This afternoon the North East Transport Partnership (Nestrans) met and included in the discussions was the impact of the Scottish Government’s strategic transport projects review (STPR2).

Not such great news for those of us who would like to see more local stations, especially at Newtonhill, however there is still hope.

Here is what the Nestrans board heard about the draft recommendations which are of particular note for the North East:

a) There is clear support for Aberdeen Rapid Transit proposals and bus priority measures, which are being developed following the Bus Partnership Fund award.

b) There is strong commitment to active travel development, including Active Cycle Freeways within the Aberdeen City area connecting to a wider regional network, aligning with the approach set out in the regional transport strategy.

c) The support for improving physical accessibility at rail stations links to our recent work at Insch Station, although no specific schemes are detailed within the recommendation.

d) A project to improve rail infrastructure to the south of Aberdeen to improve inter-city links to Dundee, Perth and the Central Belt is also included, alongside rail decarbonisation. It is understood this encompasses the currently committed £200m improvement scheme, but also longer-term aspirations for the route.

e) Improvements to ferry services (ferry upgrades, ferry terminal upgrades, access to ferry terminals) supported by Transport Scotland are also highlighted, which includes the Northern Isles services operating from Aberdeen.

f) Many of the other “nation-wide” interventions also have implications for the North East and correspond with actions in the regional transport strategy, including school active travel plans, 20mph zones, demand responsive transport / mobility as a service, behaviour change to support road safety, a national framework for mobility hubs, integrated public transport ticketing, technology to support operation of the trunk road network, and freight interventions.

Elsewhere in the publication, commitment is given to progressing a STAG-based review for future options on A96 dualling. Ongoing support to committed schemes has also been confirmed, including junction upgrades at Laurencekirk, external links to Aberdeen South Harbour, and the £200m Aberdeen to Central Belt rail journey time improvement project.

Strategic interventions which were identified in the region’s Strategic Transport Appraisal as being appropriate for consideration with STPR2, but which do not explicitly appear in the STPR2 recommendations are:

a) Enhancements to the local rail service between Montrose and Inverurie, including additional local rail stations;

b) Inter-city rail improvements between Aberdeen and Inverness;

c) Improvements on the A90(N)/A952 between Ellon and Fraserburgh/Peterhead;

d) Improvements on A92/A90(S) – Aberdeen to Perth (although an integrated transport plan on the A90 through Dundee is mentioned); and

e) Strategic park and ride facilities.

In the instance of the rail projects, it is understood that enhancements will continue to be sought via the Decarbonisation Project and any associated works. Park and ride proposals form an integral part of the Aberdeen Rapid Transit proposals. The road elements could be linked to reliability improvements could be achieved under the recommendation for trunk road safety, reliability and resilience.