The First Minister praises the benefits of the Borders Railway at 10th anniversary event.
Marion Short, the Chair of the Campaign for Borders Rail and Peter Heubeck, our Technical Advisor, were delighted to be present at an event held on Saturday 6th September in The Great Tapestry building in Galashiels, which was organised by Network Rail to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the reopening of the Borders Railway to Tweedbank. The event was led by the Rt. Hon. John Swinney MSP, the First Minister, with around one hundred regional and national politicians, local government officers, community leaders and rail industry figures present. The First Minister and other speakers emphasised both the popularity of the service, (around 13 million journeys so far), and the the wide range of social and economic benefits which have stemmed from the reopened line.
Looking to the future, Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport had just confirmed approval for discontinuous electrification and new trains for the Borders Railway and speakers also referred to the importance of the feasibility study into extending the line.
There was a large media presence at the event and many media outlets have been featuring the anniversary, highlighting the success of the service and the wider community benefits which have resulted from it.
Scottish Borders Council will be holding a celebratory civic reception on Tuesday 9th September, to which, among many others, current and previous rail campaigners have been invited.
For further comment, contact Secretary John Liddle secretary@campaignforbordersrail.org