Funding for Railway Station Studies

Last week, the Board of the South West Scotland Transport Partnership agreed to include £36,000 within its draft Capital Pogramme for 2014/15 to fund studies of potential sites for new railway stations This follows the decision early last week by Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee to take forward bids for new stations at Thornhill, Eastriggs, Dunragit / Glenluce and Beattock, as well as refurbishment of Stranraer Station, under the Scottish Government’s Scottish Stations Fund.

Chair of SWestrans Brian Collins, explained: “The money is required to bring previous appraisals of the various sites up to date, and in some cases to do initial work on feasibility. Whilst these sites are all included within Dumfries & Galloway’s Regional Transport Strategy, which was published in 2008, it is important to recognise that if any of them are to secure funding from the Scottish Government, then we will have to make a good case for them, based on evidence of need and benefit to local communities and the travelling public. This initial funding of technical appraisals will therefore help us to ensure that bids taken forward by SWestrans and the Council are as robust as they can be.”

The Scottish Stations Fund, which was announced in 2012, becomes available in 2014 for the Control Period April 2014-March 2019. It aims to lever in third party investment to provide improved and new stations and associated facilities.

Mr Collins continued: “The Fund can help areas such as ours to develop stations which increase the attractiveness of rail travel within and into our region. Together with the Council, SWestrans will be seeking to engage with local communities and businesses to build the case for these stations and take bids forward, where we can demonstrate need, feasibility and resources.”