The campaign to reinstate rail north of Aberdeen to Peterhead and Fraserburgh received a significant boost at the weekend, picking up a top national prize at a major industry event.
The Rail User Group Awards seeks to recognise and reward local volunteers who work tirelessly to improve local railways, stations and services on behalf of passengers.
Now in its 12th
year, this year’s awards took place in Edinburgh on Saturday 13th
July and welcomed rail campaigners, passenger advocacy groups, industry experts and politicians from across the UK.
The Campaign for North East Rail (CNER) came out on top to be awarded ‘Best Campaign’, which was presented by the Vice-President of Railfuture, Scotland’s housing minister Paul McLennan MSP.
CNER has led a grassroots campaign since 2021, with growing local support and the backing of the North-east Scotland business community. They recently announced the completion of the Buchan Sustainable Transport Study. The report, funded by the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund made a powerful case for restoring rail north of Aberdeen.
CNER are now campaigning to advance the recommendations of that study to the next stage – and believe that national recognition for their efforts strengthens that case further.
The campaign group also advocate new stations to serve communities to the south of Aberdeen at Cove and Newtonhill on the existing east coast line.
Jordan Jack of CNER receives the ‘Best Campaign’ award from Paul McLennan MSP
Jordan Jack, General Secretary of the Campaign for North East Rail, said:
“Since 2021 we have been working incredibly hard and we are very proud to see those efforts recognised at a national level.
“Our campaign has the backing of politicians right across party lines, and from many in the business community, and we continue to grow support amongst local folk by demonstrating the opportunities that rail could unlock for them.
“We’ve come a long way and we plan to continue to campaign in earnest until we see the East Coast Line extended all the way to Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
“There’s no doubt that this award strengthens that case.”
Railfuture Vice-President Paul McLennan MSP said:
"CNER have put together an impressive campaign that's made a lot of progress in just a few short years.
“The case they are making is compelling,and I fully support their efforts in reconnecting the communities of Fraserburgh and Peterhead to the rail network.
“I look forward to discussing the matter with my colleagues in the North East, and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport in the coming weeks."
Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce added:
“Many congratulations to the Campaign for North East Rail on achieving national recognition for a well-fought local campaign.
“They have amassed a huge swell of support from right across the North-east business community – as more and more people recognise the huge economic benefits that will flow from reconnecting Ellon, Peterhead and Fraserburgh by rail.
“We will continue to lend them our full support until the vision of a new railway north of Aberdeen becomes a reality.”