The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson. Has made a visit to the construction works at Kintore station, near Aberdeen. The £14.5 million new station is part of the Aberdeen to Inverness improvements project (A2I), which includes redoubling the track between Aberdeen and Inverurie as well as the new station at Kintore and another at Inverness Airport.
The £330 million A2I project is being progressed by Transport Scotland and Network Rail, in partnership with Nestrans and Aberdeenshire Council.
While visiting the site, the minister took the opportunity to announce that eight communities across Scotland are set to benefit from a share of the Local Rail Development Fund (LRDF). This supports local and regional initiatives, through grants, to fund appraisal work, and develop an evidence base, on potential options to improve community access to rail services.
Announcing the 2019 round of funding, the Cabinet Secretary said: “Since 2007, we have demonstrated our commitment to Scotland’s railway by investing around £8 billion in rail services and infrastructure. Future investment partly relies on local communities embracing the potential it offers and, in turn, bringing forward new ideas.
“We know that the costs of transport appraisal can be a significant barrier, but appraisals are a fundamental evidence-gathering step when considering transport issues and opportunities. The Local Rail Development Fund responds to this by providing practical help for local stakeholders and I am pleased that the Fund remains popular with those looking to secure local benefits.
“This visit to the Kintore station site today allows me to see at first hand progress on this project and the latest phase of the double tracking that is fundamental to the overall Aberdeen – Inverness Improvement programme. This is a fitting setting to announce the latest round of Local Rail Development Fund awards.”
Since it was first announced, the LRDF has attracted strong interest. The newly announced awards total £681,000. Taken with 10 awards announced in the first round, the total now allocated is £1,498,000 out of a total pot of £2 million.
The latest eight successful bidders for LRDF funding are: :
- Access to Dunblane Station – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities around access to Dunblane Station (Dunblane Community Council)
- East Lothian Access Study – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in East Lothian (additional funding awarded for this application which was successful in the initial round of the fund) (East Lothian Council)
- HMNB Clyde Transport Opportunities – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Helensburgh area (additional funding awarded for this application which was successful in the initial round of the fund) (Hitrans)
- Cross Aberdeen travel – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Aberdeen area (Nestrans)
- Sustainable options for growth at the Port of Leith – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities around the Port of Leith (SESTrans)
- St Andrews – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around St Andrews (additional funding awarded for this application which was successful in the initial round of the fund) (StARlink)
- Accessibility at Kirkconnel Station – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities around access to Kirkconnel Station (Swestrans)
- Tay Cities Park & Choose Strategy – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities along the Perth-Montrose rail corridor (Tactran)
Aberdeen to Inverness improvement programme.
This follows on from awards in the first round, which saw 10 projects share funding of just under £700,000:
- Haddington – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Haddington area (East Lothian Council)
- Cross Forth Travel – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Fife and wider travel area (Fife Council)
- HMNB Clyde Transport Opportunities – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Helensburgh area (Hitrans)
- Access to Linlithgow Station – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities around access to Linlithgow Station (Linlithgow and Linlithgow Bridge Community Councils)
- Accessibility at Insch Station – transport appraisal to assess options to improve accessibility at the station (Nestrans)
- Newburgh – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Newburgh area (Newburgh Train Station Group)
- St Andrews – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around St Andrews (StARLink)
- Connectivity in Clydesdale – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in the Clydesdale corridor (South Lanarkshire Council)
- Bridge of Earn/Oudenarde P&R – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities from and within Bridge of Earn and between South/West Perth, Fife and Edinburgh (Tactran)
- Stirling Strategic P&R – transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around Stirling (Tactran)
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