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The Courier
2 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Stirling's long-running Bannockburn and Cowie railway station saga explained
At the end of May, Stirling Council announced its intention to make a case for a rail link serving the Bannockburn and Cowie communities. The plan is part of Stirling Council's new draft sustainable mobility strategy, which aims to reduce transport emissions in and around Stirling. Many locals welcomed the prospect of a new south Stirling train station, though some pointed out that the idea was nothing new. It's true that similar proposals have been floating around for a long time. Over the last two decades, both Stirling Council and the Scottish Government have suggested opening a new Bannockburn railway station on several occasions. But it was Falkirk Council that looked into options for opening a train station around Bonnybridge and Denny in 2006, ultimately discovering that a Bannockburn rail link would be preferred. Two years later, it was reported that the idea was still being discussed by officials. At one point, a halt was being considered for Bannockburn rather than a full station, meaning trains might only stop there on request. Then, in 2009, Transport Scotland published a report which included a plan for several new park and ride sites across the country, including at Bannockburn. The Strategic Transport Projects Review read: 'The sites would be served by either rail services or express bus links to and from the city centres and areas of economic activity'. At the time, it looked likely that onward travel from Bannockburn's proposed park and ride would be via train. Although the Strategic Transport Projects Review was billed as a 10-year plan for travel improvements, a park and ride has never been opened in the area. Fast-forward a few years to Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership's (Tactran) 2012-13 annual report, which mentioned the Strategic Transport Projects Review and its Bannockburn park and ride proposal. Tactran identified the plan as one of several which 'should be afforded greater priority' by the Scottish Government. Around that time, Stirling councillor Jim Thomson, who also sat on the Tactran partnership board, told The Stirling Observer that options were still being looked at for a Bannockburn railway station and that he was 'hopeful' it would happen. Around five years later, in 2018, Tactran received a share of £681,000 from Transport Scotland's £2 million Local Rail Development Fund (LRDF), which was split between 10 projects. The money was ring-fenced for a 'transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around Stirling', with the continued goal of building a 'strategic' park and ride facility. At the time, a Stirling Council spokesperson said: 'Among the options being examined is the prospect of a new railway station south of Stirling but the location has yet to be established.' A further share of £817,000 was awarded to Tactran in a second round of LRDF funding during 2019. Tactran requested £125,000 for the Stirling project. In August 2019, the Scottish Government said: 'It is expected that the transport appraisal will be completed by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.' After that deadline, in early 2022, Stirling Council and Tactran launched a survey for members of the public, asking for local views on proposed options for improving public transport in and around Stirling. One of the options outlined was 'a new rail station south of Stirling between Bannockburn and Cowie'. The council explained: 'Subject to its location the station will be accessible by walking and cycling for many residents in Plean and Cowie, or Bannockburn as well as the new residents that will join us in the homes to be built at South Stirling Gateway. 'Here users could park bikes, EVs and conventional cars before getting a train onwards.' The aim was to make city centre streets 'cleaner and safer for walking and cycling' by reducing the number of cars in Stirling. Tactran was granted £91,998.50 more from the LRDF during the 2023-24 financial year, 'to provide money for communities to carry out a multi-modal transport appraisal to develop proposals for improvements to rail connections in their areas'. And just weeks ago, on May 30 2025, Stirling Council's draft sustainable mobility strategy was published, pledging to 'make the case for a new station at Bannockburn/Cowie.' The council is asking locals to share their views on the strategy, including the station plan, until July 30. But whether or not this year will see the end of the long-running south Stirling station saga remains to be seen. There was a railway station at Bannockburn for more than 100 years, between 1848 and 1950. It was located between Stirling railway station and a station serving Plean, which closed in 1956. These stops were part of the Scottish Central Railway, which connected Stirling and Perth to the rest of the central belt.
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Surge in taxi numbers could be to blame for Stirling parking issues
A councillor has suggested that parking problems which have emerged on some city centre streets could be linked to the lifting of a cap on taxi licences in 2023. Parking problems on some city centre streets are being potentially blamed on an upsurge in the number of taxis. At a recent meeting of Stirling Council, SNP councillor Jim Thomson asked for clarification on taxi provision. He added: 'Residents and traders are being impacted by indiscriminate parking on Barnton Street, Murray Place and Station Road in the city centre. 'The problem has appeared following the lifting of the cap on taxi licences in 2023. 'Is it the intention of the [planning and regulation] panel to review the decision on lifting the cap?' He was told the panel would make a decision on this based on a further unmet demand survey, to be undertaken later this year and which would review whether there was a need to cap taxi numbers. Cllr Thomson, then said: 'Unfortunately I don't know how we're going to get the genie back in the bottle on this one.' Conservative councillor Neil Benny said: 'The issue of the cap will be discussed as part of the unmet demand survey, but the other issues such as parking etc will have to come forward as part of discussions on taxi policy. I look forward to hearing discussion on how we can use taxi policy to help with that enforcement as well.' The cap on taxi licences for certain types of vehicles was lifted in 2023 when the council's planning and regulation panel voted to remove the cap on licences for electric, hybrid and wheelchair accessible vehicles to help meet customer demand. The panel also decided all taxis could operate across the Stirling Council area. Previously, 11 of the 82 licences available were restricted to operating outside Stirling city, mostly in rural areas. The decisions were taken after consultation with taxi drivers, operators and Police Scotland and followed the recommendations from a Stirling Taxi Unmet Demand Survey. The council had appointed the Licensed Vehicles Survey and Assessment (LVSA) to undertake the survey, which concluded there was a significant unmet demand for taxis in Stirling city centre. Council officers were also to undertake a feasibility study on the introduction of a new, night-time taxi rank in the centre. All but one of the then panel members agreed with removing the cap on taxi licences for the specified vehicle types. Last year residents across Stirling were asked to share their views on plans for a new taxi rank in the city centre with more cabbies set to take to the road following the lifting of the cap. At that time, the council was working to identify the most suitable location for an additional taxi rank to cater for the increase in taxis operating in the area. While Port Street was the main option, there was a loading bay on the west side and it was proposed that this continued to operate for loading/unloading Monday to Saturday between 8am and 6pm, but that it operated as a taxi rank between 6pm and 8am.
