Back on track
The case for a station
Newburgh needs to reconnect to the wider world to thrive
Newburgh has a bright future. The potential is there to develop tourism and other businesses. There is room for the town to grow. Given some support, it can become a net contributor to the Scottish economy.
An essential start is getting a train station.
Following years of complaints about poor public transport, changes were made last year. Two new routes and an expanded bus timetable were introduced. But still the service is considered unreliable and so the service is not trusted. As is it, it will encourage people to travel more by bus.
Set against the climate emergency, the Scottish Government, oddly, pulled funding from the Bus Partnership Fund last year. The fund was created to make buses a more attractive proposition. With car use continuing to rise, and the expansion of train services glacial, many believe the Government should consider revisiting their decision.
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Studies show the absence of timely, affordable and reliable public transport can lead to isolation and for some mental and physical health issues. It can be a barrier for the 20% of people living in rural settings to accessing health services, a human right according to the Scottish Human Rights Commission.
For those with health issues, using some bus services can be particularly hard. One Newburgh service provider operate small buses specified to carry up to 22 passengers with space for up to two wheelchairs. It is right (and legally necessary) that they do. But, in some instances, travelling on poor roads can make the passenger experience a very poor one. It can an issue for those with muscular skeletal conditions.
With buses remaining unpopular, car use continues to rise. In the last 50 years, the number of licensed vehicles in Scotland has risen by 135%. Together with the increasing volume of heavy vehicles, Newburgh's modest A road, running through the centre of the town, has become a congestion point with instances of lorries mounting the pavement to edge around another lorry - in one instance pedestrians having to move back to let the lorry pass!
New (and welcomed) housing development in Newburgh will put more pressure on the roads. Most new residents are likely to choose the car over the bus.​
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Road use in Newburgh >>>
Newburgh is a case study of poor local travel conditions defying Central Government's grand ambition to develop sustainable travel across Scotland.
In 2019, transport accounted for 36% of Scotland's greenhouse emissions of which 66% comes from road transport. Unloved and under used buses are not persuading car driver to travel by bus.
Research shows that, unlike buses, a train service will entice many car drivers to switch to rail. For this Newburgh, unsurprisingly, needs a station. Without one and with no anticipated uptake of bus travel, the town will contribute to pollution levels and not be, as many in the town.
The effects of poor transport
Unreliable and infrequent buses have environmental and social consequences
Newburgh located in North East Fife, sits in a beautiful location on the banks of the River Tay. There are great walks, cycle paths and wildlife; The town itself is nice, one with a quirky and interesting history. We really have all the elements needed to create a thriving tourist industry.
But, as things stand, any new tourism business, especially ecotourism, would be compromised by having too many visitors coming by car. And not enough people would choose to use the bus, especially on a Sunday where the service is reduced.
A train station would be the catalyst for change. Easy connections make a day trip an easy thing to do. Edinburgh by train would be just over an hour away. Arrivals by car will be a reality for a while, but unlike the bus, a train service will attract more visitors to Newburgh.
Businesses are more than just a means to make a profit. They breathe life back into a community. A business may employ local people, it may take on apprentices. If it grows it can then draw in other businesses. Workers buy goods and visit local bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. The only thing needed is a way to start the ball rolling.
For Newburgh, the catalyst will be a new rail station. Why start or move a business to Newburgh when there are other towns nearby connected to rail? Whatever effort is being put into improving the bus will not change the fact that without a station, for many businesses, Newburgh is not an attractive proposition.
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The town wants to reconnect properly to the economy of Scotland. It was to be a net contributor. Mostly, it wants to become a vibrant, place fully of interest and activity.
Newburgh potential
With a station, the town can better exploit opportunities, letting Newburgh become a net contributor to the Scottish economy
Representatives from the rail industry, local government, NGOs, tourism and the NewburghTrain campaign spent an afternoon brainstorming ideas on how Newburgh could experience a renaissance in fortune...
Inspired and supported by
Campaigning for walking, cycling and public transport to be the easiest and most affordable options for everyone
Making it easier for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle
A station will be the catalyst for a revitalised town - connected, growing prospering
