Starlink to consult Alloa campaigners

To bolster the case for the essential STAG evaluation, the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council has contacted its counterparts in Alloa and North Berwick to see what lessons can be drawn from a town that successfully campaigned for the return of its rail link and one which resisted being a victim of the BR branch line cull of the late 1960s. While it is recognised that neither of these settlements is an exact match for St Andrews - in fact it is difficult to think of anywhere that is - nevertheless each shares some features in common with the ancient university town, and both are at the end of a branch line, as St Andrews would be. Other lessons can be learned from Helensburgh and Troon, towns of similar size and a similar distance from a large city and both served by through lines, Helensburgh (Central) also being the terminus of the line from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Comparison of towns with St Andrews

Town
Population
Tourism
Golf
University
Railway
St Andrews

16870

Yes

Yes
Yes
None
Alloa

20417

Some

No
No
Branch terminus
Helensburgh

14220

Yes

No
No
Branch terminus & through line
Milngavie

12948

No

No
No
Branch terminus
North Berwick

6605

Yes

Yes
No
Branch terminus
Troon

14752

Yes

Yes
No
Through line