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
‘Step too far' to appoint commissioner
The Waitaki District Council headquarters in Oamaru's Thames St. Photo: ODT files Tensions flared in the Waitaki District Council chamber in Oamaru on Tuesday as veteran councillor Jim Thomson threatened to resign as chairman of the district plan review (DPR) subcommittee, following a divisive debate over how to handle procedural matters related to the proposed Waitaki district plan. The discussion was sparked by a formal request from a group of landowners — submitted through legal representation — asking the council to extend the statutory submission period for the plan by 15 working days beyond the current deadline of May 9. The plan, notified on March 1, is already partially in legal effect and outlines the long-term land-use rules across the district. District plans are typically reviewed every 10 years, and work on the current Waitaki version began in 2023. In response to the landowners' request, council staff — advised by legal counsel — recommended two actions: extending the submission period by five working days and appointing an independent commissioner to oversee any further procedural matters. Jim Thomson Cr Thomson, who has led the DPR subcommittee for over two years, took exception to the idea of handing procedural control to an external appointee. "To me, this is a step too far," he said. "If council chooses to support it, I will be tendering my resignation as chair. This is not a good option for our district." Cr Thomson argued existing staff delegations were sufficient to manage procedural matters until the full panel of commissioners was appointed to assess submissions. He stressed despite the complexity of the Resource Management Act (RMA), decisions should remain locally driven. Mayor Gary Kircher echoed his concern. "The Resource Management Act was originally designed for local decision-making," he said. "This would remove that." Council director of natural and built environment Roger Cook said the proposal to appoint a commissioner was not a reflection on the DPR subcommittee's performance. He commended Cr Thomson for navigating the draft plan through "very tricky situations". Council heritage and planning manager David Campbell said while a commissioner could help keep procedural decisions at "arm's length", the council ultimately retained authority over the plan. Mr Campbell said the five-day extension would allow the landowners' planning consultant "breathing space" to complete submissions. The draft plan, which has been in the public domain since early 2024, will continue through its statutory review process. Public submissions are now due by May 15.
Otago Daily Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Pause possible for draft district plan
Waitaki district councillors may yet pause the draft Waitaki district plan, despite it already being with the public for consultation. The draft plan was ratified by the council for release last December — more than a year after it was initially planned to be ready for public consultation. A district plan outlines the rules around the use of land within a district. Plans are usually reviewed by councils every 10 years. A period for submissions on the Waitaki District Council's draft new district plan opened on March 1 this year and is due to close on May 9. Waitaki district plan review committee chairman Cr Jim Thomson said at its April 10 meeting the committee reviewing the plan requested formal advice on a full or partial pause for the proposed district plan. He described the request as "controversial", coming after the draft had already been delayed for a year and many hours had been spent discussing it and staff having been asked to make multiple changes in that time. There had also been significant concern from landowners about parts of the draft plan. On April 10 the committee spent three hours tweaking definitions and grammar in the document, with some expressing unease. Cr Jim Hopkins singled out planning staff attitudes in the face of RMA reform. "I don't believe we can continue to insist that the world is the year 2022 or 2023," he said. He sensed "a reluctance, I'd almost say intransigence" from staff on the matter. There was an internal view that how the proposed plan was drafted was immutable and "if other people don't like it they can submit", Cr Hopkins said. "The approach seems to be our view stands, and everyone else can argue with that." Over the past 18 months Waitaki rural landowners have repeatedly raised concerns with the council, particularly around the methodology used to formulate overlays by consultants for the draft sites and areas of significance to Maori, significant natural areas and outstanding natural landscapes. Omarama farmer Simon Williamson and others have told the council they are concerned about a lack of "ground truthing" and the likely implications for traditional land use. The Waitaki Property Guardians lobby group was formally launched last November as a result of landowners' concerns. Cr Thomson said the committee call for formal options included "parking it". The idea would be to stall the plan for a while longer to see how the overarching legislative reform programme firmed up. "It was more a case of what are the options, bearing in mind the statements coming out of central government," he said. The committee has sought advice on the options of continuing with the proposed plan as it is; approving only "non-contentious" aspects of the plan; or parking the plan until the legislative programme implications were clearer. Cr Thomson said a briefing by Ministry for the Environment officials to committee members had been relevant in changing their view, as had the continued community concern about the "contentious chapters" in the draft plan. That would foreseeably affect submissions, Cr Thomson said. Despite the formal statutory submissions process being under way the committee had agreed it wanted more advice. "We just felt it was prudent." Cr Thomson said the ultimate decision lay with the full council, but it was still based on the committee's informed recommendations.
