Public meeting shows widespread support for Buchan Railway connecting Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Ellon to Aberdeen
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MSP Karen Adam held a public meeting on the evening of Wednesday (August 10) on the prospect of bringing back rail to Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
Leaders of the Campaign For North East Rail (CNER) showcased their provisional proposals to dozens of members of the public and received overwhelming support from attendees.
The public meeting followed on from the success of CNER’s presentation to Ms Adam’s Making The Most Of The Coast: Tourism Forum on August 3.
The event was organised and hosted by Karen Adam MSP where members of the public were able to pose questions to CNER on the viability of the campaign and what benefits bringing rail back to Peterhead and Fraserburgh could bring.
So far, proposals have received widespread support from cross-party politicians, and local businesses and organisations such as, Rediscover Peterhead, Broch Business Together Association, Peterhead Community Council, the Banffshire And Buchan Coast Tourism Forum, and more.
Elected last year, Ms Adam has said she would like to host another public meeting with CNER, this time in Fraserburgh.
The Banffshire And Buchan Coast politician has been vocal in her support of bringing rail back to Peterhead and Fraserburgh and has described the prospect as “transformational”.
She has encouraged supporters of the campaign to get in contact with her to express their backing and has previously vowed to do “everything I can” to bring back rail links to Banffshire And Buchan Coast following a cross-party meeting on June 24 with the Scottish Government’s Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth MSP.
Commenting MSP for Banffshire And Buchan Coast Karen Adam said: “We had a hugely successful public meeting last night in Peterhead.
"The Campaign For North East Rail set out their proposals for how to achieve bringing rail back to Banffshire and Buchan Coast.
“There’s a clear demand for rail links here, most people expressing that rerailing Fraserburgh and Peterhead is long overdue.
"The reoccurring feedback from people is that this should have been done 40 years ago and I can’t disagree with that.
"The north east has literally generated and contributed billions of pounds for the whole of the UK economy and I believe it’s time that we saw that invested back.
"We can’t delay any further.
“The momentum behind this campaign is phenomenal, particularly among businesses and residents.
"All of us who live and work here already know how stunning our coastline is, and investing in rail links will unlock the north east corner to swathes of tourists and bring all the economic advantages that comes with that too.
“I can’t express enough how multifaceted the benefits of making this a reality is.
"Bringing freight off roads will reduce road damage, congestion and traffic which in turn will reduce accidents and emissions too - at the same time increasing the overall freight capacity that businesses in the area will benefit from via the use of rail which I know will be of interest to the sustainable fishing industry.
“Both the Broch and the Blue Toon have been identified as regeneration areas.
"Investing in rail here will undoubtedly have a positive impact and contribute toward putting more money in the pockets of people who live and work here.
"This could literally be transformational.
“I will continue to do everything I can to make this a reality but I need to showcase that there is sufficient demand for this.
"Please get in touch with me to express your support of the campaign because the more people that I hear from, the more concrete of a case I have to take to parliament.”
Manager of Rediscover Peterhead Linda Hendry said: “This campaign to reconnect Peterhead by rail is something that we at Rediscover Peterhead would welcome.
"As the largest town currently not on the rail network it would be beneficial to our business, visitors, locals and wider communities.”
Sharon Bradford, Chairperson of the Peterhead Community Council Sharon Bradford said: “Following on from the public meeting hosted by Karen Adam MSP, I am delighted with the success and support that the Campaign For North East Rail has received from locals in Peterhead.
"The response of residents living here has been incredibly positive.
"Bringing back rail to Peterhead is clearly something many residents are calling for and are fully backing.
“This will have a profoundly positive impact on the regeneration of our town, support our local businesses here, and vastly improve the accessibility of travel for residents, commuters and tourists.
"We know that both Peterhead and Fraserburgh have been identified as key priorities for Regeneration – re-establishing rail here will ensure that commitment translates into reality.
“Peterhead Community Council are fully behind the efforts of Karen Adam MSP and CNER to ‘unlock the North East’, and are 100% in support of this campaign.”
Chairperson of the Broch Business Together Association Ainsley Dyga said: “Bringing rail back to Fraserburgh and Peterhead will have so many positive benefits to locals and businesses in the area.
"But not only that, there is a lot of things to consider here.
"By bringing freight and cars off road it will ease congestion on the roads and lower carbon emissions which can all only be a good thing.
“Rail will also provide greater reach and transportation links for residents and visitors which of course will boost local businesses by bringing a whole new avenue of tourists to the area.
"There will need to be things put in place for this to happen and there will of course be some disruption but the bigger picture is definitely worth it – essentially it will unlock the north east to the rest of Britain.
“Next step, I would like to have the leaders of the Campaign For North East Rail come to Fraserburgh and host a public meeting.
"I think it’s important for folk up here to hear the plans for themselves to really grasp all of the positives of this.
"I think if people up here got to hear the plans just as I did I think it will rally even more support for the campaign.”
Ban-Car Hotel's Tina Gibbins said: “I would definitely favour the North East Railway line through Peterhead and then up to Fraserburgh.
"We always feel that the north east corner is forgotten about and it has so much to offer.
“For the hotel and the area it would definitely bring more tourists.
"It would undeniably lessen traffic, especially by reducing freight from the roads.”
Councillor for Peterhead South And Cruden Stephen Smith said: “I first raised the issue of looking at restoring a rail link north from Dyce in 2013, which ultimately resulted in NESTRANS conducting a study in 2016.
"I believe there were flaws in the approach adopted by that study, but it was nevertheless a useful first step.
“The SNP has already delivered and continues to deliver on big infrastructure projects across the north east, such as the AWPR, Inveramsay Bridge, upgrading the rail line between Aberdeen and Inverurie, a new station at Kintore - after years of underinvestment in road and rail by previous governments.
“Connecting our communities is vital to seeing them achieve their full potential.
"The success of the Borders Railway provides a template and shows what can be done.”
