Border Telegraph | News | Rail concerns were off track

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 2nd July, 2008 07:00

Rail concerns were off track

By Ally McGilvray

Comments (2)

Print Article

CONCERNS over the escalating cost of bringing the railway back to the Borders were eased this week.

A new study has revealed the reopening of the former line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank could pay for itself.

Public sector consultants Tribal HCH found that the Borders could see an injection of up to £112 million as a result of the service.

It was also claimed it would create a £258 million economic spin-off for the Capital.

But Midlothian would be the largest beneficiary and could expect to gain financially by as much as £136 million.

The report also identified up to 548 jobs would be created across the three local authorities – including 213 in the Borders – through construction and other spin-offs which could add as much as £4.9 million to the total annual income figure for the Borders.

In March, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson announced the return of the railway to the Borders was back on track.

But the cost of the beleaguered project is now almost double recent estimates with the final bill estimated at nearer £300 million.

MSPs heard that half-hourly services will run on the line, which will include stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange and Gorebridge, Stow, and Galashiels, with a 55 minute journey time from the centre of Edinburgh to Tweedbank.

amcgilvray@bordertelegraph.com

Comments

hazelkaye

Jul 2 08 21:28

Our Ref: 724

Use the ref number if you need to report this comment

Of course, along with Paisley Canal/Kilmacolm, Hamilton-Larkhall, Airdrie-Bathgate, Stirling-Alloa(-Dunfermline), Thornton Junc-Levenmouth, Leuchars-St Andrews, Aberdeen-Banchory/Ballater & Ellon/Fraserburgh-Peterhead etc etc it should NEVER have closed (and now having to be rebuilt at XXXXX cost)!!

Report this comment

familyguy

Jul 14 08 14:01

Our Ref: 740

Use the ref number if you need to report this comment

£300m eh?

By the time it actually has to be paid for it'll be way over that figure. Everyone knows this.

We're about to enter a recession, jobs will be lost all over the country - not created in the borders because of a railway. The very best description I previously heard of the business case supporting the railway was 'weak'. What has changed? Wonder who paid for the study?

As to how it will be paid for? Borders council will not see the gains from new house builds, because they won't be built. The construction industry is about to go into a long period of stagnation, crippled by debts from land purchases, on which there is no point building houses, because pepole cannot get mortgages, or can't afford to move.

No new houses = No council windfall.

No council windfall = council tax increases???

Private finance won't come in since the credit crunch effectively put the hems on the financial markets.

It's a white elephant and should be stopped before we reach the point of "well we know it's a wast of money and will never pay, but we've invested so much in it already".

Report this comment

Social Bookmarking What are these?