New park and ride in doubt as budget cut
South Lanarkshire Labour say a controversial decision to withdraw capital funding from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport will jeopardise the new Hairmyres park and ride facility.
The East Kilbride rail line is to be upgraded to service a brand new Hairmyres train station.
But the decision to remove capital funding from SPT in the Scottish Budget means that a £1.8 million contribution towards a new car park, bus stop and interchange at Hairmyres will be withdrawn, say the councillors.
South Lanarkshire Council, who are working with SPT and the government on the project, has said it had no prior notice that SPT’s general capital support from the Scottish Government would be reduced to zero. There is now a £1.8 million black hole in the plans for a new transport interchange.
Councillors have branded the Scottish Budget “farcical” and are now calling for the reinstatement of funds to keep the East Kilbride rail upgrade on track.
Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “Removing general capital support for SPT, with no prior notice, jeopardises vital transport projects across the West of Scotland. This money funds all of SPT’s non-Subway capital works, including their contribution to the new park and ride and public transport interchange at Hairmyres.
“The Scottish Government stabbed our town in the back when they downgraded works on the East Kilbride line and now they’ve done it again. This is the grimmest, most utterly stupid Scottish Budget there has even been and it will eliminate vital funding for the new park and ride interchange agreed for the new Hairmyres station.
“It makes no sense at all to move the train station over half a kilometre from where it is now and then leave it there with no car park or bus connections. One part of the Scottish Government clearly has no idea what the other is doing.
“We have to urgently explore contingencies now in South Lanarkshire Council, where regrettably the Scottish Government are also imposing cuts to capital budgets.
“People understand that budgets are under pressure right across the public sector but they will not excuse this level of government incompetence and incoherence. The capital funds SPT needs to deliver this project, and other projects like it across the region, must be reinstated.”
East Kilbride West councillor Kirsty Williams also hit out saying the new interchange at Hairmyres “is a crucial component” of the project to upgrade East Kilbride’s railway.
She added: “Wiping out SPT’s ability to contribute to the project, as the Budget appears to, puts the interchange and a much-needed new park and ride facility at risk.
“The site of the current station is not fit for purpose. A bigger, better park and ride facility in the new station would help more people leave the car in East Kilbride and switch to the train when commuting. The new interchange would help drive up use of public transport as a whole, join up bus and rail services and bring more bus services to the west of the town.
“Withdrawing capital support for SPT, without any prior notice whatsoever, sabotages the good work going in to a transformative new infrastructure project for East Kilbride. The Scottish Government must think again and restore the funding that has been lost to SPT. East Kilbride deserves so much better than this completely incoherent SNP Budget which flies in the face of their own transport policy.”
The EK News has contacted the Scottish Government for comment. Check our website for an update on this story.