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News
20th March 2025
Minister of Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP
Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop will visit the town to see for herself how a reopened station will spark an economic rennaisance for Newburgh, Abernethy and the surrounding areas.
MSPs Mark Ruskell (Scottish Greens), Willie Rennie(Lib Dems), Claire Baker (Lab), Murdo Fraser(Con) wrote to the Minister inviting her to see for herself the 'compelling case' for bringing back a train station.
Newburgh station 'a priority' for government spending, say Lib Dems
Newburgh's bid to reconnect to the railway received a boost this week when Willie Rennie, Lib Dem MSP for NE Fife, confirmed that a new Newburgh Station will be given high priority in this year's Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan.
15th Jan 2025
A new rail station for Newburgh
The Newburgh Rail Station Campaign (NTSC) wants our station reopened. The town relies on public transport which is neither reliable nor trusted. People use their cars to reach work, to visit friends and to shop – and to get to the nearest station to catch a train!
Sustainable travel is not something we do much of here in Newburgh.
For those without a car, travelling can be difficult. Wait times can be long – made longer by too many cancelled buses. It can take considerable time to get to a limited number of destinations. Access to health and education beyond the town, particularly for those with limited mobility, can make some journeys arduous.
Opportunities to develop business are limited without a station. Why set up in Newburgh when there are other towns in NE Fife with more efficient means of transport?
With a station, we believe the potential of Newburgh can be released. It could be a great town in which to develop new business, particularly tourism. It could become a more prosperous place, actively contributing to the Scottish economy, a good place to work and an excellent place to live.
This month, as it enters its 15th year, the NTSC, together with SEStrans and Fife Council, submitted a transport option appraisal document (STAG) to Transport Scotland and Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop. We hope to hear the outcome within the next few months.
It is time to get Newburgh back on track.
Is there a good case for a station?
We believe there are strong social and commercial reasons for reconnecting Newburgh to the railway
Easier Health Visits
For many people who do not have access to a car, getting to health centres across Fife and beyond can be very demanding. Journeys times can be long, often with the need for one or two changes to reach a destination. A mild inconvenience for most, a barrier to health for some. Access to health services is a right.
Attracting Investment
Newburgh has all the potential to become prosperous again – a net contributor to Scotland’s economy. It is a vibrant place to live and could be an attractive place to work. But without reliable public transport, businesses will not be drawn to the town. Buses do not cut it, it seems. To get businesses to come, Newburgh needs to be fully connected to the rest of Scotland and for this, it needs a rail station.
More Job Opportunities
Without a car, the job horizon shrinks. Poor public transport limits ambitions to find better work further afield. Travel times and lack of connection precludes taking work in many Scottish job hot spots. This lack of opportunity drives many to leave Newburgh to find work elsewhere. A regular train service would be a game-changer. Faster journeys to points further away would open up a world of opportunity for the town.
Better Access to Education
Relying on the bus to take advantage of educational opportunities in Fife can be difficult. Daily travel to colleges any distance away proves harder still. And even attending night courses in some nearby towns can be a problem. Full education and training opportunities is a right. A train service will put in reach a host of universities, colleges and further education establishments across much of central Scotland.
Being better connected
A train station sets possibilities of easy travel. A night out in Edinburgh should not start with a drive to Ladybank station. A train stop in Newburgh makes the start of a journey one that has no need for a car at all. A station gives easy access to entertainment, to museums, connections to family and friends. Newburgh can feel like a 100 miles from anywhere sometimes. A station will provide the means to fully connect to the life of Scotland.
Healthier Environment
A new Active Travel Route will soon connect Newburgh with the National Cycle Network. It will provide a green, healthy and safe way to travel. But without adequate public transport, the number of vehicles on the town’s main road will continue to increase. A new train station will encourage many car drivers to leave their vehicles at home. Fewer cars, less pollution – a state of play the Government will surely be looking to encourage.
Newburgh can prosper
Developing Tourism
With better transport, tourism could take off in Newburgh. It is a town with history, quirky traditions and set in beautiful surrounds. However, tourism, especially ecotourism, is compromised when realistically the only way visitors will come is by car.
Newburgh's origins date back to the 12th century and the founding of Lindores Abbey. At one time, Newburgh's extensive orchards made it the fruit town of Scotland; it once had thriving industries and a busy harbour.
