Borders rail plan ‘another shambles’

SCOTTISH Labour leader Iain Gray has branded the Borders rail project “another infrastructure shambles” after the Scottish Government announced a U-turn on how the line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank would be built.

Two of the three groups shortlisted for the project pulled out and yesterday Transport Minister Keith Brown said it would now be taken forward by Network Rail in partnership with Transport Scotland.

He claimed the move could mean “significant savings” on the project, currently costed at £235m-295m, and said the government remained committed to the December 2014 completion date.

But Mr Gray said: “This is another infrastructure shambles of the SNP’s making – the same SNP government who cancelled the rail link to Edinburgh airport and allowed the Edinburgh trams project to descend into chaos.”