The Scottish Government has published a 10-year strategy for investment in rail, but argued around £460m more was needed from Westminster.
The Rail Enhancements & Capital Investment Strategy signals a move to a ‘pipeline-based approach’ and sets out how funding will be targeted across the Scottish rail network.
Transport Scotland said the pipeline system ‘places emphasis on a whole system approach to investment, ensuring best use of public funds at every stage of project design, development and delivery’.
The UK Government has also adopted a pipeline approach to enhancements in England and Wales.
Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf said: ‘We’ve learnt from the experience of this and previous Control Periods. We’ve listened to the views of local communities and the rail industry. Our strategy will bring to life the new pipeline approach.
‘Despite our strong track record since 2007, future investment in Scotland’s railways is set against a real terms reduction in rail funding from the UK Government, which threatens sustainable, progressive investment in rail services.
‘The decisions of the UK Government have created a gap of £460m of the funding that the rail industry has advised us it needs to deliver the improvements required to meet demands for rail.’
In January, the Scottish Government published its Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for the rail network in the country, which totals £4.85bn from 2019-2024.
The SoFA covers funding available for Network Rail operations, maintenance and renewal activities and the completion of projects that will be carried over from Control Period 5 (2014-19) because of a funding shortfall at Network Rail.
It also includes some provision for enhancement projects, subject to the governance and decision-making processes to be outlined in the Rail Enhancements and Capital Investment Strategy.
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