{"id":25719,"date":"2021-10-13T16:59:50","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T16:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=25719"},"modified":"2021-10-13T17:06:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T17:06:55","slug":"pressure-grows-on-rail-bosses-to-fix-dalwhinnie-debacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/pressure-grows-on-rail-bosses-to-fix-dalwhinnie-debacle\/","title":{"rendered":"Pressure grows on rail bosses to fix Dalwhinnie \u2018debacle\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Politicians have joined businesses, landowners, councils and outdoors organisations in signing an open letter calling for the unlocking of Dalwhinnie level crossing gates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Forbes MSP and Ariane Burgess MSP are among 15 diverse signatories to the letter to Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Network Rail padlocked the gates without consultation in late July, severing an historic route to popular lochs, glens and hills including much-loved Ben Alder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rail chiefs have so far refused to back down, despite a joint petition signed by more than 9,000 people and unanimous opposition from key stakeholders at a meeting last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ms Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said: \u201cThe Ben Alder crossing has been happily used by tens of thousands of people for years, if not decades, without incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was deeply regrettable that Network Rail decided to padlock the gates without first consulting any of the community and local businesses, and the fact that almost 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for this decision to be reversed shows the strength of feeling about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNone of the local stakeholder groups can understand this sudden and unexpected change, and I hope Network Rail will finally listen. As well as the staycation boom over the summer, let\u2019s not forget that James Bond was filming in the next village along the road \u2013 and that will undoubtedly bring more visitors who will want to enjoy and explore the area. The sooner this debacle can be resolved the better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s open letter outlines why the gates must be unlocked immediately and a proper consultation held involving all stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been signed by representatives of Ramblers Scotland, Mountaineering Scotland, The Munro Society, Ben Alder Estate, Cairngorms Business Partnership, ScotWays, The Highland Council, Cycling UK in Scotland, Scottish Canoe Association, The British Horse Society, Dalwhinnie Old School Hostel, Dalwhinnie Community Council and John Muir Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramblers Scotland director Brendan Paddy said: \u201cWe hope today\u2019s open letter will prompt Network Rail to urgently reconsider its unacceptable decision to sever this historic route without any advance consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSadly shutting the crossing has in fact made the crossing less safe, as we know that people continue to climb over the locked gates. Rail bosses must act soon.\u201d

Network Rail\u2019s own safety review recommended the installation of \u2018miniature stop lights\u2019 \u2013 a traffic light-style system to warn the public when trains are approaching \u2013 rather than closure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Network Rail\u2019s signage points to an underpass a mile south of the crossing, but this causes a lengthy diversion and offers considerably fewer parking spots than the recently-expanded hillwalkers\u2019 Car Park next to the crossing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Politicians have joined businesses, landowners, councils and outdoors organisations in signing an open letter calling for the unlocking of Dalwhinnie level crossing gates. Kate Forbes MSP and Ariane Burgess MSP are among 15 diverse signatories to the letter to Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway. Network Rail padlocked the gates without consultation in late July, severing an historic route to popular lochs, glens and hills including much-loved Ben Alder. Rail chiefs have so far refused to back down, despite a joint petition signed by more than 9,000 people and unanimous opposition from key stakeholders at a meeting last month.…<\/span> <\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/div>\n

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