‘Holyrood standing in way of rail renaissance’

Transport: Campaigners claim government blocks progress

Transport campaigners have accused the Scottish Government of standing in the way of a “railway renaissance” in the north-east.

Railfuture Scotland has suggested the only thing blocking a major transport overhaul in Aberdeenshire is a lack of funding from Holyrood.

Transport campaigners have accused the Scottish Government of standing in the way of a “railway renaissance” in the northeast.

Railfuture Scotland has suggested the only thing blocking a major transport overhaul in Aberdeenshire is a lack of funding from Holyrood.

In a package of proposals which will be put on show in Aberdeen this weekend, the organisation’s vicechairman Roderick McDougall calls for new lines to Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Oldmeldrum and Banchory.

The chartered civil engineer said that along with extra stations on the network, the new rail infrastructure would bring about a significant shift from road to rail transport.

This would boost the local and national economy as well as protecting the environment, he said.

New stations are proposed for Bucksburn, Persley, Kittybrewster, Cove, Kintore and Newtonhill as well as Ellon, Maud, Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

Now Railfuture – a national campaign group led by several former railway company bosses and engineers – has called for their “bold vision” to be funded by the government.

Mr McDougall said: “Whereas it is Network Rail’s job to look after and maintain the existing network, and Scot Rail’s job to operate passenger trains on it in accordance with their franchise, there appears to be no one charged with looking at extending and improving the network.

“This is a government responsibility which they are shirking by passing it on to cash-strapped regional transport authorities and local councils without giving them either the authority or the financial ability to fulfil it. It is only pressure groups like ours that are trying to ‘kick-start’ a renaissance in railway improvements.”

But government body Transport Scotland has wholly rejected claims it is not doing enough to support rail infrastructure in the north-east.

Last night a spokesman said: “We do not recognise or agree with these comments or views.

“Recent industry planning documents, including the Scotland Route Study published in the summer, demonstrate the success of our railways, with strong growth in demand for rail in Scotland predicted to continue, leading to an increasingly busy railway that will require investment in rolling stock and infrastructure to support faster and more frequent and reliable journeys.”

He said that investing in Scotland’s railways is a “key priority” and that 95million journeys were made on Scot Rail last year. However, the body acknowledged that improvements can be made, with the spokesman adding: “We recognise there are challenges ahead and choices to be made around future investment and the planning process for these is under way.”

Transport Scotland is due to consult with stakeholders over the winter about rail investment beyond 2019.

Portlethen