Network Rail has announced that major investment is being planned for the next control period of Scotland’s railway.
With the publishing of its five-year plan, Network Rail Scotland is committing £4.2 billion to the delivery of a safe, greener, and more reliable railway for the people of Scotland, as well as freight services. This will be done through the renewal of railway infrastructure, increased technology use, improving the performance of trains, and increasing the number of passenger and freight services.
The funding settlement for this plan does not include the funding for further railway enhancements, however the railway will continue to be decarbonised, as it looks to support the net-zero ambitions of the Scottish Government.
Network Rail’s plan for Scotland will focus on the customer experience by:
- Leveraging technology and innovation to continue improving safety and reliability across the network. This will include the continued use of the first British 24/7 weather desk, as well as new tools for visualisation, and remote condition monitoring to help spot problems early.
- Investing more than £1.9 billion in renewal projects that will bring improvement and reliability upgrades.
- Reducing the cost of the railway by ‘making every penny count.’
Economic growth and connectivity will also be supported by:
- Continuing to work on the Levenmouth rail link to extend the economic, leisure and tourism benefits of the railway.
- Supporting Scottish net zero targets through decarbonisation of the railway, as well as encouraging more passengers and businesses to choose rail to make their journeys more sustainable.
- Continuing to grow rail freight by setting an ambitious but realistic growth target of 8.7%, with a single freight train taking up 129 heavy goods vehicles off the roads.
Route Director for Network Rail Scotland, Liam Sumpter, said:
“We’re delighted by the Scottish Government’s continued support for the railway. Over the next five years we’ll work hard to provide a safe, greener, and more reliable for Scotland.
“Our plan is ambitious and focuses on the needs of our customers while reflecting the necessity to deliver greater value for taxpayer money. We’re committed to delivering a railway that people can rely on and supports the social and economic growth of the nation.”
