Fresh calls for a rail link between two north-east towns and Aberdeen have been made.
MSP Stewart Stevenson wants the next Scottish rail project to be based in his constituency, and said he wanted to “build a case for Buchan rail”.
It comes just days after the Queen opened a new railway line form Edinburgh to the borders, which the Banffshire and Buchan Coast representative has also now been to.
During a Scottish Parliament debate on the progress of the country’s economy, Mr Stevenson said he had visited the Tweedbank station.
“I would now like to build a case for Buchan rail,” he added.
“Fraserburgh, with a population of 15,000, is 37 miles from the nearest railway station, and Peterhead, with a population of 19,000, is 32 miles from the nearest railway station. That is the next big rail project and I hope that the government looks at it in early course.”
Community leaders in both towns last night backed his calls.
Peterhead councillor Anne Allan said: “We have a lot of interest that could do with a rail link, and a lot of people working here who have to go between Aberdeen.”
Ronnie McNab, chairman of Fraserburgh Community Council, added: “Transport links between Aberdeen and Fraserburgh is abysmal. It would be better with a train line – it would be advantageous for some people.”
Mr Stevenson’s calls are similar to those of Aberdeenshire’s Democratic Independent Green Group (Digg), who earlier this year said money from the £2.9billion City Region Deal should be put towards reopening the line between Ellon and Dyce.
But last night campaigners fighting for the A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh road to be dualled all the way, admitted they were “surprised” by the MSP’s comments.
Fraserburgh councillor Ian Tait said: “It is clear that there will not be the available finance to both open a new railway line to Fraserburgh and also dual the A90 from Aberdeen up to Fraserburgh.
“I am very sure that this is what the majority of my constituents would want as well. For Mr Stevenson to say he also wants to see a rail line would undermine the potential to get the A90 dualled and put in danger all my efforts. Road haulage firms will also prefer the road dualling option too.”
Work is already underway to dual the stretch from Balmedie to Tipperty as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
