To install a Turnaround Point at New Cumnock Train Station to improve services.

Currently, the South of East Ayrshire suffers from an inadequate two-hourly rail service to and from Glasgow, with even poorer, highly restricted provision on Sundays. By installing a turnaround point expanding and utilizing the existing infrastructure footprint, ScotRail will gain the operational capability to terminate and reverse trains efficiently at New Cumnock. This relatively simple infrastructural upgrade will unlock the capacity to double the current timetable frequency — delivering a reliable hourly rail service and the ability to significantly enhance Sunday services that directly benefit the communities of New Cumnock, Cumnock, Auchinleck and surrounding areas, while also strengthening the wider strategic campaign to reopen a railway station in Mauchline.

For too long, the rural communities in the South of East Ayrshire have been structurally disadvantaged by lower-frequency transit options, particularly on Sundays. We urge the relevant transport authorities and government bodies to collaborate, approve the feasibility framework, and deliver this turnaround point to transform seven-day services at New Cumnock and Auchinleck, and pave the way for Mauchline’s return to the rail network.

Right now, local commuters are limited to trains passing through roughly every two hours. Implementing a turnaround point at New Cumnock utilizes existing rail infrastructure corridors to facilitate an immediate upgrade to an hourly service. This intervention will double train frequencies for both New Cumnock and Auchinleck stations, drastically reducing wait times and making the local rail network a viable daily transport option.

Sunday rail travel in the South of East Ayrshire is currently deeply restricted, leaving local residents isolated on weekends and heavily reliant on cars or limited bus networks. A turnaround point at New Cumnock Station provides the logistical flexibility needed to scale up weekend timetables. Boosting the frequency and reliability of Sunday services ensures that workers with weekend shifts, families, and leisure travellers enjoy consistent, accessible weekend transit options.

As advocated by Councillor Neill Watts, Councillor Alyson Simmons, and the East Ayrshire Conservatives, the region has faced decades of reduced rail access since the Beeching cuts. A major barrier to reopening stations in Mauchline is line capacity and regional frequency. Securing an hourly service via a New Cumnock turnaround establishes a robust, high-frequency timetable framework. This provides the perfect operational foundation to prove the viability of expanding the regional rail corridor and bringing a station back to Mauchline and even Cumnock in the future.

A more frequent rail network opens up vastly superior travel opportunities for work, education, and leisure. An hourly timetable ensures that:

The A76 trunk road has a long-standing history of serious traffic incidents. Providing a competitive, hourly alternative to driving is a direct mechanism to get cars off the road, heavily improving road safety for local drivers along the entire A76 corridor from New Cumnock through to Mauchline and beyond.

In alignment with climate change goals to reduce car dependency and lower carbon emissions, rural infrastructure upgrades are critical. A higher-frequency service directly replaces long car journeys into the Central Belt, enabling the South of East Ayrshire to participate fully in a greener, more sustainable transit future rather than relying solely on cars and regional buses.


Councillor Neill Watts (Cumnock & New Cumnock Ward) said:

"For far too long, the rural communities in the South of  East Ayrshire have been structurally disadvantaged by a subpar, two-hourly transit system. By installing a relatively straightforward turnaround point at New Cumnock, we can fix the logistical bottleneck, get cars off the accident-prone A76 corridor, and give our commuters, students, families and tourists the regular service they deserve."


Councillor Alyson Simmons (Ballochmyle Ward) added:

"The lack of reliable rail transport — especially on Sundays, leaves many local residents isolated and overly reliant on very limited bus services. An hourly, seven-day rail service will completely transform our local economy, make public transport a genuinely viable option, and lay the vital groundwork needed to bring Mauchline station back onto the network map."

The Councillors are urging all local residents, businesses, and regular rail users across the area to sign the petition and send a clear message to transport chiefs that the South of East Ayrshire must no longer be left behind.

Supported by:
Councillor Neill Watts (Cumnock & New Cumnock Ward)
Councillor Alyson Simmons (Ballochmyle Ward)
Councillor James Adams (Kilmarnock West & Crosshouse Ward)
Councillor John McFadzean (Annick Ward)