Plans to bring a Garioch rail station back into use after 50 years could move a step closer later this week if transport bosses agree to millions of pounds worth of funding.
Nestrans will meet in order to discuss “options to close” a £2.9million gap in funding to secure the planned Kintore Station, with the organisation also proposing to allocate £2.97million to the project up until 2018-19.
Alongside Aberdeenshire Council, Nestrans is also calling for the Scottish Stations Fund (SSF) – which is administered by Transport Scotland – to contribute 60% of the cost of the £12.2million station, having already committed to 50% thus far.
The Nestrans board will meet on Friday and be asked to “press the case” for the SSF contribution to be increased by 10%.
Last week, the local authority’s policy and resources committee agreed to allocate £3.2million in partnership with Nestrans towards the overall cost of the station.
However a further £822,000 may still be required from the council and Nestrans, even if the 60% contribution is secured.
The project is being delivered by the council, Nestrans and Network Rail.
The new station would be off Northern Road and may have space for 180 cars, passenger facilities and a new access road.
The report by Nestrans’ head of rail strategy and funding, Steven McMahon, said: “With Nestrans and Aberdeenshire Council jointly committing £3.2million to the project, a £2.9million funding gap remained at the point of receiving the Scottish Stations Fund offer, more than half of which is to cover the optimism bias element of the project cost estimate.
“If a 60% contribution were to be secured, this would take the Stations Fund grant up to £7.3million, requiring a total local contribution of £4.842million.”
Deputy chairman of Nestrans, Councillor Peter Argyle, said: “The project itself is absolutely essential and something we have been calling for for a long time.
“It is really important not only because of the importance of rail to travel in the north-east, but also for the dualling of the track.”
Kintore’s rail station was closed in 1964 after serving for years as a junction between the now non-existent Alford line and Aberdeen.
It is hoped the station can open in 2018.
East Garioch councillor Martin Ford said: “The expected increase in the funding contribution from the Scottish Stations Fund towards building Kintore station is certainly good news.
“Overall, the project is making good progress. The station is planned to be open just over two years from now.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We hope to provide further details of funding for a new stop at Kintore shortly.”