High-speed rail ‘should extend to Scotland’
A concept image of how a new high-speed rail line might look
A proposal to extend the high-speed rail network north of the border was part of a 20-year investment plan announced today by the Scottish Government.
The infrastructure “mega-plan” has ambitious aims to improve roads and rail as well as schools and hospitals across the country over the next two decades.
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Secretary Alex Neil announced the list of strategic projects in Edinburgh today.
High-speed rail is dependent on action from Westminster, Mr Neil said.
“We think it is a mistake to start in London and we think it is a mistake to stop at Birmingham,” he added.
“We think there should have been a UK-wide plan and we would have been happy to participate in a UK-wide plan to have a high-speed line from London right through to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and do that in one planned project.
“We also think people in the north of England are extremely angry and disappointed.”
He said clarification will be needed from the UK Government on how the gap between Birmingham and the border would then be closed.
But he added that no money has been set aside yet for the Scottish part.
“We also need to see the colour of the money in London so it wouldn’t be good money after bad,” he said.
On the Edinburgh tram project, Mr Neil said there is “good news” coming but would not elaborate. But he confirmed that the line will not be extended from the city centre to Leith, as originally intended.
The Scottish Government committed to improving motorway and dual carriageway links, including the completion of upgrades to the M8, A96 and A9.
New colleges will be completed in Glasgow, Inverness and Kilmarnock, while a commitment was given to deliver projects such as the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow and the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.
Mr Neil said: “This represents a mega-plan for Scotland to take us forward into the 21st century as a competitive and modern nation, and with an infrastructure that is up to the job.
“It represents a level and quality of investment that quite frankly no previous administration in Scotland has ever announced or planned for.”
The spending plans cover nationally important projects that cost more than £20 million. They are set out in four phases, covering 54 infrastructure projects, such as roads and rail, and 33 programmes which cover other areas including housing and health.
Around the end of this five-year parliamentary session, Mr Neil said he is committed to diverse projects including the Glasgow-Edinburgh M8 motorway upgrade, the Borders rail link, the completion of the capital’s tram line and a new prison, HMP Grampian.
He said work on the Aberdeen bypass will get under way if legal obstacles are removed.
The A9 will be dualled between Perth and Inverness by 2025, with work starting between Luncarty and Birnam. The A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road is part of a wider commitment to complete the dualled network by 2030.
Next-generation broadband will be available to everyone by 2020.
Overall funding will be split between a range of methods, including capital grant, non-profit distribution and the Regulatory Asset Base, which is used on rail projects.
Mr Neil said the Government will be “prudent” and expects to be able to fund all the projects under the current constitutional set-up.
But he hopes legislation on changes to devolution, in the Scotland Bill, will go further than drafted and give enhanced borrowing powers to Holyrood.
“If we do get the additional borrowing, we’ll be able to do many of these projects quicker,” he said.
“We’ll be able to do all these projects within the deadlines I’ve outlined, even if we don’t get the increase in borrowing requested.”
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
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Ancient Wisdom
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 09:41 AMThe existing trains south are quite fast enough, thankyou. From door to door in my case trains beat planes. Scotland has need of worthier projects.
noodle doodle
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 09:25 AM#11 you're half right libra, as far as transport goes there is no united kingdom. England & wales, scotland and ni all have their own transport departments and they won't co-operate or consider the mutual benefits that cross-border routes would give. Why do you think there's motorways west and north from edinburgh but not even a dual carriageway going south? Same reason the A75 never gets upgraded.
dgg
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 02:41 AMHigh-speed only makes sense long distance with minimal stops. And by avoiding the stopping trains. It's possible to do KX - Edinburgh in 4 hours on current lines, and I too won't be surprised to see a West Coast development. However trains can divert at Carstairs as some currently do, so they could get both to Edinburgh and Glasgow at little extra cost. With Edinburgh-Glasgow being just 40 miles, the pressure for high speed is much less; better track and stock is a different matter. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Currently lots of business people use the train. Planes involve at least three transport legs and lots of waiting. Centre to centre, trains make sense and that's what business are interested in by and large. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Plans in England only make economic sense if the lines continue to Edinburgh and Glasgow. If we get an English-only decision the lines might as well stop at Manchester and Newcastle. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember these nifty mail baskets from the fifties where mail could be dropped at many points en route without stopping? Maybe people could jump at Carlisle: that's the only way to justify a stop there.
Tartancult
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:32 AM#13 Will the high speed line be finished before increasing oil scarcity turns our airports and ever expanding road network into redundant assets?" There is no scarcity of oil.
The ghost of Sir William Arrol
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 08:45 PMWill the high speed line be finished before increasing oil scarcity turns our airports and ever expanding road network into redundant assets? The smart countries already have high speed rail infrastructure in place: this does not need oil to make it 'go'. The dumb countries, and that includes the UK and Scotland, will not be prepared in time and are still building vast swathes of road infrastructure that increase our reliance on declining, and ultimately finite oil supplies. This type of infrastructure planning is the exact opposite of smart. The new Forth Crossing is a prime example based on out of date traffic forecasts - the reality is that traffic levels are now falling. The bridge is guaranteed to cost a lot, yet both old and new bridges together will carry considerably less traffic than the current single bridge.
THX1138
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 08:26 PM#1 Can't agree with that, I'm afraid. I'm one of those people who work all over the country, and normally prefer to use the train. Providing there is internet access and a power socket, I can work undisturbed for several hours. The plane is a nightmare in comparison - the total journey can take just as long, but because it comprises lots of disjointed sections (arrive early, check in, go through security, wait in airport, wait on plane, fly, taxi, disembark, etc.), there's no time or space to either rest or work.
Libra Personified
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 06:37 PM2, noodle doodle explains to us all why there is no UK in reality. The unionists are the real separatists.
Tartancult
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 05:54 PMGeorge (#3), you really need to go for a lie down - you sound like the more sensible yet permanently drunk brother of Charles.
Scat Rabies
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 05:46 PMThis is worthy of a plot on Fantasy Island . " Here comes ze train , Mr Neil !" Who would lend an already hugely indebted,economically moribund Independent Scotland the money ? And don't say The Fat Controller's new Chinese mates or Donald Trump .
Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 04:59 PMAnother ludicrously expensive vanity project....
Happy Hibee
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 04:10 PM#2 I don't think you will have the same issue as the Cumberland Gap, but don't be amazed if the SNP want to take the link down the West Coast from Glasgow, rather than the East Coast to Newcastle.
Maurice the Dolphin
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 03:32 PM"On the Edinburgh tram project, Mr Neil said there is “good news” coming but would not elaborate".......................SNP donator Brian Souter's Stagecoach have been been awarded the contract for running the trams when it opens in 2045?
Koffindodger
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 03:16 PMIts not always cheaper to fly and its only a little quicker. Also you can work on the train, the seats,food etc are better.
Maurice the Dolphin
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 03:13 PM"On the Edinburgh tram project, Mr Neil said there is “good news” coming but would not elaborate"..........................Horse drawn trams in the offing?
George Coutts
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 03:05 PMJust when were trying to stop the rot in Scotland, all we need is a high speed train to ferrey drugs up faster. It has been shown that weather by port road or train that´s why so much of the dreaded stuff end´s at our School gates. Better EASY JET so stringent checks can combat us against the unstopable influx of Drugs in to Scotland. All well to have open borders but someone pay´s the price when their son or daughter die a horrible Drug Death.
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