Cost of mountain railway demolition 'more than £13m'

HIE says it would be cheaper to repair the funicular

The potential cost of dismantling the Cairngorm funicular could run to more than £13.3m, its owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has said.

The railway, which provides access to the Cairngorm ski centre near Aviemore, has been closed for more than a year due to structural problems.

HIE said its intention would be to repair the railway at an estimated cost of £10m.

The Scottish government will be asked to make a decision on the repairs.

HIE, a public body, said it expected to have the business case for this work to be ready to submit to the government in December.

• 'Tough decisions' on Cairngorms funicular's future

Removing or fixing the railway is complicated because it will have to be done in a way that minimises impact on Cairn Gorm mountain - a 1,245m (4,084ft) Munro and one of Scotland's best known summits.

During the construction of the railway, a helicopter was used to deliver building materials to the mountainside.

The funicular opened in 2001 at a final cost of £26m.

In its latest update on the funicular, HIE said the potential cost of removing the structure did not include how much money would be needed to put in place alternative uplift for snowsports enthusiasts and other visitors.

The railway connects a base station with a restaurant, and wider ski centre, 1,097m (3,599ft) up Cairn Gorm mountain.

Before it was closed last September, the funicular carried about 300,000 visitors each year.