AN MSP has said reopening the Alloa to Dunfermline railway line would be a central part of his party's recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, believes the line would create much-needed jobs in Clackmannanshire.

Reopening the Alloa to Dunfermline railway would form part of a £22billion rail revolution by the Scottish Green Party to build a modern, zero-carbon network that is affordable and accessible to all.

Mr Ruskell believes the newly-proposed Rail for All programme will be a central part of Scotland's green recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, creating thousands of jobs whilst delivering infrastructure that is essential to tackling the climate emergency.

He said: "I've long been a champion of reopening the Alloa to Dunfermline rail line, and this report shows there's never been a better time to make this kind of investment.

"There is huge public support for a green economic recovery from Covid, and we know investment in rail will create much needed jobs in Clackmannanshire and provide a legacy for local communities."

Mr Ruskell continued: "The key principle of the Rail for All programme is to make the rail network accessible to everyone, and the gap to the east of Alloa is an obvious missing link in the network in central Scotland.

"So far the Scottish Government have only committed to exploring the reopening of the line as far as Longannet.

"It would be a huge missed opportunity to not continue the line onto Dunfermline and create a rail network that reconnects communities along the Forth."

The Scottish Greens' Rail for All investment programme is a proposed 20-year, £22bn investment in Scotland's railways to build a modern, zero-carbon network that is affordable and accessible to all.

The news comes a few months after Railfuture Scotland backed calls for a direct line from Glasgow to Dunfermline, with the creation of stations at Clackmannan and Kincardine. At that time, it was hoped the line could be further extended to St Andrews.

In September last year, Network Rail said they were carrying out surveying work to help inform future development of the line.

Visit https://greens.scot/ to view the Rail for All programme.