£258m hope if former rail link reopens

Published on 31/08/2004 12:23

PLANS to reopen the Borders rail link to the Capital would create a £258 million economic spin-off, it has been claimed.

Midlothian would be the largest beneficiary and could expect to gain financially by as much as 136m.

A study by public sector consultants Tribal HCH found that the Borders could see an injection of up to 112m as a result of the service.

The report also identified a "sustained increase in the employment base" of the Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh. Up to 548 jobs will be created across the three local authorities - 308 in Midlothian and 213 in the Borders with the rest in Edinburgh - through construction and spin-offs if the line is reopened.

The extra jobs are expected to add as much as 4.9m to the total annual income figure for the Borders and 5.7m for Midlothian.

If the project receives the green light, it will involve the laying of 29 miles of new rail line and six new stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Galashiels and Tweedbank. Trains will stop at Edinburgh Park station then travel on to central Scotland, while also servicing Edinburgh Airport.