Cove and Newtonhill could finally get their railway stations back at a cost of £40m, according to new plans by Nestrans (the North East transport partnership).

It is a step in the right direction, but I can’t see Newtonhill station opening again any time soon, especially as the Scottish Government has just called a halt on NHS bricks and mortar investment. Nonetheless I am glad that Nestrans is looking further into this as one day things will get better.

This forthcoming detailed options appraisal is the final study stage in the Scottish appraisal system for such projects.

Nestrans is reviewing ways to promote active travel with stations at Newtonhill and Cove (at a cost of £20m each) being two of five key measures identified in a public study.

The study, commissioned in 2023, found the number of people who use the car to travel between Newtonhill/Cove and Aberdeen was higher than the national average.

The options include bus priority routes in Aberdeen, a mobility hub to the south of the city, and improved travel infrastructure between Aberdeen and Stonehaven.

More here from the Nestrans website: https://www.nestrans.org.uk/news/rail-stations-at-cove-and-newtonhill-to-undergo-detailed-appraisal/