just one last push
Please urge the Govt to green light a new Newburgh station
Mark Ruskell, MSP, Scottish Greens
Murdo Fraser, MSP, Con
Willie Rennie, MSP, Lib Dems
Wendy Chamberlain, MP Lib Dem
Claire Baker, MSP, Lab
Stefan Hoggan, MSP candidate, SNP
We are in the latter stages of this parliament. Voters will decide on a new Government in May next year.
And with a new government comes new focus. If no decision to reopen Newburgh station is made soon the project may well lose the political focus it has. Newburgh's asks our politicians to make one last effort to lobby the government and Transport Scotland get us a station.
Newburgh remains very grateful for the support given to the campaign by our local MPs, MSPs and Councillors. We ask for just one final push to get Newburgh the station it deserves.
Nov 2025
In October this year, the Scottish Greens launched an updated report on improving Fife rail services at Lindores Distillery in Newburgh.
The report argues that many communities across Fife remain poorly-connected or “cut off” from the national rail network — limiting access to jobs, education, healthcare, and broader economic opportunity.
Cut off from the railway
It points to the success of the reopening of the Levenmouth rail link in the south of Fife and argues that as well as reducing car dependency, it will help knit communities together consistent with the Govt's broader green, “just transition” and social-inclusion agenda.
Scottish Green Party Co-leader, Ross Greer at the Lindores Whisky Distillery
Nov 2025
Stefan Hoggan, the SNP's candidate for NE Fife visited the campaign's fund raising coffee morning last Saturday. He spoke with campaigners and showed an understanding of many of the issues. The campaign welcomes
Stefan to our cross-party political support. We remain hopeful that their collective effort will result in a station soon.
Stefan at the coffee morning
In March this year, Willie Rennie, Lib Dem MSP for NE Fife announced that the campaign was now a 'high priority' for government
Dec 2025
Willie Rennie, MSP
spending following negotiations. with his party and the Scottish Greens. There has been few updates on the negotiations since then.
One to watch
The 2026/27 The Scottish Government infrastructure budget will be announced on January 13th 2026. An indication of possible funding for a new Newburgh station may come from this...or not.
News
End of year report
Huff, greet and bluster - but no sign of a station
At the end of 2024 the Newburgh station business case was submitted to the Scottish Government. But after a flurry of activity earlier this year things have gone rather quiet.
Fiona Hyslop, Transport Secretary
2025 starts well enough. The Business case (STAG) is now being appraised by Transport Scotland's Rail Directorate with the expectation their report will reach the Transport Secretary sometime this year. After fourteen years campaigning this just might be the year Newburgh gets the go ahead for its station.
We get a sense of real progress when, early in the year, local MSP Lib Dem Willie Rennie highlights the influence both his party and the Scottish Greens have on decisions about the Government's Infrastructure budget. The government needs supporting votes in Parliament to get it passed. In exchange for votes, projects favoured by the Greens and Lib Dems will, as Willie states several times, be given a 'high priority'. Quite what this meant remains unclear. But since our station is a favoured project this has to be good news, surely.
What Newburgh wants for Xmas
Things get busier. In March, Fiona Hyslop accepts an invitation by local MSP Mark Ruskell (co-signed by MSPs Willie Rennie, Claire Baker and Murdo Fraser) to visit Newburgh, meet the community and be briefed on the need for a station and the benefits it will bring.
The Minister wants to 'see for herself' the case for a station
The day goes well, with politicians and transport officials enjoying the convivial surrounds of Lindores Distillery while be briefed by the campaign. The minister leaves saying she has 'much to think about'.
She acknowledges there has been delays and asks her transport officials to get the business case appraisal back to her by the end of May.
A positive sign and with both Newburgh and Winchburgh - the site of another proposed station - mentioned several times together in government documents, it seems reasonably sane to be quietly confident.
Since May we have heard nothing
The campaign hears rumours and spin but nothing substantive. Now in December, Transport Scotland's Strategic Transport Planning/Analysis team have had the business case for a year. It seems rather a long time to be preparing an appraisal for what is (our should be) a small capital project.
This week, SEStran's November Newsletter trumpets the good news that Winchburgh is close to securing funding. There is no mention of Newburgh.
So, now we enter December and we are none the wiser about whether we are getting a station or not. Time is running out. The Scottish elections are in May next year. If no decision is made by then the Newburgh station project will most likely fade away as any sort of priority.
So, all eyes are on early next year. We can hope! Like anyone involved in Scottish train station campaigns you best be an optimist. We trust then that Government action will match their stated climate, social and economic ambitions!
Just a single 75m modular platform will do
It doesn't need staff, Just a ticket machine, a shelter and a timetable
and You can make it from recycled material too!
C'mon folks, it's cheap at half the price!
...and what a difference getting one would be!
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop (centre) together with local politicians, campaign members and SeStran officials
The people of Newburgh want their station reopened. Most use their cars to get to work, to visit friends, to shop - many drive to the nearest station to catch a train! And for those without a car, getting around can be hard...
Inbound train to Newburgh through the hills of North East Fife and on to Perth.
And for the 20% of residents who rely on buses, travelling can be a slog. Wait times can be long – made longer by too many cancelled buses. For them, access to health and education beyond the town, particularly for those with limited mobility, is often difficult.
And just this month the town learnt that the key bus route to Cupar has been cut by Stagecoach. This is not the first time the company has stopped providing a service to the town.
