An MSP has warned that the north of Aberdeenshire must not be frozen out of transport infrastructure spending from the City Region Deal.
The reintroduction of the Buchan railway link – which would cost an estimated £100million and initially connect Ellon to Dyce – had been proposed as a key project to benefit from the long-awaited deal.
But following the announcement that the overall investment handed to Aberdeen and the surrounding area will be considerably less than the £2.9billion initially discussed, local Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McInnes has urged officials not to invest in routes south of the city at the expense of the north-east.
She said: “By focusing on upgrading the tracks at Montrose, trains travelling north will get faster, but the areas north of Aberdeen should not be left out of the picture.
“Peterhead, Fraserburgh and other ports and towns still provide a great deal, not only to the local economy but to the Scottish economy as a whole.”
She added: “Once the dust has settled after this announcement, we need to see more detailed plans from both governments, partner bodies like Nestrans and the councils specifically outlining how this money will be used.”
Speaking at the official signing of the deal in Aberdeen last week, Aberdeenshire Council co-leader Martin Kitts-Hayes said the extra funding would allow for feasibility studies and remained optimistic of the line re-opening.
He said: “You can’t commit to a project until you know how much it costs but I’m still confident about it.
“The key thing about the deal is that it’s like a jigsaw with different pieces. This is just one piece.”
SNP MSP and former transport minister Stewart Stevenson added: “We know that transport infrastructure is vital and I welcome rail and road investments that will improve connectivity north of Aberdeen.
“I expect that detailed plans for the expenditure from the City Deal will benefit my constituency and look forward to hearing more in coming weeks.”
No two towns in the UK are further from the rail network than the ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh, with railway historian David Spaven describing Buchan as the “forgotten corner”.
Reconnecting Ellon to the network would be the first step in reintroducing railways to the north-east.
Based on the new £294million Borders railway scheme – which is 30 miles long and has seven new stations – it is understood the reintroduction of the Dyce line with a station at Ellon would cost an estimated £100million.
