Monday 27 Feb 2023
Breaking ground at new Leven station site
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
Work is now under way to build the new Leven station as part of the £116m Scottish Government funded Levenmouth Rail Link project.
Leven will be one of two new stations built on the route, alongside Cameron Bridge, reconnecting communities in Levenmouth to the rail network for the first time in over 50 years.
The station will boast 205m island platforms and a pebble styled pavilion area as the entrance to the new station.
Located next to Leven Leisure centre, with easy access to connecting bus services and all existing active travel routes, the new station will have 133 car parking spaces with provision for EV charging and cycle storage. There will also be ‘blue badge’ accessible parking spaces.
Work on the new station began on with the construction of the foundations for the platforms. This will be done using more than 98 precast units and around 200 cubic metres of concrete.
It is anticipated that work to create the new station will take approximately 14 months and it will be opened as part of the overall Levenmouth Rail Link in spring 2024.
Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway said: “I am delighted to be here to see work begin to construct the new Leven station.
“Leven and Cameron Bridge stations will be the gateway to the rail network for local people and it is great to see work getting moving on what will be the public gateways of the project.
“This new line will also serve other areas of Fife and allow the community better connectivity which means increased access to employment, education and make it easier for people to visit this beautiful part of the Fife coast. The benefits this brings are countless.
“In the coming months, the community will see a lot of work happening and quickly as the project gathers momentum and starts to build towards the opening of the line in spring 2024.”
A planning application for the new Leven station was submitted in early October and a combination of permitted development rights and ‘prior approval’ enables the project to progress work within the confines of the railway corridor. Planning permission is still being considered by Fife Council for wider elements of the station design.
Following successful completion of a range of preparatory activities, the project to deliver the new Levenmouth Rail Link kicked off in March 2022.
Work includes:
- 19 single track kilometres of new / reinstated railway. (Fully double tracked railway)
- Two new modern accessible stations
- Electrification of the line
- Work with partners to optimise interchange options connecting stations.
Notes to Editors
Current Status:
The project has completed the first mile of track, which has now been commissioned and being used to support construction of the subsequent phases of work on the project
Current work to the west of the route includes fencing, re-profiling of embankments, drainage and cabling and track works on the 2nd mile section. Bridge works are ongoing along the length of the rail corridor.
- Diversion of utilities has started on the Leven Bridge and it is anticipated that preparatory work on the (Bawbee) Leven bridge will get under way shortly.
- Work has commenced at Cameron Bridge station.
- Planning applications for both station developments on the line were submitted to Fife Council in October 2022.
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