Waverley Railway receives backing in principle from Scottish Parliament

28 September 2005

The Promoter of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill proclaimed a ‘fantastic achievement’ today when the Scottish Parliament approved the general principles of the Bill providing powers to build a railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders.

The Bill will now be sent back to committee, for ‘Consideration Stage’, during which time objections to the details of the railway from individuals and organisations will be considered, with an opportunity for amendments to be made to the Bill. Once ‘Consideration Stage’ is completed, the Bill will be considered ‘Final Stage’ by the whole Parliament and, if agreed to, will become an Act.

Councillor David Parker, leader of Scottish Borders Council (which is promoting the Bill) was delighted with the result of today's debate. He said:

“Receiving approval of Parliament for the general principles of the Bill is a fantastic achievement for Scottish Borders Council and our partners at Midlothian and City of Edinburgh Councils. It is also an important day for the thousands of people living in the Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh who will benefit from the construction of the Waverley line.

“This is a significant landmark for the Waverley Railway Project. However, there is no room for complacency, with much work still to be done with the Committee and the objectors at Consideration Stage. We will also continue to work closely with The Scottish Government in relation to procurement, to ensure that we receive the best return possible on this investment.”

Councillor Jim Dunsmuir, chairman of the Waverley Joint Committee commented:

“Receiving a favourable vote today is the culmination of a great deal of work by our dedicated team. This line will mean a great deal to the Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh in terms of economic, social, tourism, travel and environmental benefits. For that reason, we will continue to work tirelessly towards our end goal, which is to connect the Scottish Borders and Midlothian by rail to the rest of Scotland and beyond.”

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