More than 1100 people responded to a travel survey on behalf of North East transport partnership Nestrans. It focused on the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk corridor – and of particular interest locally was a section on rail travel, including the possibility of new stations.
A report for the Nestrans board on 8 December says: “There is demand for additional rail infrastructure along the corridor, particularly from Cove and Newtonhill with 47% indicating that a new rail station in Cove would encourage them to use the train for more journeys and 42% indicating the same for a new rail station in Newtonhill.
“However, it should be noted that some concerns were raised regarding the potential demand for rail in light of changing travel patterns as a result of the pandemic.
“52% of respondents noted that reduced cost of fares would encourage them to use the train for more journeys.”
The report also highlights active travel. “There is demand for improved active travel facilities along the route, with half of respondents indicating that long-distance walking and cycling infrastructure is needed and 46% indicating that improved walking and cycling infrastructure within settlements is required.”
On bus services, the report says there is demand for improved services, with 43% indicating that there are journeys they would like to make by bus that they are unable to currently.
“In order to encourage greater bus use, the most popular responses were in relation to improved frequency (46%), reduced cost of fares (46%), quicker journey times (38%) and services to a wider range of destinations (37%).”
There were 418 responses from Cove, 297 from Newtonhill, 109 from Laurencekirk, 50 from Portlethen, 36 from Chapelton, 28 from Stonehaven, and 24 from Muchalls.
The survey report can be found on the Nestrans website: https://www.nestrans.org.uk/…/081221-Nestrans-Agenda… Open the agenda pack and scroll to page 115. The link to the report is at paragraph 3.6.
Nestrans officers will now consider the key findings.
And finally, my thanks to all those residents who took the time to contribute their views. It wasn’t a swift survey to complete!