Conclusions

This section provides a summary of the key themes, based on the data analysis from the primary and secondary data sources, report in line with the research questions as set out in Appendix A in the accompanying technical appendices.

At the end of each key theme, there is a brief paragraph (highlighted in pink) which provides the main headline for that key theme.

Key Themes

What are the current habits/behaviours for travel within, to and from Levenmouth?

• Historically in Levenmouth, while just under a third of households in Levenmouth do not own a vehicle, car was reported as the dominant mode of travel to ‘work or study’. This highlights the reliance on car for those who own or have access to one.
• Reliance on car was further observed from survey results, with 80% of all residents responding that they had access to one or more cars; and 77% of respondents from Levenmouth saying they had access to one or more cars. This is a higher level of car ownership compared to the 2011 Census. As many as 89% of Buckhaven residents have access to one or more cars.
• Private vehicle is the dominant mode for regular travel by residents, with 52% of respondents using a vehicle daily for private purposes. For travel to work/study, 86% of Levenmouth residents drive whilst only 4% use the bus. No respondents indicated they use the train to travel to work.
• Many residents do not use public transport at all for travel, with 56% of respondents never using bus or rail. This is high compared to the 22% of respondents who never use car for travel.
• As many as 64% of Levenmouth residents never use the bus. Only 1% of Levenmouth respondents use the bus daily, however Methil residents displayed the highest amount of use, with 10% of them using the bus at least three times a week.
• Rail is a key means of travel from the region to the Central Belt, particularly to Edinburgh. This is demonstrated by annual ticketing data where in recent years over 50% of travel originating from railway stations found closest to Levenmouth is to Edinburgh.
• Existing rail usage by Levenmouth residents was low, with only 5% of residents indicating they use it once a month, and 20% using it less than once a month. Residents from Largo, Lundin Links, Wemyss Villages and East Neuk have a higher propensity to use rail services more than once a month compared to settlements within Levenmouth.

What are current user perceptions on the usability and accessibility of transport, employment and key services?

• Nearly half (49%) of residents indicated they were satisfied with existing bus services, whilst 15% were dissatisfied. The main factors for dissatisfaction were service frequency (50%), directness (48%), and reliability (48%).
• Amongst those expressing dissatisfaction with train services, the most common influencing factors were cost of train services (44%), frequency of train services (33%), reliability of train services (29%) and availability of train services (45%).
• Access to the rail network prior to the reopening of the Levenmouth Rail Link is considered poor and particularly for those reliant and using public transport. Journey time accessibility modelling undertaken using TRACC software indicated only 4% of the population in Levenmouth are able to access an existing railway station within 15 minutes using public transport – which is Markinch Railway Station. This is further demonstrated with only 28% of the population able to reach Markinch Railway Station in 30 minutes.
• Results from the primary surveys indicated it was likely perceptions of the public transport network would improve with the Levenmouth Rail Link in place, due to the improved accessibility it offers to employment and key services. Businesses and organisations also indicated a current poor perception of public transport services in the area to access employment, and also this limits their ability to recruit staff, particularly highly skilled staff.

What are current users’ intentions to use the Levenmouth Rail Link?

• Just over two thirds (69%) of Levenmouth residents (with as many as 90% from Methil) say they anticipate using the Levenmouth Rail Link to travel between Leven and Cameron Bridge railway stations specifically during its first 12 months of its operation. As many as 84% of those respondents indicated they would be for leisure (cinema/bars/restaurants/theatre) or sport (participation and/or spectating), followed by 56% for shopping, 25% for connections with onward transport, and 13% for travel to employment.
• The majority of Levenmouth residents that anticipate using the rail link to travel to and from Levenmouth, intend to use it for leisure purposes (86%), followed to a lesser extent by shopping (56%) and visiting friends or relatives (55%). A notable proportion of residents intend to use the rail link to connect to onward public transport (30%) or for employment (17%).
• Just over half of residents say they anticipate travelling to and from Levenmouth about the same amount, after the rail link reopens (52%) while a large minority (44%) anticipate travelling more often.
• Private Sector: Private sector respondents were most likely to consider that it will make it easier for them to recruit staff (41% overall agreement), that it will enable them to expand their customer base (40% overall agreement), that it will allow them to recruit better skilled staff (36% overall agreement), that it will mean more reliable travel times for staff (36% agreement) and that it will lead to an increase in their turnover (30%).
• Public Sector: Four public sector respondents agreed that the rail link would allow them to recruit better skilled staff; and five said that it would make it easier for them to recruit staff. Three respondents considered that the rail link will enable them to expand their service user base; and two respondents felt that it will mean more reliable travel times for staff.
• Third Sector: Nine third sector respondents considered that rail link would allow them to recruit better skilled staff; nine respondents indicate, that it would mean more reliable travel times for staff and eight respondents indicated that it would make it easier for them to recruit staff. Five respondents agreed that the rail link will enable them to expand their service user/customer base.

