short-running trains to be brought to an end.

This is in response to an incident he witnessed, wherein he observed two back-to-back trains arrive at Inverkeithing station with just two carriages.

He said: “I have been raising the issue of short-running trains on the Fife to Edinburgh service for years now at the Scottish Parliament.

“Despite numerous promises that this practice will end, it is continuing to cause serious disruption to my constituents.

“On Wednesday, September 11, at peak commuter time in the morning, two successive trains had just two carriages, leaving dozens of commuters stranded and irate on the rail platform at Inverkeithing, meaning they were late for work.

“I have discussed this issue with ScotRail in January when I was told that they would increase the number of rail carriages on the Fife to Edinburgh rail line by the summer but that has obviously not happened.”

ScotRail have since explained that the problem was caused by a train fault the previous day, which impacted the number of carriages they could run on Wednesday morning.

The 7am Perth to Edinburgh service was affected by these faults, leading to the operator reducing the train length rather than cancelling the service outright.

Phil Cambell, customer operations director for ScotRail, said: “We know that one of our biggest concerns for our customers is busy trains, and we are sorry to any customer who experienced overcrowding on their journey.

“Fife is an area where we are doing everything we can to deliver the service that customers expect and deserve.”

Mr Fraser has taken his concerns and written to Fiona Hyslop, transport secretary, to call for the problem to come to an end.

He added: “It’s a problem that I have raised several times with the Scottish Government in the chamber at Holyrood but all we have had are lots of empty promises.

“I would like to know when this issue will finally be sorted, which is why I have written to the cabinet secretary for transport.

“I am sure she will agree with me that it is a very unsatisfactory situation that needs addressed.

“I have had many complaints through the years from constituents in Fife about the problem of short-running trains.

“It is surely time this outdated practice came to an end.”