27.09.16
Robroyston first new station to be funded through Scottish Stations Fund
Plans for a new railway station at Robroyston, a suburb of Glasgow, have received a boost after the Scottish government committed to meet 50% of the costs.
The project will be the first new station to be funded through the £30m Scottish Stations Fund, which was first announced in 2014 by Keith Brown, the then transport minister.
The government will provide over £7m through the Scottish Stations Fund, with the rest met by the scheme promoters Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Glasgow City Council, and private developers.
Humza Yousaf MSP, the Scottish minister for transport, said: “This is a significant announcement, with Robroyston the first new station project to be funded by the Scottish Stations Fund, which was introduced to improve and increase access to rail across Scotland.
“This announcement highlights the Scottish government’s continued investment in rail infrastructure and services to better connect our communities and support sustainable economic growth and jobs across the country, with £5bn of funding for infrastructure and services committed to 2019.
“Demand for rail travel continues to boom with over 94 million journeys made on the ScotRail passenger network last year. The announcement demonstrates our commitment to meeting this demand and brings the prospect of a new station for the people of Robroyston one step closer to reality.”
The station is expected to be complete by March 2019 and is intended to cater for increased demand from the 1,600 new houses planned for the Robroyston area. It will also feature a park and ride scheme in order to promote sustainable transport.
Scottish Borders and East Lothian councils announced recently that they will apply for money from the fund to reopen Reston and East Linton stations.
(Image c. Danny Lawson from PA Images)
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