Dinner = Allen Armstrong, Secretary of the Levenmouth Rail Campaign (LMRC),

On Thursday 12^th January 2017, President Brian Johnson welcomed 22 club Rotarians and 6 guest Rotarians on a scatter week from the Rotary Club of Kinross and guest speaker Allen Armstrong to this lunch time meeting held at the Gilvenbank Hotel.

Four apologies for absence were received.

On reception, this week were Murray Grubb who said grace and Peter May.

President Brian Johnson mentioned that the 60^th Anniversary charter dinner will take place on 28^th April 2017 and will be held at the Balbirnie Golf Club..

The speaker this week was Allen Armstrong, Secretary of the Levenmouth Rail Campaign. He advised that the Levenmouth RailCampaign (LMRC), in its latest form, had been running since April 2014 striving for justice and the extension of a Fife Circle service to Edinburgh by reopening the five-mile stretch of line between Thornton to Leven. The line is fully intact throughout, under Network Rail’s ownership with the first mile having been operational for freight since 2012.   This stretch of line was never recommended for closure under the Beeching Report but fell victim anyway. By far the largest community in Scotland without direct rail services (37,500 in Levenmouth + 9,000 in the adjoining southern East Neuk), there is an incredibly strong case for bringing the railway back. Apart from the large resident population, there is scope for tourism traffic and great potential for freight to serve Diageo’s main Scottish operation, the Fife Energy and Low Carbon Investment Parks, and Methil Docks among others. Since the closure of the major coal industry in 1970s, the area has suffered serious decline, with significant relative deprivation and unemployment. Introducing hourly train service to Edinburgh would increase job vacancies by 500% by bringing growing labour markets into commuting range. There is huge local support for reinstatement of rail services. Many of the older generation feel aggrieved that the Leven line has not reopened by now, despite new lines reviving elsewhere in the country, often for locations where the rail business case is much poorer. The younger generation is mainly exasperated that their rightful aspirations to study, work and enjoy leisure in the cities of the Central Belt is denied them. Although located in the Central Belt little over a one-hour car drive from Edinburgh, successive surveys show that Levenmouth feels isolated.

LMRC continues to be very active. A major achievement has been to press Fife Council into funding a second STAG Report (the previous one was completed only in 2008), a necessary prerequisite for reinstatement at considerable cost, completed in November 2015. Reopening the rail link is the stated “Number 1 transport priority of Fife Council” so this vital hurdle has been overcome and a strong case reinforced. LMRC holds meetings at least monthly, organises talks, runs summer roadshows out and about at local galas. they also go out and give talks to guilds, pensioner, business and professional groups. They receive strong support from Fife Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Small Businesses. LMRC produce monthly e- and print bulletins, and maintains a lively web and social media presence. With limited capital investment required since the trackbed is in place, reinstating services is such an easy win for ANY party coming to power, that we cannot understand why we are still waiting. As other transport investments are announced across Scotland, they have to curb their utter exasperation and sense of injustice and keep making their case

The Rotary Vote of thanks was given by Murray Grubb.

On reception, this week Thursday 19^th January 2017 will be Krishnaswamy and Peter May. This week is a business meeting where Council chairs will update members on their ongoing projects with the meeting being held at the Gilvenbank Hotel. please meet at 12.45pm for 12.55pm.