18 March 2005
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen has announced financial backing of £115m for the reopening of the Waverley railway line in the Scottish Borders.
In what would be one of the biggest transport projects approved by the Scottish Executive, the plan is to reinstate part of a route closed in 1969 under the UK-wide Beeching cuts.
Stephen said the Executive funding would pay for most of the cost of bringing the line back into use, subject to certain conditions.
These include the approval of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill, currently before the Scottish Parliament, and conditions in a business plan being met. Any shortfall in the funding, which is based on 2002 estimates, will need to be met by the Scottish Borders Council and private investors.
Stephen's announcement this week is a major breakthrough in the long-running campaign to reopen the route, which originally ran from Edinburgh and through the Scottish Borders to Carlisle.
The plan is to reopen a 35-mile section from Edinburgh to Galashiels. Campaigners hope it would eventually lead to the entire route coming into service again.
The project has been controversial because of doubts about its commercial viability. The minister's announcement at a parliamentary committee meeting in Galashiels coincided with claims that it has been forced through by First Minister Jack McConnell under pressure from the Liberal Democrats, who share power with Labour.
The Scottish National Party and the Greens claimed this week that the funding deal was insufficient and left a £36m gap that would be hard to fill.
Stephen said the project would provide a much-needed boost to the economy of Southeast Scotland. 'We believe the Borders railway would transform travel opportunities from Midlothian and the Borders and make a real contribution to sustainable travel,' he added.
PFmar2005
