Reopening of three Dumfries & Galloway train stations rejected
Campaigners had been hoping to see Eastriggs, Thornhill, and Beattock Stations operating once again
A seven-year campaign to have three train stations reopened in Dumfries and Galloway has been derailed.
Despite huge efforts from locals and strong business cases built by SWestrans (South West of Scotland Transport Partnership), Transport Scotland has rejected pleas for investment in Eastriggs, Thornhill and Beattock stations.
The government transport body also made it clear that further efforts would not change their opinion because reopening the stations would not stack up economically.
Councillors have expressed their “extreme disappointment” and are shocked that there appears to be little chance of success in opening the stations.
The matter was discussed at the recent SWestrans board meeting. Nith Councillor John Campbell, chairman of the board, said: “I’d like to state my extreme disappointment that none of the three rail stations are going to be considered for progression or investment, and that it’s Transport Scotland’s view that further work would not fundamentally change this outcome.”
Douglas Kirkpatrick, the council’s transportation manager and lead officer for SWestrans, added: “I share this disappointment. It was seven years to get to this point.
“As officers we are continued to progress with those stations and look at the ambitions to take these forward.”
Mr Kirkpatick also confirmed that the redevelopment and reopening of the stations were still included in the regional transport strategy, which aims to drastically improve transport links across Dumfries and Galloway over the next 20 years.
However, he explained that the only clear options to make the reopening a reality would be to lobby the government, or work more closely with other neighbouring councils to build a stronger socio-economic case, and hopefully get a different result.
Mr Kirkpatrick also highlighted the potential for sourcing local funding to reopen the stations, however this was strongly opposed by Mid and Upper Nithsdale Councillor Jim Dempster, who spoke out at the SWestrans board meeting.
The independent councillor said: “I would be seriously concerned if we thought we’d go down that road of opening stations ourselves.
“We couldn’t agree politically, or among six of us, which station to prioritise when putting this forward for someone else to decide.
“We’d have the same circus absolutely in this room, and we have other investment opportunities here that will improve the (transport) infrastructure – new buses, new bus shelters.
“The train stations, in my view, if they’re not being funded centrally are very well down in the order of priority.
“We’ve got buses that are falling apart. We’ve got buses that need renewal, and we’ve got the green agenda to try and introduce electric buses.”
While Councillor Dempster called for no funding for the stations at a local level, the board members instead voted to seek further clarification from Transport Scotland on the reasons for refusal. Local concerns are also to be raised with the Transport Minister.