Labour MP: Completing the railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle could unlock Borderlands 'stifled' potential
Last updated 26th Oct 2024
A Labour MP is defending her party's decision to withhold cash, pledged by the previous Conservative administration, for a study into the feasibility of extending the Borders Railway.
But Julie Minns, who represents Carlisle in the House of Commons, is voicing her support for the project after meeting campaigners in the city yesterday (Saturday).
She told Greatest Hits Radio: "I've already been in touch with Ministers to remind them of the Borders Rail project; I've got a question coming up in Parliament this week, so certainly I'm continuing to chip away, and push Ministers, to keep this top of our list here in the Borders region.
"We can't, however, escape the reality of the finances. We've inherited a £22 billion black hole {in the budget), and that means - quite reasonably - that things have to be put on hold while the Treasury get to grips with that.
"I would love to stand before you and say the money is there." But she added: "It is being considered as part of the spending review."
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The Campaign for Borders Rail heard the new government may not be able to deliver on all the projects contained in the Borderlands Growth Deal, signed in 2021, because of rocketing costs.
But Ms Minn says the feasibility study could unlock the region's "stifled" potential.
She said: "I fully support their calls to press ahead with the feasibility study. It is frustrating that delays were allowed to drag on by the Tory government in Westminster and SNP in Holyrood."
But Ms Minns, whose grandfather worked on the railway and who herself has been elected secretary of a parliamentary rail group, added: "We now have a chance to look at this with renewed energy."
Both the UK and Scottish Governments had pledged £5 million each towards the study.
But the appointment of a project manager to drive it forward has been put on hold until Labour releases its share of the cash.
Ms Minns said: "I'm really keen for us to explore what further benefits can come to Carlisle, and to the whole Borders region, through extending that line from Tweedbank; but the first step for that is obviously the viability study.
"This isn't just a tourist line. This is a line - we've seen from the Tweedbank to Edinburgh extension - that is delivering real benefits, both in terms of bringing commuters into Edinburgh; but, all the way along that line now, what we've seen is further housebuilding.
"And clearly, from my government, house building and growth of our economy is something we're really committed to achieving."
*More to follow from the Campaign for Borders Rail AGM in our top-of-the-hour news bulletins on Sunday and Monday.
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