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8 October 2009

(S3O-8100) New Railway Stations

13. Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what support exists for the creation of new railway stations not identified in the strategic transport projects review. (S3O-8100)

The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):





We will consider proposals for new stations on the rail network where the surrounding population, workplace or visitor need is sufficient to generate a high level of demand and if they contribute to the Scottish Government's policy of improving overall journey times. The fact that a proposal might not have been taken forward by the Scottish Government as part of the strategic transport projects review does not preclude regional transport partnerships and local authorities from considering the value of local interventions.

Jamie Hepburn: I thank the minister for that reassuring answer. He will be aware of my calls to open stations at Abronhill in Cumbernauld and Grangemouth and Michael Matheson's calls for a station at Bonnybridge. I realise that the minister might not be able to commit to supporting those projects here and now—although he is welcome to do so—but is he able to assure me that he and Transport Scotland will keep an open mind on those requests?

Stewart Stevenson: We will certainly keep an open mind in that respect. However, as the current control period for regulatory asset-based funding for rail projects runs from 2009 to 2014, it is likely that any significant additions to our plans for the rail network will take place in the next control period, which will run from 2014 to 2019.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): As the minister will recall, he kindly agreed to meet Grangemouth transport forum in June. Among the presentations made by the forum, which brings together the community council and businesses in Grangemouth, was a discussion on Grangemouth's rail links as part of the STPR and the national planning framework, from which emerged the possibility of a spin-off in the form of a Grangemouth railway station. Does the minister recognise the importance to the Scottish economy of reconsidering the proposals in NPF 2 with regard to the Grangemouth transport hub? If so, will he agree to look at them again?

Stewart Stevenson: I thank the member for bringing Grangemouth transport forum to meet me. The meeting was very useful, particularly because so many strands of the local community, including business, trade unions and the local council, were represented.

By putting Grangemouth docks into the national planning framework, we signalled the need to improve transport connections to the town. However, among the potential difficulties of adding passenger traffic to the proposals is the fairly certain need for a chord to be built from the current line into Grangemouth and on to the eastbound Edinburgh line in an area where the gradients are challenging. However, we are continuing to consider such matters, and I would be very interested to see any low-cost options that might be proposed.

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