Foysol Choudhury MSP has joined Winchburgh residents outside the Scottish Parliament to deliver a petition addressed to Minister Jim Fairlie, calling on the Scottish Government to name a date for a new train station for Winchburgh.
Winchburgh is an expanding West Lothian community, with Winchburgh Developments Ltd delivering thousands of new homes and some new schools. However, a train station has not been delivered, as a new railway station was not a condition of planning permission.
As a result, homeowners in Winchburgh have been left without commuter links to Glasgow and Edinburgh, leading to a campaign to get the station built.
Foysol Choudhury, Labour MSP for Lothian, has been pursuing the issue on behalf of constituents for almost 2 years and has addressed the issue in the Scottish Parliament with Ministers, as well as making enquiries with other stakeholders such as the Council, local councillors and the Developers.
Yesterday the Labour Lothians list MSP joined the residents of Winchburgh outside the Scottish Parliament to call for action from the Scottish Government and deliver the petition addressed to Minister Jim Fairlie.
Following the rally outside Holyrood, Mr Choudhury said: “Winchburgh community have campaigned for many years for a much-needed train station and I have been raising this for almost 2 years at the Scottish Parliament.
“I was pleased to join the community today in delivering a petition for the Minister-it is time for the Scottish Government to take action, enough is enough.
“The Scottish Government needs to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for ensuring this much-needed and long-awaited station can finally be delivered.
“We must all work together to secure a station for the people of Winchburgh, who were sold homes on a belief it would be a commuter town.
“Instead, the Scottish Government do not seem to be taking these collaborative efforts to solve this important issue of clean and sustainable transport links for Winchburgh seriously.
“I am glad that other stakeholders, including MSPs, local councillors, the local community and the developers Winchburgh Developments Ltd, are instead taking this seriously where the Scottish Government are not.
“I am hopeful this petition and the clear strength of feeling from the community will lead to action from the Scottish Government – let’s get Winchburgh train station sorted!”
Mr Choudhury says he remains committed to continuing to pursue a new Winchburgh train station on behalf of all his constituents and will work with all relevant stakeholders possible to secure the station for his constituents.
Foysol Choudhury MSP’s video on the matter here: