Minister for Transport
Stewart Stevenson
Scottish Parliament
September 27, 2007
Our vision for rail services between Edinburgh and Glasgow in 10 years time is faster, more frequent, more reliable and more attractive than today, but we can deliver real improvements much more quickly as well. We will deliver a rail network that links easily to the airports at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick, and access to both city centres from points between and fast end to end journeys between the cities. Down to around 35 minutes between our 2 great cities. Giving us the option of 6 trains an hour. Opening up direct connections between Edinburgh Park and Glasgow.
Delivering a scheme to connect the rail network to Edinburgh Airport for less than a third of the cost of the risky EARL proposal. And we will deliver a new station at Gogar earlier than Audit Scotland believed EARL could be delivered.
Today's statement builds on the High Level Output Statement we made in July, and indicates how we intend to enhance the rail network, to deliver a number of our manifesto commitments for rail, and of course, addresses our work on the governance of the EARL project.
EARL
Over the summer, we have considered the future of EARL. First, let me remind you of what the EARL project proposed:
Tunnelling under a live, operational runway
Diverting a river and tunnelling underneath it and
Constructing a sub surface railway
Projects of this complexity and risk profile demand clear and co-ordinated governance and Audit Scotland told us that we do not have this.
We know that Network Rail will not take on the tunnel project.
We know that BAA will not take on the tunnel project.
We know that the gradient out of the tunnel cannot be climbed quickly by any train in Scotland's fleet.
Some pay Transport Scotland the complement of suggesting that they should take the responsibility that Network Rail will not, find a contractor and manage the project.
That would be hugely distracting from their core mission and transfer the very substantial, and uncapped, risks to the public purse.
There is simply no sensible way for the Edinburgh Airport rail link to proceed in its original form.
However, we do still need good public transport access to the airport, to encourage less people to drive there. We need to provide this in a more imaginative and less risky way. We will provide a rail connection to the airport at a fraction of the cost of EARL, and without the high risk and disbenefits that came with EARL. We will improve rather than worsen the reliability and journey times of rail travel across Scotland, as was likely to be the case with the diversion of existing services through a steep tunnel under the airport.
Our vision today not only provides improved connectivity at the airport, but also throughout the rail network.
Gogar
We propose a simple, straightforward and integrated solution, building on the existing rail routes that surround the airport. We plan to add an airport station at Gogar on the Fife railway line. This can provide an interchange with Edinburgh City's trams, and provide rail access to the airport.
The tram is already planned to stop at Edinburgh Park, providing rail travellers from Stirling, Dunblane and the new Airdrie to Bathgate route with an easy interchange to the airport. The new station at Gogar will allow passengers from Fife and further north to easily and quickly access the airport, without any need to travel into the city centre as now. It also allows faster access to the fast growing West Edinburgh business area. With up to 30,000 new jobs being created in that area over coming decades, such a provision is vital.
Our connection with the trams proposal demonstrates the Government's ability to look forward, and leverages on the provision of £500 million in financial support we have agreed for Edinburgh City Council's tram project.
We intend also to build a rail link between the Fife and the Edinburgh Glasgow routes - the Dalmeny chord - that would allow E&G trains to stop at the new airport station. The station will be a transport hub, providing just as much connectivity as the previous proposal for an airport station, but with the inclusion of a link to the tram too and without the time penalty of a tunnel.
On a similar timescale as EARL but without the risks. Rail passengers from most of the country would be able to access the airport via one easy interchange using the up to 6 trams an hour.
But it's not just about airport links, important though they are. The new airport station and the Dalmeny chord will cost around one-third of the estimated cost of EARL. We plan to invest the savings from EARL and more in improving rail services for the many thousands of other rail passengers who travel into both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Edinburgh Glasgow improvements
Transport Scotland has worked with Network Rail and First Scotrail to identify the options that could be taken forward to improve rail between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have considered the options set out in this study and decided that the best approach for both passengers and taxpayers is to make a step change in the existing routes - to provide an electrified railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow and many places beyond. This delivers faster, more reliable services, which cost less to operate and produce less carbon emissions.
We know that emissions from transport have been moving in the wrong direction, and it is key that our transport decisions address this.
Our vision is for an electrified network of rail routes between Edinburgh and Glasgow and stretching up as far as Dunblane, Alloa and Cumbernauld that will provide a rail network that is carbon proofed for the future, providing a sustainable as well as attractive and reliable alternative to the car.
With investment over a ten year period we anticipate having provided sufficient capacity that can support a frequency of services on the E&G up to 6 trains per hour, providing an attractive mix of express services and intermediate calls and linking with Edinburgh airport via a short tram ride. The express services would reduce journey times to around 35 minutes between the two cities, and the additional capacity levels would ease the commute for those accessing the city centres from intermediate stations, and from Stirling and Dunblane.
The extra capacity can allow trains from Glasgow to stop at Edinburgh Park, supporting businesses and starting to make an impression on the growing levels of traffic in the west of Edinburgh.
We will also create a considerable step change in the number of services from Central station to Edinburgh, improving the connections from the south and west of Glasgow and from both Prestwick and Glasgow airport through to Edinburgh.
Of course, this is a long term investment and will be implemented through a staged programme.
We will build on the line speed improvements that Network Rail plan to deliver in the coming year, and the programme of improvements to station facilities and customer information that the franchise is already delivering.
Passengers who live or work to the south of Glasgow will see improvements over the next 2 to 3 years, with an extra 300 seats each hour from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh.
From December 2010, the new Airdrie Bathgate route will open providing a further 4 rail services each hour between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Around the same time we expect the tram to come on stream, with rail interchanges at Haymarket, Edinburgh Park and the new airport station at Gogar.
Electrified services on the Cumbernauld route, the completion of the Airdrie Bathgate link, more frequent, faster services via Central station, and an improved interchange station at Bellgrove will all be delivered in time for hosting the Commonwealth Games, if our bid is successful, making it easier for people from all over Scotland to access the Games.
We will deliver the service improvements through the rail franchise, and we look to Network Rail to reflect the infrastructure investment in its forthcoming Strategic Business Plan.
I am convinced that we need to start now investing in electrification and capacity to meet our needs for the next 10 to 15 years. I will want to keep under review whether further improvements beyond this will be justified. Transport Scotland will continue its multi-modal assessment of transport investment needs throughout the whole of Scotland.
These longer term options - such as an even faster rail route - will be fed back into the overall Strategic Transport Projects Review, alongside other road, bus and rail options, including improving rail connections across Glasgow and further improvements to services from Inverness and Aberdeen and between.
Conclusion
Today I have set out an ambitious, credible and deliverable alternative to EARL. We believe that our programme for investment in rail will provide a major boost to the wealth of Scotland and its long term sustainability. This investment will use tried and tested technology and rolling stock, and still provide easily accessible rail connections to Edinburgh airport. It complements rather than competes with the tram.
In summary, we will take forward a comprehensive improvement to central Scotland rail services. We will provide a station at Gogar, providing an effective interchange from rail to Edinburgh airport, and we will provide a significant improvement in the connections between Edinburgh and Glasgow, from today's 5 or 6 services each hour, with a fastest journey time of 50 minutes, up to 13 services each hour with a fastest journey time of around 35 minutes.
These are strong proposals for the future of Scotland and I urge Parliament to give them full support.