I take over 2 hours to get from Perth to Edinburgh for work by train - it was quicker during Victorian times

Holyrood is back in action after summer recess, which means I am back to commuting from my home in Perth to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

From my front door to Holyrood it is a mere 45 miles - so why does it take me two hours and 20 minutes? There is no “direct” train line between the two cities, something that causes me no end of frustration.

At the end of the 19th century, trains between the two cities took 65 minutes. But this quicker route, via Kinross, closed in 1970 to make way for the M90. This leaves those in the 21st century trying to take the more environmentally-friendly option at a significant disadvantage.

My 7am train has 14 different stops, hugging the Fife coastline and teasing you with vistas of Edinburgh 30 minutes before reaching the city. Such a long train journey is surely shutting out tens of thousands of people from well-paid, skilled jobs in the capital.

National World

It works the other way as well - I have overheard plenty of tourists, presumably with money to spend, despairing at the journey time, and perhaps more businesses would set up in Perth if they knew talent could be attracted from the capital.

A quick word on cost as well - right now my ticket is £14.25 with a railcard. That railcard runs out soon and peak rail fares are being reintroduced, raising that ticket price to £34.30.

It is not just the length of time that frustrates me - trains are often dirty despite being the first journey that day, and rarely will the toilets have soap and working taps and hand dryers (hence why I am always armed with hand sanitiser).

The wifi is pretty much non-existent and it is freezing in the winter. On nearly a monthly basis not enough carriages are put on, leaving passengers packed in like sardines to the point where the train does not stop at the last few stations.

I know senior government ministers, including the First Minister, take this train and know how bad it is too. But given the dwindling public finances I understand this is not a priority.

But seriously, it is 2024 - how can a train to a major European capital city in a wealthy and well-visited country take this long?