Edinburgh wants early call on high-speed rail link

CITY chiefs have called for an “early announcement” on plans to bring high-speed rail to the Capital after the UK government said it would include Scotland.

The next phase of the £32 billion “HS2” route will see 250mph trains run from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

And transport minister Patrick McLoughlin said the government would “do everything possible to ensure that Edinburgh benefits by getting the connections they need and deserve to thrive”.

City council leader Andrew Burns said: “It has already been demonstrated that the maximum economic and environmental benefits for the UK can only be realised if Scotland is part of the network. This is why we are keen to see an early announcement on the next phase bringing this much-needed rail infrastructure north of the border and linking with the planned high-speed link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.”

But concerns were voiced today that the plans for Scotland would see the high-speed services grind to a halt at Carstairs where trains would be split in two with one part coming to Edinburgh and the other going to Glasgow.

Campaigners said the plan would mean reintroducing delays to cross-border services which were phased out 20 years ago.