Opportunities to develop business are limited without a station. Why set up in Newburgh when there are other nearby towns connected to rail?
The ruins of the famous Lindores Abbey
With a station, new business can flourish in Newburgh
It could be a great town for new businesses, particularly tourism. Newburgh has all the potential to become a more prosperous place, actively contributing to the Scottish economy.
Newburgh has a lot of potential to develop ecotourism.
There is serious interest in restarted the river taxi between Perth, Dundee and Newburgh. An Active Travel Path will be coming to Newburgh soon. This town has the potential to offer great tourist experiences in the surrounding hills and on the river Tay itself.
In December last year, the Campaign, together with South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStrans) and Fife Council, submitted a business case to Transport Scotland. According to the Transport Minister, we should get to know the outcome soon. This was stated back in May. We approach the end of the year and still wait to hear something
A good case for a station
Healthier Environment
A new Active Travel Route will soon connect Newburgh with the National Cycle Network. It will provide a safe, green, healthy 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 more car drivers to leave their vehicles at home. Fewer cars, less pollution – a state of play the Government will surely encourage.
Easier Health Visits
For those with no 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. Easy access to health services is a right. With a station, A hospital visit to Kirkcaldy could be done in under an hour.
Attracting Business
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. Tourism has real potential to flourish. But without reliable public transport, businesses will not be drawn to the town. Buses do not provide the connection, it seems. To attract inward investment Newburgh needs to be fully connected to the rest of Scotland and for this, it needs a rail station.
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 rules out 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.
Access to Education
Relying on the bus for educational opportunities in Fife can be difficult. Daily travel to colleges beyond Fife can prove harder still. And even attending night courses in nearby towns can be a problem! Access to education and training opportunities is a right. A train service will put in reach more apprenticeships, universities, and colleges across Scotland that are not currently reachable using public transport.
Being better connected
A train station means easy travel. A night out in Edinburgh should not start with a drive to Ladybank station! A train stop in Newburgh means far less need for a car. Travelling by train gives easier access to museums, city nightlife, connections to family, friends across Scotland and beyond. Newburgh can feel like a 100 miles from anywhere sometimes. A station will allow the people of Newburgh to fully connect to the life of Scotland - and for the people of Scotland to more readily visit the town!
The people
The people of Newburgh are behind a new station. Here, the town gives opinions on current public transport and what a new train station would mean to them.
Don't build a station...assemble it instead!
The UK rail industry has adopted cost-effective, easy-to-assemble modular design techniques for upgrading or building new stations. It offers many benefits over traditional construction methods and is very suited for building smaller stations...like Newburgh
The benefits of modular design
Cheap - a single short-length platform between 10 and 15 metres in length can cost less than £300K.
Easy to build - modular design assembles pre-built components (or modules) in situ rather than constructing a station from scratch. No specialist skills are needed.
Reduced carbon emission - delivery of pre-built, light-weight components, by road, requires far less transport than traditional builds.
Sustainable - Some newer modular platforms now use recycled material including wind turbines! Not using concrete is a far greener way of building a station.
Flexible - a modular station can be put in place cheaply and easily. It can be lengthened to meet increased passenger demand or removed if there is none.
Newburgh only needs a small station. We propose a simple, short modular halt. It is a sustainable travel solution PROPORTIONATE to our needs - It does not need to be a full-length, fully featured, £22m station!
Beauly Station
A small halt with big commuter appeal
Beauly Station on the Far North Line
Beauly station reopened in 2002. This short, single platform station with a shelter and small car park was built for just £460,000*. The station saw 75% of local commuters switching from road to rail. Beauly station is proof that low-cost stations can provide benefits far exceeding their size.
Conon Bridge
Became a big hit with travellers
Conon Bridge station, west of Inverness
In 2013, a new station costing just £600,000* was opened at Conon 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 the station was an extremely worthwhile investment'.
* Bank of England Inflation calculator
Small stations with BIG impact
In September 2024, a workshop was run by Fife Council, SEStran and the NTSC to consider how a station in Newburgh might generate business opportunities in the town.
The workshop was a response to Transport Scotland's request for further information about the town's business potential.
The workshop identified many opportunities for growth and together these ideas formed part the submitted business case, currently being appraised by Transport Scotland.
Newburgh's business potential
Newburgh can prosper
Eco Business could flourish in Newburgh. It is a town with history, quirky traditions and set in beautiful countryside. but, development, is stymied because the only way to get here is by car - and car parking space is limited.
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. Later, saw the growth of thriving industry, fishing and a commercial harbour.
Birdlife is abundant, with ospreys nesting on the River Earn
The annual parade of Newburgh Caledonian Lodge of Oddfellows
Lindores Abbey distillery
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The town is the start or end point of the increasingly popular Fife Coastal Path. But it doesn't serve walkers well for lack of facilities. It is worse at weekends, where buses are few and taxis rare! The one public convenience the town did have was demolished by the council!
Unless there is a significant uplift in bus services, visitors will continue to use the car. Realistically, the town can only realise the potential of green tourism 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 doing this.
Newburgh's world-famous 'wonky' Christmas lights
Newburgh
Newburgh sits on the banks of the River Tay in beautiful North East Fife. Despite being just 40 odd miles north of Edinburgh and visible from both Perth and Dundee yet it can feel remote. It is birthplace of Scottish whisky and was once known as the fruit town of Scotland...
