Anger as no funding allocated for Cove and Newtonhill stations in Scottish Government budget
No funding has been allocated for the reinstatement of two north-east railway stations in the Scottish Government's 2025/26 budget.
Campaigners have backed plans to reinstate the stations in Cove and Newtonhill, which were closed more than 65 years ago, with the plans backed by the Campaign For North East Rail (CNER).
Their petition, which has gathered more than 1,600 signatures, says bringing rail services directly to Cove and Newtonhill would improve connectivity and reduce congestion on the A90, the A92 and Wellington Road.
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A petition was also set up by north-east MSP Liam Kerr, with the Scottish Conservative calling for both stations to be reopened nearly seven decades on from their closures.
Both stations closed in 1956, and in 2020, Transport Scotland issued £80,000 of funding to regional transport body Nestrans to conduct a feasibility study into the reopening of both platforms
Nestrans intends to collate a detailed options appraisal after stations at Cove and Newtonhill were identified as transport priorities in the region.
In response to a written question from Mr Kerr, the government said there is "currently no provision" for the additional stops on the East Coast line between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk over the next financial year.
The MSP said: "It’s deeply disappointing that the SNP government has not allocated any funding for the forthcoming year for new stations at Cove and Newtonhill.
"In September last year, a new railway station was approved to be built at Balgray in East Renfrewshire, yet the north-east continues to be pushed further down the line.
"The demand for new stations at Cove and Newtonhill has never been bigger as more people move to the outskirts of the city.
"These stations would offer a faster, more environmentally friendly route for passengers while enhancing the economy by creating new business opportunities.
"The north-east has been held back for too long on rail which is why I will continue to push the Scottish Government to get on board with this exciting project and commit to developing new stations at both Cove and Newtonhill."
The last stations to be built in Scotland saw Cameron Bridge and Leven restored to the network, while plans have been approved to build a new station in Balgray on the Glasgow-Neilston route.
In the north-east, the latest station to be reinstated saw Kintore opened in 2020 at a cost of £15million, serving passengers between Aberdeen and Inverurie.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: "We are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.
"There is currently no provision in the draft Budget 2025-26 for new stations at Cove and Newtonhill, as we are awaiting the formal investment case being conducted by Nestrans to conclude.
"In recognition of calls from interested parties, Nestrans previously received Scottish Government funding to undertake the initial stages of the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk Multi-Modal Study.
"The appraisal is considering multi-modal transport options, including options for buses and rail stations at Cove and Newtonhill. This work is nearing completion and Transport Scotland will consider its findings once received.
"All rail proposals will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s priorities, our rail investment strategy, robust business cases, affordability and other competing priorities."