Two west coast farmers have secured compensation from Network Rail after one of their cows was struck and killed by a train last summer.
The animal was owned by Duncan and Ian MacLennan and wandered off common grazing land at Strathie, near Plockton, onto the Inverness-Kyle line.
They claimed this was because of poorly maintained fencing beside the track.
Farmer locked in compensation row with Network Rail after cow killed by train
After months of correspondence with the rail operator refusing liability, Kate Forbes MSP took up the case and the pair have now received full compensation, independently valued at £2,450.
Duncan MacLennan said: “I am grateful to Kate for her invaluable help in securing compensation from Network Rail for causing the death of our cow in July 2016.
“After extended obstruction by the company, her intervention and related media coverage proved effective in obtaining a pay-out after nine long months.”
The farmers had been seeking compensation since the incident on July 27 last year.
Ms Forbes has also called on Network Rail to expedite repairs on line-side fencing to avoid similar incidents in the future.
She said: “I cannot describe how delighted I was when, after months of discussion, debate and correspondence, I finally got confirmation from Network Rail that they would compensate Mr MacLennan for the loss of his cow on the railway line near Plockton.
“I refused to give up because the cow had been valued at almost £2,500 and any farmer knows the financial impact of losing livestock.
“Common grazings are natural in crofting communities, and so animals can wander far and wide.
“It’s therefore vital that Network Rail maintains fencing right along the tracks.
“Too many farmers lose livestock through absolutely no fault of their own and that hits their finances hard at a time when most are already struggling to make ends meet and make a profit.”
Network Rail confirmed yesterday that they have settled the claim.
The latest available figures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board showed that in 2012/13 there were 93 “animal strike incidents” in Scotland.
According to Network Rail, the associated cost of animal on the line incidents across the UK that year was around £4.9 million.
The most recent fatal animal strike incident occurred at Polmont back in 1984, when 13 people died and 14 suffered major injuries after an Edinburgh to Glasgow train struck a cow whilst travelling at 85mph.
