South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has said the Scottish Government and its transport agency are failing to invest in transport infrastructure in Dumfries and Galloway.

The local MSP used a question session in the Scottish Parliament last week to raise the fact that Transport Scotland has vetoed plans for the re-opening of Beattock, Eastriggs and Thornhill Stations.

The Government agency recently wrote 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.

On the back of this, Colin Smyth asked new Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop “what plans it has to invest in the opening of any new railway stations in Dumfries and Galloway”. She confirmed that the Government has none.

Speaking in the chamber, Colin Smyth said: “I thank the minister for confirming that the answer is none.

“After years of hard work and tens of thousands of pounds spent on developing cases to reopen Eastriggs, Thornhill and Beattock stations, encouraged all the way by Transport Scotland, officials there have just confirmed that there was never any chance that those stations would meet the Government’s criteria.

“To add insult to injury, the same officials say that bus-based options are available. They are utterly oblivious to the fact that the bus network in Dumfries and Galloway is collapsing before our eyes.

“I urge the minister, in her new role, to look at the reasons why her Government and transport agency are failing to invest properly in the transport infrastructure in Dumfries and Galloway.

“That is causing untold economic damage. Frankly, we are tired of being Scotland’s forgotten region.”