David Spaven: Government on the wrong track with insufficient upgrading of Highland Main Line
But – compared with the steady progress of the £3bn dualling of the parallel A9 road – is that rail funding enough to make trains fully competitive with the car, the coach and the lorry?
Trace the history back to 2008, when the Scottish Government’s ‘Strategic Transport Projects Review’ (STPR) identified upgrading the HML as one of four top priorities among 29 schemes across Scotland. Investment of between £200m and £450m was envisaged, including “additional loops, dynamic loops or lengthening of double track sections” – a far cry from the works now underway.
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