New Nairn railway bridge plan is win for the whole community
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DISABILITY campaigners have hailed the approval of a new accessible bridge for Nairn train station while heritage lovers are just as delighted that the current Victorian span will be retained.
Members of Highland Council’s south planning committee approved an application by Network Rail to create a new bridge with lifts at the station.
However they also laid down conditions that it will be required to maintain the current footbridge and keep it open for pedestrians until works to electrify the Inverness-Aberdeen line are effectively carried out.
They will also be responsible for moving the bridge to an appropriate heritage centre as and when it finally needs to be removed.
Nairn Access Panel secretary Séamus McArdle said the ruling was “fantastic news” and a “win-win situation”.
The panel has been calling for a new accessible bridge for years.
Mr McArdle said: “This is a win for disabled people and the whole community in Nairn.
“Currently it takes me 10 minutes to go around the station to get to one platform to another, and I am classed as a fit wheelchair user.
“However for anyone who is unable to use the footbridge it means to go along a dangerous road, with a footpath that can’t accommodate a wheelchair or a pram as well as other people passing. Therefore often people have to go down the road to make way, to then be unable to get back on the pavement due to a lack of a dropped kerb.
“This will not only be a win for wheelchair users but for anyone that has any sort of mobility issue and is not able to use the footbridge and who can’t be manhandled, as well as for anyone with prams, shopping or heavy luggage.
“We hope works to build the bridge will be proceeding swiftly.”
Nairn River Community Council (NRCC) chair, Hamish Bain, said: "NRCC are very happy that the Council have seen fit to prevent the removal of the existing Victorian bridge at this point. Nairn Railway Station is a Grade two listed building, one of the last complete Victorian Railway Stations left in the Country as a whole.
"Removal of the existing bridge will endanger that status. Having said that we are also satisfied that the new bridge will assist those having some difficulty getting around use the railway and the station so much easier.
"We are also satisfied that the proposed design is more compatible with Nairn station than others we have seen".
The original proposal by Network Rail for the new bridge included removal of the existing span, which forms part of the B-listed train station building.
That sparked objections from community councils and Highland Council officials alike.
Planning official Norman Brockie said the reasoning given by Network Rail for the removal was the potential future electrification of the line – which would require further clearance height to operate – as well as the lack of “remit” and funding to maintain an unused structure.
“We don’t agree,” he said. “They have remit and responsibility to maintain the structure.
“We are not happy with this rationale of using electrification as reason for the removal of the footbridge.
“If we look at the dualling of the A9 we see that projects by Transport Scotland do not always meet the date proposed, and the electrification programme is currently quite vague, with a requirement to be completed by 2032.
“To lose the footbridge without a valid justification is completely unacceptable.”
Nairn councillor Paul Oldham was also in favour of retaining the Victorian bridge.
“Although welcoming the proposed new station bridge, which will give much better disabled access to the south platform, many people in Nairn, including myself and both town community councils, were keen that Network Rail retained the existing cast iron bridge which forms an integral part of the setting of the historic grade B listed setting of Nairn station.
“There is little sign that the Inverness to Aberdeen line will be electrified any time soon. It seems far more likely that we will get hydrogen or ammonia-powered locomotives, or perhaps hybrid, than full electrification.
“With that in mind officers recommended we include conditions that only let Network Rail remove the bridge once contracts are in place to electrify the line. I also proposed, and members accepted, that we add an additional condition that Network Rail should keep the existing bridge open for use by the public so they couldn’t just mothball it.
“We also agreed to similar conditions at Kingussie, another grade B listed station which is also getting a new, disabled friendly bridge.
“During the debate councillors commented that Network Rail seemed to have neglected maintenance on Nairn’s and Kingussie’s bridges, both of which are looking very rusty, and hoped that they would remember their obligations to keep these listed structures in good condition.
A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “We are glad that Highland Council’s south planning committee has approved the proposal to deliver an accessible bridge with lifts at Nairn station. Improving access to the railway is a key enabler of modal shift and supports our view that rail travel is for everyone.
“We will take some time to review the conditions attached to the approval and discuss these further with stakeholders, including the council, to agree next-steps.”
