Transport leaders are exploring plans for two new railway stations in Aberdeen to help address the area’s booming population and ease chronic traffic congestion.
The head of regional transport partnership Nestrans believes a strong case can be made for additional stations at Persley in the north of the city and Newtonhill to the south.
Passenger numbers at local stations in the north-east have rocketed since 2004-05 – with an increase in use at Inverurie of more than 250% in that time.
Talks have already taken place with Transport Scotland and bidders for the national rail franchise, who Nestrans director Derick Murray said were “sitting up and taking notice”.
Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald has also backed the idea of a new station in his constituency – pointing out the Scottish Government has recently launched a £30million stations investment fund.
More than 30,000 houses are due to be built in Aberdeen by 2030, with 7,000 included in the city’s adopted local development plan for Bridge of Don alone. In Aberdeenshire, a £1billion “new town” development at Chapelton of Elsick near Portlethen will deliver an additional 8,000 extra homes.
The Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review has identified two schemes for the north-east – to speed up journey times from Aberdeen to the central belt, and to spend £200million upgrading the Aberdeen-Inverness line – as priorities.
In an interview with the Press and Journal, Nestrans boss Mr Murray said those two initiatives would provide “big benefits” to the region. The improvements to the Aberdeen to Inverness line will also provide opportunities for more local train services.
Mr Murray said: “If you look at Laurencekirk, which now has 92,000 passengers, the business case was based on 36,000.
“For Inverurie, we have a 253% increase in traffic since 2004-05.
“We think that shows there is a latent demand among people in the north-east to use trains.
“Where you give them the services they want, people will use the train and, of course, every person on the train is one less car on the road.
“What we would like to do with Elsick is look at the possibility of reopening Newtonhill, which is very close.
“What you don’t want to do is open up a station which creates a stop that means that the Edinburgh and Glasgow trains become slower.
“We have to find a way to get a new station that doesn’t affect those services.”
In addition to Newtonhill, Mr Murray said a similar case could be made for Bridge of Don.
Concerns have been raised locally that, even allowing for the opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route in 2018, major developments such as the Grandhome Estate could put further pressure on the Parkway and the Haudagain roundabout.
Mr Murray added: “We are tentatively thinking an opportunity exists at Persley, the reason for that is a huge number of new houses at Whitestripes and Grandhome.
“If you can attract Bridge of Don residents to use the train, then there would be a huge benefit. The thing you would have to look at in that case is parking.”
SNP MSP Mr McDonald said he would support the idea of a new station, and suggested the authorities should pursue available government funding.
He said: “The £30million station investment fund offers an opportunity for such a development to be realised, provided it has local backing.”
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