Transport Scotland publishes Rail investment strategy

A new Rail investment strategy has been released by Transport Scotland, covering its investments and improvements for the next ten years.

The new Rail Enhancements & Capital Investment Strategy proposes a new approach to projects, with a ‘pipeline-based approach’, and sets out how funding will be targeted across the Scottish rail network.

The pipeline system places emphasis on a whole system approach to investment, ensuring best use of public funds at every stage of project design, development and delivery.

Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands said: ‘‘We’ve learnt from the experience of this and previous Control Periods. We’ve listened to the views of local communities and the rail industry.  Our strategy will bring to life the new pipeline approach. It will deliver a framework for rail investment with a sharp focus on the right solutions for passengers and freight users, greater efficiency, oversight and value for money’.

“Despite our strong track record since 2007, future investment in Scotland’s railways is set against a real terms reduction in rail funding from the UK Government, which threatens sustainable, progressive investment in rail services. The decisions of the UK Government have created a gap of £460m of the funding that the rail industry has advised us it needs to deliver the improvements required to meet demands for rail.

“Transport Scotland will be hosting a series of workshops across the country, where stakeholders and interested groups can find out more about the strategy, as well as how to apply for the recently announced Local Rail Development Fund.”

Dr John McCormick, Chairman of the Scottish Association of Public Transport said: “The workshops will provide a great opportunity to understand how the new process will operate and how we might influence future investment decisions. Having campaigned for many years for rail improvements, we are very interested to hear how the Local Rail Development Fund can assist local communities to achieve their objectives. We will certainly be attending and encourage all those associations, organisations and groups with an interest in Scotland’s railway to do likewise.”

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