Ministers fail to honour promise over Borders line

Published on Monday 2 November 2009 21:22

MINISTERS are to renege on their commitment to start construction of the Borders railway line before the Scottish election in 2011, after admitting the contract would not be awarded until later that year.

Finance secretary John Swinney was branded "extremely discourteous" after telling business and council leaders yesterday that the tender process would start next month – but failing to mention the delay.

It means the 295 million project is running a further year late and will not be completed until 2014. However, officials say the start of preliminary work early next year will trigger legislation requiring construction of the entire 32-mile route to continue until it is completed.

Transport minister Stewart Stevenson told MSPs last year that "construction work on the Borders rail project will start within the life of this parliament. That will be a cause for celebration for all who live and work south of Edinburgh and it delivers on a promise that was made by the parliament".

However, the Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency admitted last night it did not expect to award the construction contract until autumn 2011, and the work will take about two and a half years.

Earlier, Mr Swinney told a conference at Newton St Boswells in Roxburghshire that the competition to find a builder for the line to nearby Tweedbank would start by the end of the year. The winner will also have to fund and maintain the route.

Transport Scotland said later the move had been delayed by a year because of the economic climate. A spokeswoman said: "We had to test the market to ensure not only the interest was there from potential contractors but that they would be able to secure lending."

However, Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis said Mr Swinney had not mentioned the project delay at the conference. He said: "That was extremely discourteous. It did not give the correct impression."

Mr Purvis said: "It is now clear there will be no track laid in the term of government of the SNP. It is a blow, but means we will have to maintain absolute pressure on the government to ensure delivery of the project."

Labour transport spokesman Charlie Gordon said: "To move it to the other side of the election means it may become a tradeable or expendable scheme. There are well-founded doubts about its viability."

Transport Scotland said the diversion of pipes and cables from the route would begin "early in 2010", triggering legislation that requires the project's completion once started. This was drawn up by MSPs concerned that the line might be built from Edinburgh only as far as Midlothian.