The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
MSPs aboard bid to bolster railway links
North-east MSPs have supported a local Tory’s calls to bolster rail links in the region. Scottish Conservative Liam Kerr put forward a motion at Holyrood raising the possibility of new stations being opened at Cove and Newtonhill to improve sustainable travel networks and boost economic opportunities.
He achieved cross-party support and it comes after his petition attracted more than 1,500 responses from local residents.
Leading a members’ business debate at Holyrood this week, Mr Kerr said the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (Nestrans) and football club Cove Rangers “were on board” with the proposals.
The North East MSP said: “Let us think of the environmental benefits as fewer people drive to the city and, instead, jump on a train that takes them right to the heart of Union Street in Aberdeen, where we so badly need to increase footfall.
“Let us think of the economic benefits of more people looking to live in those fine communities, while also working, shopping and schooling in the city.
“As the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership points out, the two new stations could service thousands of potential passengers each day, travelling to Dundee and the Central Belt.”
He was backed by Tory colleague Douglas Lumsden while the SNP’s Kevin Stewart, Audrey Nicoll and Karen Adam all thanked Mr Kerr for helping shed light on the issue.
Mr Lumsden said: “My constituents are all too aware of poor access to railway services in the north-east, whether that relates to the frequency of trains, the accessibility of stations, the reliability of services or the time that it takes to make a journey.
“All those areas require improvement, and I welcome the valuable work of bodies such as Nestrans, which is putting forward sensible solutions to the challenges of public transport.”
Aberdeen South and North Kincardine MSP Ms Nicoll said she “shared a common interest” with Mr Kerr on the issue and spoke of the “critical role that the north-east plays in our national economy”.
Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Ms Adam said she also supported reestablishing train stations at Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
Both Mr Kerr and Mr Lumsden highlighted the SNP’s pledge to spend £200 million to reduce journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt and said that investments must be made if government netzero targets are to be achieved.
Mr Lumsden told fellow MSPs “very little” has been spent and “no journey time improvements” have been made in the last eight years.
According to a Nestrans study, only 3% of the budget has been spent with the additional balance holding the possibility for stations between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk.