Highland councillor claims ‘funicular has been a weight around our necks for a long time’
Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s boss for the strath has said the protracted absence of the Cairngorm funicular has been a real source of frustration.
But Audrey MacIver said the target remains for its return in time for the forthcoming snowsports season.
HIE’s Inner Moray Firth area manager provided an update at the latest Highland Council’s area committee meeting at Kingussie’s courthhouse.
She said: “We understand the importance and the responsibility we have of being the owner of Cairngorm Mountain..
“We continue to believe that it continues to have very strong potential to grow in terms of its overall contribution to the economy.
“We are very much in the midst of the longer term (25 years) masterplan.
“We are very frustrated around the current situation with the funicular which is absolutely crucial to generating the growth opportunity at Cairngorm Mountain.
“The remediation works continue and we remain hopeful and confident that the funicular will be operational in time for the snowsports season.
“That is what we are targeting and what all our efforts are focused on in terms of our engagement with Balfour Beatty and all the other contractors involved…
Councillor John Bruce asked if Balfour Beatty had committed to a date for the return of the mountain railway, adding: “The funicular has been a weight around our necks for a long time.”
Ms MacIver did not provide a date but said: “They are currently working to a programme that gives us confidence about it being open for the snowsports season.”
She continued: “Clearly what we all want to avoid is a repeat of last year. We all expect there to be some snagging in any major construction project but it has clearly been more than we were anticipating when the funicular was taken out of service last August.
“Lessons have been learned and we have to be positive that once operation we will get a good run.”
The funicular was taken out of operation a year ago having only returned to service at the start of 2023 after repairs costing more than £20m and taking over four years.
The prime area of focus has been hundreds of ‘scarf joints’ linking beams and piers along the 1.7km viaduct.
These were installed as part of the major reinstatement programme. In addition, testing has been under way on tensioning works to beams and diaphragms that were also installed at that time.
An HIE spokesperson said: “Balfour Beatty and sub-contractor Millar Callaghan are making progress with the remediation works and we continue to aim to have the funicular back in service for the coming snowsports season this winter.
“As ever, the overall programme is reliant on a range of different factors, not only the technical challenges, but weather too.”
