Date: 14th December 2011

SEStran fully supports the campaign to bring High Speed Rail to Scotland.

We endorse the findings of Fast Track Scotland ; a report from Scotland’s Partnership for High Speed Rail, which concludes that while the business case for high speed rail is already strong, including Scotland strengthens it even further, and is essential to secure Scotland’s future competitiveness and economic prosperity.

 SEStran Chair, Russell Imrie, said :

 “A high-speed rail network is a key piece of infrastructure which will increase the accessibility of Scotland and provide a step-change improvement in connectivity with the rest of the UK and Europe. It is vital that Scotland is included as part of the construction programme north of Birmingham from the outset”.

 “High-Speed Rail will deliver fast journeys that will allow rail travel to replace aviation’s dominance of the Scotland-London travel market. The inclusion of Scotland in the UK’s high speed rail network will help realise significant long term reductions in UK carbon emissions, through modal shift from air to rail, significantly reducing our carbon footprint”.

 “Yet while high speed rail will reduce demand for air travel between Scotland’s Central Belt and London, areas of northern Scotland will still be reliant on aviation as their principal mode of connectivity with the UK capital. It is vital that the availability of landing slots for connections to Scotland’s northern airports are maintained at least at current levels, and, ideally, that at least some of the capacity released at London airports by the introduction of high speed rail to the central belt be redistributed to meet their growing need”.

 “Inclusion in a UK high speed rail network will also give Scotland a level economic playing field relative to other areas of the UK. If Scotland is not included, Glasgow and Edinburgh will be comparatively further away, in terms of journey times, from London than their main competitors who are served by high speed lines and will be at a significant disadvantage”.

 “Improving the existing network from Birmingham to central Scotland will not be enough in itself. Existing routes to Scotland are already significantly constrained and running ‘hybrid’ trains over the existing lines will not significantly improve that position. A new high speed line will secure Scotland’s place within the UK economy while releasing additional rail capacity for both freight and regional passenger services on the Scottish lines”.

 “It is vital that high speed rail is developed in the UK and that Scotland is part of it, if the UK is to see the full benefits of its contribution to the economy”.

  “SEStran also welcomes the response of Scottish Secretary; the Rt Hon Michael Moore MP, to NEStran Director Derick Murray’s recent letter, which outlined the Regional Transport Partnership Heads joint position on High speed Rail and aviation policy. Mr Moore acknowledged the importance of Scotland’s inclusion in the high-speed rail project and the need for a UK aviation policy that factors in the future development of Scotland’s economy”.

 * A copy of Michael Moore’s letter is attached to this Press Release

 END

For further information contact:

Andrew Dougal, SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk

ENDS

SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven new Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is currently the secretariat to the seven chairs of the RTPs.

Notes

Fast track Scotland sets out Scotland’s case for high speed rail.

 It was prepared by the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail, formed by Keith Brown MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Housing and Transport, in June 2011.

 The group was established to develop and promote Scotland’s case for inclusion in a UK-wide, strategic high speed rail network, and comprises partners from across Scotland’s Business, Civic and Transport

Communities. It speaks with one voice in its support for Scotland’s inclusion in a full British high speed rail network.

 The Scottish Partnership Group brings together the following organisations:

 CBI Scotland

• City of Edinburgh Council
• Glasgow City Council
• Glasgow Edinburgh Collaboration Initiative
• Nestrans
• Network Rail
• Scottish Chambers of Commerce
• Scottish Council for Development and Industry
• Scottish Enterprise
• Scottish Futures Trust
• Scottish Trades Union Congress
• SEStran
• Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
• Transform Scotland
• Transport Scotland

The group’s principal conclusion is that the investment case for high speed rail is strong, but is stronger when Scotland is included.

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