What are current levels of tourism activity in the Levenmouth Area?

• Just over a fifth (22%) of businesses/organisations surveyed were involved in the visitor/tourism sector. Of these, 85% were private sector businesses, 6% were public sector organisations and 9% were third sector organisations.
• Amongst businesses/organisations involved in the visitor/tourism sector, the estimated average figures for visitors by area or origin indicates 37% being from Fife, 33% from the rest of Scotland, 18% from the rest of the UK and 13% being international.
• Respondents in this sector also estimate that 30% of visitors are day trippers, followed by visitors staying on average two days (20%), three to four days (23%), five to seven days (23%) or eight days or more (3%).
• Those respondents involved in the visitor/tourism sector were asked to describe in their own words what attracted visitors/tourists to Levenmouth. Comments mainly reflected “golf”, “beaches” and “coastal paths”.
• All respondents were aware of visitors using a car/van to travel to the Levenmouth area, followed by 52% being aware of visitors using an “ordinary service” bus and 39% visitors travelling by coach.

What is the current status of the local economy in Levenmouth?

• Levenmouth has relatively high levels of employment deprivation, with 49% of the population found within the 20% most deprived nationally, particularly when compared to Fife where 20% of the population is identified as being employment deprived (difference of 29 percentage points).
• According to the Business Register and Employment Survey, there are over 9,000 jobs in Levenmouth. Over half of the total jobs are comprised of; ‘Mining, Manufacturing & Utilities’ (20%), ‘Wholesale & Retail Trade, Repair of Vehicles’ (12%), and ‘Human Health & Social Work’ (19%).
• The majority of businesses operating in Levenmouth are well established, having operated for 10 years or more.
• Of those newer businesses (less than ten years old), only 7% indicated the Levenmouth Rail Link was a factor in deciding to locate in Levenmouth.
• Key points in relation to employment in the private sector include:
  • A notable minority of businesses say they find it difficult or very difficult to recruit staff for their Levenmouth operations (37%). Only 34% described it as being either “very easy” or “easy” to recruit staff, with 30% giving a neutral “neither easy nor difficult” response.
  • For the majority of businesses, staff levels have remained stable over the last three years (68%), but employment levels have decreased in 21% of cases and increased in only 11% over this period.
  • Up to 15% of Levenmouth businesses offer apprenticeships. Amongst this relatively small group, the most common barriers to people accessing these apprenticeships are perceived as availability of public transport (59%) and cost of public transport (44%).
  • A proportion of businesses considered that current public transport provision limits footfall, the main reasons cited being the accessibility of train station/bus stops and the availability of public transport services.
• In terms of Levenmouth as a place to live:
  • The majority (98%) of respondents consider their neighbourhood to be a good place to live with 71% considering it to be a very good place to live and 27% a fairly good place to live.
  • The majority (96%) of Levenmouth respondents feel that they belong to their immediate neighbourhood with 77% saying that they belong very strongly and 19% saying that they belong fairly strongly.

What would happen if the Levenmouth Rail Link was not implemented?

• If the rail link to and from the Levenmouth area did not reopen, the majority of residents say they would travel by car or van (62%), although 21% say they would not be able to make the journey that they would have made with the Rail Link reopened. As many as 45% of Methil residents indicated they would not be able to make the journey otherwise without the rail link.
• Residents anticipate the rail link will particularly improve their access to education, with 80% of respondents anticipating the new rail link will have some kind of positive impact with 61% of those anticipating it will have a significant impact.
• Up to 41% of businesses either agreed or strongly agreed that the rail link will expand their customer base.
• Up to 11% of business perceive the public transport links to their site as a disadvantage of operating in Levenmouth, prior to the reopening of the rail link.

Impact on public transport journey times

Whilst not a specific research question, the analysis highlighted the impact the Levenmouth Rail Link would have in enabling much shorter journey times by public transport (rail) – particularly to rail stations, towns and Cities (Edinburgh and Dunfermline) that are located on the Fife Circle rail line:

• Rail is a key means of travel from the region to the Central Belt, particularly to Edinburgh. This is demonstrated by annual ticketing data where in recent years over 50% of travel originating from railway stations found closest to Levenmouth is to Edinburgh.
• The rail link will reduce the journey time travelling to the South Fife and the Central Belt, where many employment opportunities and other key destinations are located. For example, the public transport journey time from Levenmouth:
  • To Dunfermline would reduce close to an hour; and
  • To Edinburgh would reduce up to 30 minutes

Next Steps

In line with Transport Scotland’s published Guidance for the Evaluation of Rail Projects, it is expected that a post-scheme opening evaluation will be undertaken. A Stage One evaluation is usually carried out around one year after the completion of a project and provides a high level assessment of delivery and the short and medium term outcomes. A Stage Two evaluation is more comprehensive and considers the longer term outcomes and impacts. This usually takes place within five years after completion of a project.