Liz Cameron: Scotland must be part of High Speed Rail network from outset

SCOTLAND'S economic interests are best served by being an integral part of Britain's high speed rail (HSR) network from the very outset and, therefore, the announcement of a proposal for a UK core high speed network which excludes Scotland is very disappointing indeed.

Chambers of commerce across the UK have been instrumental in building and presenting the business case for HSR. One of the key factors which has emerged from this work has been the identification of the various benefits which HSR will bring to different parts of Britain.

The Midlands is looking for HSR to reduce congestion and a link to Europe; the North of England is looking for reduced journey times and regional connectivity, whereas Scotland is offering the realistic prospect of modal shift from air to rail alongside the other benefits of HSR.

Independent research carried out by transport specialist Greengauge 21 has shown that Scotland has the most to gain economically from HSR among all the UK regions and nations, with potential benefits of more than 7 billion to our economy.

In terms of modal shift, there are currently seven million passenger journeys a year between central Scotland and London, of which about six million are by air. Evidence from other countries where HSR has been introduced on routes with a similar journey time, such as Marseilles-Paris and Barcelona-Madrid, has shown up to 65 per cent of journeys transferring to rail.

In the UK, this could mean a shift of some 3.5 million journeys from air to rail, delivering potentially significant environmental and productivity benefits.

HSR also has a role to play in facilitating regeneration in Scotland, as we bring London closer to our key city regions, and gives us the opportunity to hardwire Scotland's wider rail network into a national HSR system designed to be as game-changing in the 21st century as our existing rail network was in the 19th.

Given the case for HSR, it seems difficult to imagine why Scotland has not been placed by government at the very heart of its development but, of course, HSR is an expensive investment and it cannot be delivered overnight.

Scottish Chambers of Commerce has argued that the sensible blueprint for HSR should be to commence construction at both ends simultaneously, in exactly the same way as one would build a bridge and mirroring the process that was used for the Channel Tunnel.

To achieve this, there would require to be a truly national HSR plan, which would involve the UK and Scottish governments, Network Rail and the train operators from the outset. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the need to invest in our existing rail infrastructure, which continues to run at capacity with passenger numbers at a historic high.

Cost pressures, particularly in the face of long-term public spending cuts, will always be a hurdle for HSR to overcome, but this is an investment that will reap rich rewards for the Scottish economy and our businesses' ability to compete both nationally and internationally.

Yes, there requires to be a redirection of public spending, but this should be away from consumption and towards investment. In addition, there will be a number of private finance sources available in exchange for a reasonable return.

Our message to all politicians north and south of the Border is clear: the case for HSR to Scotland is overwhelming – now is the time for delivery.

• Liz Cameron is chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce