£29m funding boon if Aberdeenshire rail stations reopen
A petition launched by North East MSP Liam Kerr last year has received more than 1700 signatures from supportive local residents.
The appeal has been backed by football team Cove Rangers, as well as the Campaign for North East Rail (CNER), which has long urged the Scottish Government to expand rail services to Aberdeenshire.
Kerr said: 'These figures send a strong message to the Scottish Government that reopening both Cove and Newtonhill stations is a no-brainer.
'The huge benefit-cost ratio, as well as the low operational costs, underlines the significant economic opportunities that these stations would unlock, not only for Cove and Newtonhill, but the wider North East region.'
The North East of Scotland has long suffered from poor rail connections ever since the Beeching Cuts of the 1960s, when thousands of miles of train lines were axed.
Campaigners have claimed that Fraserburgh (12,900) and Peterhead (19,800) are the two largest towns in the UK without a direct rail link.
Kerr called on the Scottish Governemn to invest in the project, noting: 'Cove and Newtonhill need new stations to connect residents with the jobs, education and leisure opportunities that will make these communities an even greater place to live and work.
'We know the money is there from the Scottish Government because they opened a new Hairmyres train station last month, but far too often North East rail is being abandoned for other parts of the country.
'However, I'm delighted this report is another major step in the journey to finally reopening Cove and Newtonhill railway stations.'
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