Anger as Cove and Newtonhill train station plans left off government investment priorities

Train stations at Cove and Newtonhill were closed in 1956 but there has been a campaign in recent years to see them reopened.

By Adele Merson

June 1 2023, 3:01 pm

There have been calls for Cove and Newtonhill to get stations for years. Image: DC Thomson.

The north-east is being branded Scotland’s “forgotten rail region” in a row over the lack of priority given to reopening Cove and Newtonhill stations.

Both were closed in 1956 but a campaign has gathered pace in recent years to see them reopened.

Government agency Transport Scotland awarded £80,000 to regional body Nestrans to look at the wider “travel corridor” between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk.

But it has emerged the proposals do not feature in the SNP-Green government’s investment programme.

A new station was recently opened in Inverness, and in Reston in the Borders, while work has started to create new stations in East Lothian and in Leven and Cameron Bridge in Fife.

Liam Kerr, North East MSP. Image: Supplied.

North-east Conservative MSP Liam Kerr wrote to Transport Minister Kevin Stewart urging him to get behind the proposals for Cove and Newtonhill.

In response, the Aberdeen Central MSP said new railway stations at the two locations “do not feature in the Scottish Government’s current investment programme”.

But he insisted the government is “committed to ongoing improvements to rail services and connectivity”.

The SNP in Aberdeen, who run the city council with the Liberal Democrats, last year said they would work to open a new rail station in Cove if elected.

‘No final conclusions’

The transport minister said the Nestrans appraisal examines “all transport modes” to determine the “most appropriate solutions” between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk.

He continued: “The appraisal is still ongoing and no final conclusions have been made at this time.”

Mr Kerr said: “Our region is fast becoming Scotland’s forgotten rail region despite huge public support from residents and businesses for the reopening of Cove, Newtonhill and also the Formartine and Buchan railway.

“As an Aberdeen-based MSP, I’m astonished Kevin Stewart is happy to ignore the wishes of north-east communities who want these stations now not further down the line.”

A train passing Newtonhill. Image: Kenny Elrick.

Nestrans recently published the revised results of their consultation on transport links between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk.

The survey of more than 1,100 people showed almost half (47%) of respondents thought a new station at Cove would encourage them to use the train more, while 42% said the same for Newtonhill.

A total of 38% of respondents to the survey lived in Cove, of which 95% selected a new rail station in Cove as a potential improvement.

Meanwhile, 27% of respondents lived in Newtonhill, with 90% picking a new station as one of the options they would support.