Fans urged not to travel by rail

Fans attending The 150th Open at St Andrews from 10-17 July are being urged not to travel by rail due to a limited temporary timetable being operated by ScotRail on those dates.

The R&A has contacted all ticket holders to advise that they should travel by road or use alternative public transport to attend The Open each day. A much reduced number of rail services will run to and from Leuchars as a result of ScotRail’s on-going dispute with ASLEF.

Contingency measures will be in place, including increased capacity at Park and Ride facilities to cater for the expected rise in the number of fans travelling by road. Individuals should purchase Park and Ride tickets in advance to minimise waiting times.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “Due to circumstances out of our control, we have no choice but to urge fans to not travel by rail to The Open and to use alternative means of transport to get to and from St Andrews next week. There is a risk that fans who travel by train may find there are no services to get them home.

“We appreciate that fans will be frustrated by this and share in their disappointment that the enhanced rail service planned for The Open will not operate. We want to reassure fans that we are doing all that we can to make their experience of attending The Open a memorable one and have contingency measures in place to manage the situation.”

Road users, both fans and local residents, are being told to plan ahead with longer journey times and delays possible due to an expected increase in the volume of traffic travelling to and from St Andrews.

They are being instructed to follow the directional AA road signage on designated routes that will be prioritised by Police Scotland in order to access the Park and Ride facilities and not to use satnavs or equivalent devices.

Alternative public transport, including buses and taxis, is available for fans to use. Local bus services are complemented by an express network that connects St Andrews with Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Cupar and Glenrothes. More information on bus services can be found via Stagecoach and Moffat and Williamson.

A designated taxi rank and private hire drop off/pick-up area will be in operation and is located at Petheram Bridge within walking distance of the course.