Glasgow MSPs accused of sabotaging Borders link

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 10:52

GLASGOW-BASED Labour MSPs have been accused of conspiring to divert money away from an Edinburgh-Borders rail route to help resurrect their own city's axed airport link.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame said Labour politicians were attempting to switch money from the 300 million Edinburgh-Tweedbank route to help revive the scrapped Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL).

She said: "It is well known that many Labour MSPs and MPs from the west of Scotland are deeply opposed to the reinstatement of the Waverley Line, a railway they closed in 1969 under the notorious Beeching cuts. The reinstated line will improve commuter links, create jobs and bring new investment to Penicuik and the rest of Midlothian.

"Labour are looking both ways on this issue and it's about time they came clean and explain where in Labour's national rail priorities the Waverley project sits."

Earlier this week, it emerged the line has been delayed until 2014. It was originally due for completion by 2011.