Newburgh community orchard continuing ancient traditions
Lindores Abbey distillery
The annual parade of Newburgh Caledonian Lodge of Oddfellows
The community-owned Loch Mill
The annual burning of the Bear
Newburgh with its 'wonky' Christmas lights
Visitors to Newburgh will for the most part have come by car. Few use public buses. The town is the start or end point on the increasingly popular Fife Coastal Path. However, it doesn't serve walkers well at weekends where buses are few and taxis rare and the one public convenience it had was demolished by the council.
Unless there is uplift in bus services, visitors will continue to use the car. Realistically, the town can only realise the potential of a green tourist industry by having a train station. To be in line with the the Government's strategy for carbon free transport by 2045, this surely should be a no-brainer.
Newburgh wants to contribute to the Scottish economy. Developing tourism is one sure way of achieving this.
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Birdlife is abundant, with ospreys nesting near the River Earn
Don't build a station
Assemble it cheaply instead!
The UK rail industry is increasingly adopting cost-effective, easy-to-assemble modular design techniques for new infrastructure projects across the network. This modern, adaptable construction method is very suited to building inexpensive, smaller stations.
The benefits of modular design
Modular stations are -
Cheap - a single short-length platform with costs could amount to as little as £200K.
Easy to build - modular design assembles pre-built components in situ rather than constructing a station from scratch. It does not need an expensive team of specialist staff to assemble it.
Sustainable - transporting pre-built modular components, delivered to site by road, requires less transport than shipping traditional construction materials. It is a greener and far more sustainable way of building a station.
Flexible - a modular station can be put in place cheaply and easily, to 'test' the viability of a station. If it works, it can be made permanent and lengthened to meet passenger demand. If the station does not attract people it can be easily disassembled, taken away and used elsewhere!
We believe modular solutions are the right option for building a new Newburgh station.
Beauly Station-small station success
Beauly Station - how a simple Newburgh station could look
Beauly station reopened in 2002. This short, single platform station - with a single shelter and small car park - was built for just £250,000 (approx £460,000 today*). The station saw 75% of local commuters switching from road to rail. Beauly is proof that low-cost stations can provide benefits far exceeding their size.
Conon Bridge
In early 2013, a new station costing in today's money £600,000 was opened at Conan Bridge near Inverness. In the months that followed, more than 2,000 journeys were made to and from it. The then Transport Minister Keith Brown said the numbers 'showed that it (the station) was an extremely worthwhile investment'.
* Bank of England Inflation calculator
Conon Bridge
The future of Newburgh - with a station
September 2024
Lindores Abbey Distillery played host to a successful workshop run by Fife Council, SEStran and the Newburgh rail campaign which considered the business potential of Newburgh with a train station.
Where things stand
December 2024
STAG appraisal submitted
The final part of the transport appraisal (STAG) has been submitted to Transport Scotland for review and comment. We expect to hear back sometime towards March 2025.
STAG report
Appendix A
January 2025
Transform Scotland welcomes the NTRG as a new member
The Newburgh Train Station Group has just been accepted as a member of Transform Scotland, Scotland’s alliance for sustainable transport. Members include Scotrail, LNER, Stagecoach and other rail campaign groups. We look forward to networking with travel sector professionals and other campaigners wanting to return sustainable railway travel to their communities.
How did we get here?
The appraisal submitted at the end of 2024 is the culmination of many years' work. The Campaign first stood up in 2011 and has been campaigning ever since.
A drawing competition for pupils from Dunbog, Newburgh and Abernethy primary schools were asked for ideas for a Newburgh station logo. The results were inspiring. Our new campaign logo is based on the winning design.
Why not leave a message telling us what you think about public transport and what having a train station means to you.
The town of Newburgh
Newburgh sits on the banks of the River Tay in beautiful North East Fife. Despite being just 42 miles north of Edinburgh and visible from both Perth and Dundee across the water, it feels quite remote. It is the home of Scottish whisky and was once known as the fruit town of Scotland.
Our campaign is powered by people
From past surveys and turnouts at campaign meetings, it is clear that there is a keen appetite for reopening a rail station.
Last year, over 80 people from Newburgh, nearby Abernethy and surrounding areas attended a campaign meeting at Lindores Distillery. The campaign has been gathering pace ever since.
The Scottish Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop acknowledged strong community support for a reopened Newburgh station.
The voices of Newburgh
Newburgh is behind a new station. Here is a cross-section of local opinions on current public transport and the possible reopening of a station
