West Lothian Council Joins Forces to Promote New Railway Station
West Lothian Council teams up with Winchburgh Developments to advance railway station plans after years of delays
West Lothian, Scotland, Railway Station, Winchburgh Developments, Infrastructure
West Lothian: The council is finally stepping up to help get a railway station built in Winchburgh. They’re teaming up with Winchburgh Developments Ltd to push this project forward after it’s been on the back burner for over ten years.
The goal is to secure funding and get the ball rolling. They’re hoping to get support from Network Rail and Transport Scotland to make this happen.
In Scotland, any big public project needs a promoter, and that’s where the council comes in. They’ll be in charge of applying for funding through the City Region Deal, which includes nearby councils that could benefit from new infrastructure.
Right now, Network Rail is working on the costs for this multi-million-pound project, but nothing is set in stone yet. They still need to finalize the business case with Transport Scotland before they can ask for funding.
Once everything is lined up, they’re aiming to submit a funding request before summer rolls around. The council can’t ask developers for cash, so they’re counting on public funds from the Scottish Government or agencies like Transport Scotland.
For reference, the recent station project in East Linton cost around £18 million. Winchburgh Developments is on board to help by providing land and creating facilities like park and ride options.
Wendy McCorriston, a senior planning officer, mentioned that Winchburgh Developments is well-positioned to lead this project since they own the land around the station site. They’ve invited the council to co-promote, believing it’ll help with the funding application process.
The council won’t be responsible for any costs related to the development, which is a relief. Lib Dem Councillor Sally Pattle expressed her excitement, saying it’s great to see real progress.
On the flip side, Conservative Councillor Angela Doran-Timson raised concerns about how slow things have been moving and questioned how quickly they could submit a bid.
McCorriston reassured everyone that they’re aiming to have a bid ready for the City Region Deal by spring. They’re meeting regularly with the minister to keep the pressure on the Scottish Government and Network Rail.
Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick noted that delays were mainly due to changes in personnel at the ministerial level. He emphasized that the council has been working hard to keep things moving.
Doran-Timson added that she’s happy to support this initiative, as it’s a step forward for residents who bought homes with the promise of a railway station. SNP Councillor Willie Boyle also expressed hope that this project will come to fruition soon.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter