The Scottish Government have been accused of showing utter contempt for Dumfries and Galloway after Transport Scotland vetoed plans for the re-opening of Beattock, Eastriggs and Thornhill Stations.

The Government agency have written to SWESTRANS – the South West of Scotland Transport Partnership –  stating the economic cases “do not stack up” for opening any of the stations.

Last year, local groups who have been tirelessly campaigning for their stations to be re-opened were disappointed after all were missed out entirely in the long awaited Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 with the Scottish Government stating new railway stations were not strategic projects.

Instead the Scottish Government claimed a separate process was available for new stations but Transport Scotland has now responded to proposals from SWESTRANs and said there is not enough evidence to support the re-opening of any of the three stations.

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth, who Chairs the Eastriggs Station Action Group campaigning for the re-opening of the station, said: “This is a bitter blow for the groups who have spent such time and effort campaigning and working to move forward with plans to re-open these stations.

“The failure to even mention the re-opening of rail stations at Beattock, Eastriggs and Thornhill in STPR2 was shocking enough but the Government now say the economic case doesn’t stack up, but fail to provide any detailed reasons for their claim.

“The utter contempt from the SNP Green Scottish Government in improving the region’s transport links is shocking.

“Of course stations in rural areas will never have the passenger numbers of a big central belt city station, but that fails to understand the importance of using station re-openings to boost the economy in a region already being left behind by this Government.

“The Borders Railway proved that when you open stations, they surpass the expectations of Transport Scotland whose record on these issues is utterly woeful. The result of their inaction is that our local economy continues to lag behind much of the rest of the Scotland.

“It is devastating and completely unacceptable.”

Annandale North Councillor Carolyne Wilson said: “This news is a huge blow to the Beattock Station Action Group, as well as the other groups involved.

“The campaigners have worked tirelessly to progress these plans and now they are back to square one.

“Re-opening Beattock would have been a real boost to residents in and around Beattock and Moffat, and could have been part of improved commuter services to Edinburgh and Glasgow. But once again rail passengers in our area are being treated as second class.

“The SNP Green Scottish Government are just not interested in improving transport links unless they’re in the Central Belt, it is unacceptable.”

Annandale South Councillor and Secretary of the Eastriggs Railway Station Action Group Sean Marshall said: “So much for the SNP Green Government providing greener travel options across Scotland. This decision is an absolute joke – Transport Scotland and the SNP Green Scottish Government have betrayed us and taken us on a journey to nowhere over the last ten years.

“SWESTRANS, the Council and local campaign groups have spent a lot of time, resources and money on not one, but two Strategic Transport Appraisal Guidances for each of the potential railway station re-openings at Eastriggs, Thornhill and Beattock.

“The Eastriggs consultations demonstrated overwhelming support for re-opening the station here, which would provide much better links for social, economic and educational opportunities for a population of nearly 2,000 people.

“This is another example of the SNP Green Scottish Government ignoring and discriminating against rural Scotland.

“On the Nith Valley Line, the 75 mile stretch from Carlisle to Kirkconnel has only four stops, yet the last 50 miles into the central belt to Glasgow has over 10 stops – many of which in communities with a lower population than Eastriggs. It’s one rule for the cities and a different one for rural areas.”