Holyrood set to invest £9 billion in rail link plans

THE Scottish Government today said it would spend up to £9 billion to bring the new UK high speed rail link to Scotland.

Infrastructure Secretary Alex Neil announced the investment as he set out the government’s plans for spending on major capital projects up until 2030.

The first phase of the UK Government’s proposed high speed rail plan would link London to Birmingham, with a second phase going on to Manchester and Leeds and a possible third phase extending the route to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Scottish business leaders and politicians have argued strongly for the line to come to Scotland, but UK ministers have been vague about any commitment to the plan and the Scottish Government has never before promised any cash to the project.

The investment of between £8bn and £9bn outlined today represents a little over half the total £15.2bn estimated cost of bringing the line from North West England to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Mr Neil said: “Improvements in our rail network will provide both benefits to travellers, and a long term boost for our economy.

“Inclusion of high speed rail highlights our commitment to the Scottish end of the project, we now need Westminster to act and include Scotland in their plans.”

A government spokesman said: “We have long been pressing the case that it is vital for a high speed rail network be established across Britain. We are ready to start preparatory work and we have already asked the Secretary of State for Transport that the remit of HS2 Ltd is extended to include detailed planning for routes to, and within, Scotland.”

Also included in today’s infrastructure investment programme, are the £1.6bn cost of the new Forth crossing and £1.1bn for the Edinburgh-Glasgow rail improvements.

There is the £43.6 million for the new Royal Victoria Hospital, due to open next year.

And the re-siting of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and the Department for Clinical Neurosciences to Little France is listed at £225m, though the government said it would be financed, as previously announced, through the Scottish Futures Trust.

Other projects across the country include next generation broadband and improvement to the road infrastructure which will see all Scotland’s cities linked by dual carriageway by 2025.

Mr Neil said: “Investing in our infrastructure is absolutely vital to grow our economy.

“That is why today’s Infrastructure Investment Plan demonstrates exactly how, when and what we will invest in to deliver that goal, bringing substantial benefits for all of Scotland.

“Improvements to hospitals, roads and rail across the Lothians will enhance local communities. These projects will make a real difference economically – driving growth, supporting jobs and delivering a lasting legacy for generations to come.

“Across Scotland we have more than 50 key infrastructure projects, covering a wide spread of Scotland geographically, which will equip Scotland with the infrastructure necessary for the future growth.”

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