This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Re-opening of Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line
18/08/2005
Construction work can start to re-open the
Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line with today's
announcement by the Executive of further financial
backing.
Transport Minister Tavish Scott gave a guarantee of
funding while visiting the site of the proposed new Alloa
station, confirming the Executive will invest a further
£27.6m to the £30m previously awarded in 2003, allowing
construction of the railway and the Alloa eastern link
road.
The re-opening of the line will help deliver major
economic, social and environment benefits to the local
communities around Stirling, Alloa and Kincardine, and also
to the wider Scottish economy.
The line will:
- introduce passenger services
between Stirling and Alloa, reconnecting Alloa to the
national rail network for the first time since
1968
- take freight trains off the Forth
Rail Bridge, paving the way for improved Fife -
Edinburgh passenger services
- provide a faster, more efficient
freight route for coal from Ayrshire (open cast &
imported) to Longannet Power Station.
Mr Scott said:
"We want a transport system that gets Scotland's goods
and people moving. This devolved government has ensured
sustained investment in Scotland's transport network, with
increased spending of one billion pounds per year, of which
70 per cent will be targeted to public transport
"I am pleased to confirm our support and commitment
towards the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail project. The
re-opening of this line delivers one of the several major
rail projects made possible by devolution and backed by our
devolved government.
"The re-opening of the line will not only reconnect the
people of Alloa to the national rail network, it will also
bring real benefits to local communities through attracting
business and increasing access to jobs, education and
health services.
"While the rise in the initial estimated costs is
disappointing, we must not lose sight of how valuable the
re-opening of the line will be to the local communities
that will benefit from it. This was one of the first major
projects undertaken after devolution, with the
Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Bill being the first Private Rail
Bill to be passed by the Scottish Parliament.
"We have already learnt lessons from this and tighter
procedures are now in place. The rise in costs will not
affect funding for any of our other major projects, and
will be met from our existing budget.
"Today we should be celebrating that construction work
can now start, and welcoming the hard work done by all
those involved in this project, in particular
Clackmannanshire Council and local supporters who have
demonstrated that we can make a real, improved difference
to Scotland's rail network."
Keir Bloomer Chief Executive of Clackmannanshire Council
said:
"This is a historic occasion, and we are delighted that
all the funding for the completion of the railway is now in
place.
"This Council and its predecessors have been determined
to bring rail back to the area. We have worked closely with
the Scottish Executive and the Strategic Rail Authority as
well as other local authorities and the local Enterprise
Company in order to push the case for the Alloa line.
Today's announcement means our plans to see hourly
passenger services between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow will
now be realised.
"A key objective of this Council in terms of the
economic regeneration of the area, the re-opening of the
Stirling-Alloa-Dunfermline rail line in Spring 2007 will be
a tremendous boost to the communities involved."
The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine route re-opening project
is one of the most important railway infrastructure
projects Scotland has seen in decades. It is being taken
forward by a project delivery team made up of members from
a variety of interested organisations including
Clackmannanshire Council, Fife Council, Stirling Council,
the Scottish Executive, the Strategic Rail Authority and
Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, with assistance from tie
Limited, Jacobs Babtie, First Nuttall Joint Venture and
Network Rail.
The project seeks to re-open approximately 21 km of
existing, disused and abandoned railway lines between
Stirling Station and Longannet Power Station in
Kincardine.
A new railway station will be built in Alloa town
centre, allowing direct hourly passenger services to
operate between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street
Stations. Changing trains at Stirling Station will allow
passengers to travel onwards to and from Edinburgh Waverley
Station.
As well as re-introducing passenger services between
Alloa and Stirling, the line will also carry coal from the
West of Scotland to Longannet Power Station in Fife and
possibly freight services to other customers along the line
and in Fife. As more freight is transferred from road to
rail, there will be benefits including a reduction in road
congestion, a reduction in rail congestion on the Forth
Bridge and an increase in Alloa's accessibility and
attractiveness to potential investors.
Construction on the 18 month contract is expected to
commence in September 2005 with services running in Spring
2007.
Increases in the estimated costs since the early 2003
have resulted from a number of factors, including industry
related inflation. Changes in administration and policy
associated with the transfer from Railtrack to Network Rail
and revisions to industry standards have resulted in some
elements of the project having to be reappraised and
redesigned. Compensation costs had to be revised in light
of alterations to the business planning of a major
landowner. Additional costs have also been allocated
towards mining stabilisation works.