Kintore: one thousand back new station
February 28, 2008 12:00 PM
One thousand residents of Kintore have signed a petition calling for a new railway station in the Garioch town.
A new station for Kintore is proposed as part of the Aberdeen Crossrail project, which has been vigorously backed by the Liberal Democrats.
Lib Dem transport spokesperson and North East MSP Alison McInnes has expressed frustration at the lack of progress on Crossrail and welcomed the petition.
She said: "The people of Kintore have called for a new station in the town, which is a statement decision makers can not simply ignore.
"Residents across Aberdeen City and Shire recognise the value that Crossrail will bring to the area."
Crossrail promises to create a new commuter rail service from Inverurie to Stonehaven via Aberdeen City.
News reports yesterday (Wednesday) suggested that discussions about timetabling had not begun, raising further concerns amongst supporters of the project.
Ms McInnes added: "There seems to be a lack of political will to drive this project to completion. Of course the cost of Crossrail is significant, but the benefits are clear and numerous."
Describing the lack of progress on timetabling as "ridiculous", East Garioch Councillor Martin Ford said: "Technical studies have gone on over many years and the case for a station has, I believe, been made.
"It really is time for a decision, in principle at least, to go ahead as soon as possible. The fact that now one thousand people have signed the petition in support of a station at Kintore shows just how strong local support is."
Fellow Councillor Nan Cullinane echoed his comments, saying: "The residents of Kintore are very much in favour of this railway station. The village is now a small town with the likelihood of it expanding further in the future. I am very disappointed at yesterday's reports indicating that the project has progressed so little."
Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce also endorsed the project, commenting: "The fact that so many signatures have been gathered in such a short time indicates strong demand for a station in Kintore.
"I hope that the timetabling issues raised recently can be overcome. Kintore residents deserve to have their case considered seriously by Government agencies and Government ministers.
"I will continue to push for the inclusion of Kintore station and additional improvements to rail travel including a commuter link between Inverurie and Aberdeen to be included in the Scottish Government's High Level Output Statement."
The petition will be presented to the Scottish Government by Ms McInnes in March.
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