Project Progress

In December 2009 Transport Scotland published the Contract Notice and Pre-qualification Document inviting expressions of interest from companies who wish to design, finance, build and maintain the new railway from Edinburgh to Tweedbank ('the Borders Railway'). Reflecting the Transport Minister’s comment that it was a "perfectly reasonable ambition" for the line to be extended beyond Tweedbank as far as Carlisle, this groundbreaking document shows a welcome vision for the role of the railway, with key requirements being:

  • a maximum journey time of 55 minutes from Tweedbank to Edinburgh Waverley
  • a half-hourly train service frequency for most of the day
  • encouragement to develop freight and passenger charter train services
  • infrastructure designed to facilitate future extension of the railway south from Tweedbank

At an historic turf-cutting ceremony near Galashiels on 3rd March 2010, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson triggered the activation of the 2006 Act – a process that could only be halted by further legislative procedure in the Scottish Parliament. Advance works undertaken during 2008, 2009 and 2010 – much of it unseen and unsung – have included:

  • construction of a new bridge in Galashiels carrying Station Brae over the planned alignment of the railway, completed in 2007 (see photo)
  • full ground investigation and topographical surveys
  • acquisition of all the necessary land and properties
  • a specimen engineering design which will form the benchmark for tendering for construction of the line
  • scour protection work to four bridges in the Gala Water valley (see photo)
  • a Planning Application submitted by Transport Scotland for a revised and improved rail and road alignment at Falahill

Two consortia - IMCD Consortium and BAM UK – have been shortlisted by Transport Scotland, and are now in ‘competitive dialogue’ with the Government agency in their bids to design, build, fund and maintain the new railway over a 30-year franchise. The preferred bidder will be confirmed in November 2011.

Keep up to date with the very latest project developments and railway news on the News Blog.

New Documents to Download
'20 Reasons.pdf'
'Great Ideas and Initiatives'.pdf.

Transport Scotland’s official Borders Railway web site is at www.transportscotland.gov.uk/projects/borders-railway

Reconstruction of pier protection at Bridge 60 (Torquhan)
The new Station Brae bridge in Galashiels incorporates the alignment for the Borders Railway to pass through