Campaign for North East Rail receives funding boost for study
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Plans to reinstate rail links in the north-east area have made significant progress after a successful funding award.
The Campaign for North East Rail is set to receive a grant from the Scottish Government's Just Transition Fund.
The group is aiming to demonstrate the demand for new railways in the region and the proposals will add Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Banchory to the rail network, and link with an integrated bus service to Braemar.
It is envisioned the Peterhead line would have stops at Cruden Bay, Hatton, Ellon, Pitmedden, Newmachar and onto Dyce. The Fraserburgh link would stop at Strichen, Maud and connect at Ellon.
The funding will be used to go towards a new feasibility study examining the proposed rail links.
A CNER spokesman said: "CNER has been awarded funding towards a new feasibility study from the Just Transition Fund.
"This summer, we applied for between £80,000 and £250,000 to fully fund a new feasibility study examining our proposed rail links.
"We have now been informed that this application was successful and funding will be granted.
"We await the details of the award from the Just Transition Team, and will see whether this funding will be in full, or part.
"Whichever it may be, once we have details of the award, CNER will be engaging with Nestrans and both councils to seek next steps in designing and commissioning a new feasibility study.
"So much has changed since the original study. We'll be rallying our support when the study is live, so they hear the North East clearly demand these rail connections.
"When that time comes, the public, businesses and local politicians must respond in numbers to the consultations, flood their inboxes, and make our voices heard.
"Our campaign has worked hard to build an evidence base for why the previous studies were flawed, and have designed our proposals to best address them as far as possible.
"We believe our proposals have the best chance of success, and securing this funding has unlocked the door to investigating our proposals officially.
We will be campaigning hard to maximise the response to the survey, expect many public meetings and business forums in our future.
"After the study is complete, work will continue to take the lessons it teaches us forward, and argue the case in local and national government to get the project taken forward.
"We have enjoyed sincere cross party support as a campaign thus far, and are working to ensure this is maintained, particularly for when that time comes."
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin welcomed the funding announcement and said: "I am delighted that CNER has secured this funding from the Scottish Government.
"A grassroots campaign was always going to be the real game changer in getting support for reopening the Formartine Buchan routes connecting Dyce to Ellon and beyond to Peterhead.
“I am proud that MSPs are working cross-party to give our support, on what would be a significant social and economic boost to the east of Aberdeenshire.
“Since being elected in 2016 I have continued to campaign for this infrastructure project and I know that these proposals are widely supported by my constituents, who’ve seen successful projects in Scotland bring about improved transport options.
“To truly commit to our transition to net zero, it is critical that we can provide ample opportunity for using public transport so that people aren’t forced to rely on their cars to get around."
North East Scotland region MSP Liam Kerr said: “CNER have steadily laid the groundwork necessary for an in-depth study of what is possible on a revived Buchan-Formartine line. All the credit for that is theirs.
“This long-awaited funding is the culmination of that patience and a lot of cross-party work over the last couple of years.
"I would particularly like to acknowledge Gillian Martin for her help in getting the cabinet secretary to Aboyne recently.”
