It may have been closed for more than 50 years, but support for the reopening of a Fife railway station is “overwhelming,” campaigners claim.
The results of a recent survey in Newburgh show that both residents and business owners back calls for their local halt to be reinstated.
Members of the innovative Sustainable Newburgh project are spearheading the campaign.
They claim results of a recent survey have shown just how popular the move would be.
“Results have shown overwhelming support for the reopening of Newburgh rail station,” a spokesman for the group said. “The results of the residents and business surveys combined show that 77% of respondents would support a campaign to reopen the facility.
“That makes it by far the most popular of suggested carbon-reducing community actions.
“Meanwhile, 85% of residents said they would be likely to use the rail service for at least some journeys if it were made available to them through the reopening of the station.”
Now a mass of overgrown grass and weeds, the halt closed to passengers in 1955. However, the railway line through Newburgh is still used by 35 passenger trains a day, linking Edinburgh with Perth.
The spokesman added, “The station site has survived and is convenient for the town. However, a new platform, waiting shelter and car parking area would be required.”
As Scotland strives to meet stringent carbon-reduction targets, project members insist the development makes perfect sense.
“Without a rail station, Newburgh and the surrounding area is seriously constrained in reducing its community carbon footprint from transport use, with the majority of journeys being made by car through necessity or a lack of alternative or more sustainable options,” the spokesman said.
“This modal shift on to rail travel would replace a significant number of car journeys by making them redundant or unnecessary, and would make better use of the train services that already run through Newburgh each day.”Laurencekirk exampleCampaigners point out that other rail stations reopening in recent years have been “hugely successful.”
“Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire (reopened in 2009) was used by 60,000 passengers in its first year, compared to a forecast 36,000,” the spokesman said. “Beauly (reopened in 2002) has similarities to Newburgh, and is carrying around 60,000 passengers annually four times the original forecast.”
The spokesman said the benefits would be huge, but admitted significant funding would be required.
“Trains from Newburgh would give the local community an attractive lower-carbon transport option, with journey times as little as 15 minutes to Perth, 25 minutes to Kirkcaldy and around an hour to central Edinburgh,” he said.
“However, innovative ideas and a sustained community campaign would be required to secure funding and make this happen.”
Among those backing campaigners is North East Fife Tory Holyrood candidate Miles Briggs.
He called on the Scottish Government to order a new “feasibility study” to investigate the possible reopening.
“I hope that in the next Scottish Parliament the new transport minister will listen to the local support which exists and back a new study,” Mr Briggs said.