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Rail plans underwhelm business leaders
Business leaders have branded a £650 million scheme that will cut train times between Scotland's two main cities as "disappointing".
The Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) said improvements to the main Edinburgh to Glasgow rail line could have been a "transformational" project but claimed the Scottish Government had watered down the plans.
SCC chief executive Liz Cameron hit out after transport minister Keith Brown announced details of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) - which will see the line between the two cities electrified, reducing journey times by 10 minutes and improving reliability.
The Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street service that goes via Falkirk High station should take 40 minutes when the improvements come into effect in 2016.
A new Edinburgh gateway station will link the rail line to trams in Scotland's capital and should also improve transport connections to and from the city's airport.
Meanwhile, the Glasgow to Cumbernauld rail service will be electrified in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
But changes to the EGIP scheme mean savings of £300 million on the original cost have been made.
Neither the electrification of the Dunblane to Alloa service or increasing the service on the main Edinburgh to Glasgow line to six trains an hour are guaranteed.
These may be delivered in the future, depending on issues, such as high speed rail.
Copyright Press Association 2012
