A new railway station could take an estimated 1,658 cars a day off roads and reduce congestion to Edinburgh, a report has found.
As part of a fresh campaign for a station at Winchburgh, West Lothian, the report released today outlines significant benefits for locals, the environment, and the economy.
This includes 15 minute rail journeys to Edinburgh, 419,490 fewer car journeys annually, and "direct benefits" to passengers to the tune of £2.4 million a year.
Read more: Proposed West Lothian train station could relieve traffic on M8, M9 and M90
John Hamilton, chief executive of Winchburgh Developments, which commissioned the report, said the station would bring "significant economic and environmental benefits" to locals and the Lothian region.
He said: “A new train station requires multiple partners to come together to make it work and ultimately it can only proceed with a decision by Transport Scotland, Network Rail and other public sector agencies.
“This report demonstrates that a new rail connection for Winchburgh would bring significant economic and environmental benefits to the local community and the wider Lothian region.
"In recent years, we have seen many communities across Scotland benefit from new rail connections – now, it’s Winchburgh’s turn."
Mr Hamilton said Winchburgh Developments Ltd has already invested more than £50m in transport upgrades, with no public sector contribution to those costs.
Read more: Winchburgh could be part of ambitious public transport plan
The campaign, which has received cross-party support, is calling on the Scottish Government to establish a working group and set a date for the opening of a new station.
A new train station, which would serve around 27,000 people, has been a key feature of the Winchburgh masterplan since planning permission in principle was awarded in 2012.
Discussions have been ongoing between developers, Network Rail, ScotRail, Transport Scotland, and other key stakeholders since.
Sheetal Shah, of Tiptoes Nursery in Winchburgh, said the station would be a "much-needed boost" for the community.
She said: "Given the expansion of the village, with new residential properties and families at our nursery, better transport links are vital.”
Read more: Revealed: Proposals to open 51 new railway stations across Scotland
Graham Campbell, chair of the local community council, said: “Opening Winchburgh up to the rail network would provide easier access for the community to visit Glasgow or Stirling, and allow people from further away to experience all that Winchburgh has to offer.”
SNP Councillor Diane Calder, quoted in the report, said delivering a new train station in Winchburgh is "imperative" as part of the Scottish Government's ambitions for more sustainable public transport and to reduce car use.
She called for "all parties to pull everyone together" to build the "collective momentum" to build the station.
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative Councillor Angela Doran-Timson said: “We all want to see fewer vehicles on the road, and a Winchburgh train station would achieve this.”
And Scottish Labour Councillor Tony Boyle said: “The delivery of the long-promised Winchburgh station, for which I started campaigning in 2012, would ease the journey times of many who commute daily east to Edinburgh and west to Glasgow.”
The report A vision for a new rail connection for Winchburgh was based on an assessment conducted by specialists Syntra, and is available to read online.
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