The Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee will visit the Cairngorms next week to scrutinise the governance, finances and long-term reliability of the Cairngorm Mountain funicular railway.
The visit, taking place on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 November, follows years of disruption for the funicular, which has faced repeated closures due to structural problems since its construction in 2001.
The railway, managed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, has required major public investment to keep it operational.
HIE has intervened several times over the past decade, including taking over and restructuring the operating company, now Cairngorm Mountain Scotland Ltd.
With the funicular back in service after significant maintenance works, MSPs will travel to the site to see first-hand the role it plays in the local economy and tourism sector.
During the first day of the visit, the Committee will meet with HIE and CMSL to discuss the railway’s current performance and future plans for the mountain.
The following day, members will meet local stakeholders and businesses to hear directly how the funicular affects jobs, tourism, and the wider economy in Badenoch and Strathspey.
Committee Convener Richard Leonard MSP said the visit is about understanding whether long-term public investment in the funicular is delivering value for the Highlands.
“We want to know what the future holds for the funicular,” he said.
“There has been a significant amount of public investment in this project and we want to hear whether this investment is really paying off.
“We also want to see for ourselves its impact on the local economy, and speak to local groups and representatives to get their views.”
The Committee will report its findings following the visit.
