Extending the Borders Railway 'a fantastic opportunity to help grow our local and regional economy'
Last updated 22nd Apr 2023
Extending the Borders Railway is a "fantastic opportunity" to make a real difference to the lives of people living and working in the region through improving access to jobs and leisure, as well as making it easier to visit family and friends.
That's according to local MSP Rachael Hamilton, who's written to Scotland's new Transport Minister Kevin Stewart to set-up a meeting with campaigners, and discuss what action can be taken to speed up the start of work on a feasibility study.
It comes as confirmation is received a cross-border consensus has now been reached on the strategic merits of taking the line from Tweedbank to Carlisle - with "the timing of this process expected to be confirmed by June".
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Ms Hamilton (Conservatives, Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire) said: “With a new Scottish Transport Minister in post, I have taken the opportunity to call on him to make good on his predecessor’s commitment to meet with me and local campaign groups to discuss the extension of the Borders Railway.
“This project is a fantastic opportunity to help grow our local and regional economy. Moreover, it would play a vital role in connecting communities in a rural area of Scotland that struggles from a lack of transport links.
“One of the main issues I get asked about on the doorstep is the extension of the Borders Railway. It is clear that the project has overwhelming support from Borderers.
“I look forward to meeting with the Transport Minister soon, alongside local campaign groups, to look at the next steps we must take to get this project off the ground.”
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Both the UK and Scottish governments pledged £5 million each towards a feasibility study, as part of the Borderslands Growth Deal four years ago.
Partner authorities – Carlisle City, Cumbria County, Dumfries and Galloway, Northumberland and Scottish Borders councils – are now expected to agree a refreshed business case to release the funding.
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Scott Hamilton, deputy leader of Scottish Borders Council, said: "This is great news for our area and also for people across all of our Borderlands partner areas.
"We now have an agreement from both the Scottish government and the Westminster government that the strategic case for extending the railway has been made."
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Last year, a study commissioned by the Campaign for Borders revealed journey times between Galashiels and Hawick could be slashed to 19 minutes - if the Borders Railway is extended.
Trips between the current rail terminus in Tweedbank and Carlisle would also be almost halved - from 93 minutes to 51 minutes, according to figures contained in a report highlighting the economic benefits of restoring the line.
The group's vice-chairman Nick Bethune told us: "It would be transformative.
"We've already seen what it's done for Galashiels, Stow and stations in Midlothian; it's almost taken for granted now that the railway is here. Let's take that and apply that to the rest of the region."
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