More than one million journeys have been made at ScotRail’s Laurencekirk station in Aberdeenshire, as it celebrates its fifteenth anniversary today (Friday).
The £3.5 million station was officially reopened after more than 40 years of closure on 17 May 2009, supported by Transport Scotland, the Regional Transport Partnership Nestrans, and Aberdeenshire Council.
Situated on the mainline between Aberdeen and Montrose, the station reconnected the communities of Laurencekirk and the Mearns, to the ScotRail network, offering leisure and commuting opportunities by rail, with one train per hour calling in each direction, and additional services at peak times.
The historical station also offers cycle storage and free car parking, enabling more travel by rail and reducing congestion and emissions on roads across the north east.
Following the opening of the station in 2009, passenger journeys grew year-on-year, exceeding the initial annual estimate of 36,000 journeys by almost 50 per cent, and peaking at more than 110,000 by 2015.
Now in its fifteenth year, ScotRail is celebrating with total journeys at Laurencekirk station of more than one million.
Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, said:
“The fifteenth anniversary of Laurencekirk station, with over one million passenger journeys made from it, is a real demonstration of rail investment delivering successfully for our communities across Scotland.
“This station has helped shape our programme of improvements to rail services in the North East, and we continue to build on that with even more stations and new services being introduced up and down the country.
“I look forward to seeing continued passenger growth at Laurencekirk, and the benefits that the railway is delivering to both the people of Laurencekirk and the surrounding communities in the north east.”
Scott Prentice, ScotRail Strategy and Planning Director, said:
“We’re delighted to be marking the fifteenth anniversary of Laurencekirk station, with more than a million passenger journeys made from the Aberdeenshire station.
“We know how much the communities of Laurencekirk and the Mearns value the station, and we’ve worked hard over the years to listen and develop improvements to our rail services in the north east.
“It’s great to see passenger numbers continue to grow, and we look forward to serving the communities of Laurencekirk and the Mearns in the years to come.”
Councillor Alan Turner, Chair of Nestrans, said,
“Laurencekirk station has undoubtedly been a vital asset to both the local community and the wider north east rail network.
“The impressive passenger numbers have far exceeded what was originally forecast for the station, and it has considerably enhanced the sustainable travel options both to and from Laurencekirk.
“The campaign to re-open the station was lengthy and challenging but showcases the power of working together with communities to bring transformation.
“The success at Laurencekirk provided the foundations for the welcomed reopening of Kintore Station in 2020, and highlights the importance of our work in continuing to explore options for additional stations in the north east, where a compelling business case exists.”