derelict shop becomes face of the station campaign
Local politicians to launch shopfront promo this Friday
MSPs Willie Rennie, Murdo Fraser & Mark Ruskell and MPs Wendy Chamberlain and Peter Wishart will open a renovated Newburgh High Street Newsagent this coming Friday 27th February at 4.00pm.
Derelict.
In hand.
About ready.
Political support on the day
Mark Ruskell MSP
(Scottish Greens) Mid Scotland & Fife
Murdo Fraser MSP (Conservatives) Mid Scotland & Fife
Willie Rennie MSP (Lib Dems) North East Fife
Wendy Chamberlain MP (Lib Dems) North East Fife
Peter Wishart MP (SNP) Perth & Kinross-shire
The NTSC - where things stand
After 14 years of campaigning, the business case for a new Newburgh station was finally submitted to the Government for review in December 2024. Over a year on, and we still wait for an outcome. It is a long time to wait for what is, or what should be, a small capital project.
Newburgh simply asks for a halt proportionate to our needs. A short unmanned stop will do. A 74 metre accessible modular station iis both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Some of the latest designs are made in part from recycled material. They can be self-powered by solar panels too.
Given the Government's commitment to sustainable travel what is there not to like?
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As a little reminder...
Stations do not have to cost the earth
All in today for just £4.7 million
This is Pye Corner in Wales opened in . It has a 150m, single six carriage length station and a carpark for 70 cars...​
Rail stations do not have to be expensive. For Newburgh a short, unmanned station is the place to start. It can easily expanded to cater for growing demand.
Modern modular station designs are made of light-weight materials that are easy to transport and assemble. The latest designs use recycled material
Scottish Greens urge government to reopen Newburgh station
MSP Mark Ruskell, Scottish Greens
Jan 2026
Internal restructuring in Transport Scotland has delayed delivery of a full appraisal, expected in May last year. There is strong hope that an outcome will be produced before the summer.
Jan 2026
NE Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain has requested a meeting with the Scottish Transport Secretary to discuss Newburgh station.
MP Wendy Chamberlain, NE Fife
Wendy is keen to emphasise the social and economic regeneration it will bring.
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...
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. Access to health and education beyond the town, particularly for those with limited mobility, is often difficult.
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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.
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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
Inbound train to Newburgh through the hills of North East Fife and on to Perth.
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.​​
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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, on the river Tay and in Newburgh itself.
In December 2024, the NTS Campaign, together with South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStrans) and Fife Council, submitted a business case to Transport Scotland. It has now been with Transport Scotland for a year.
The Transport Minister, suggested the process would be quickened this year and we would have a decision by the end of 2025...
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The 2026/27 Infrastructure budget announcement is to made on the 13th Jan 2026. We hope budget is found for a new Newburgh station
Good reasons for being better connected
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 people in 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!
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.
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Reduced carbon emission - delivery of pre-built, light-weight components, by road, requires far less transport than traditional builds.
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Sustainable - Some newer modular platforms now use recycled material including wind turbines! Not using concrete is a far greener way of building a station.
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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, £20m + 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
Newburgh's business potential
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.
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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 is right for tourism
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
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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.
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Newburgh wants to contribute to the Scottish economy. Developing tourism is one sure way of doing this.
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The annual parade of Newburgh Caledonian Lodge of Oddfellows
Newburgh's world-famous 'wonky' Christmas lights
Lindores Distillery
Newburgh the place
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...​​​​​
