Question reference: S6W-27087
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 25 April 2024
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Current status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any new passing loops that are (a) completed and (b) in progress, on the Highland Main Line, as per the recommendation in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).
Answer
Phase one of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project was delivered in December 2012, increasing services from 9 to 11 trains per day in each direction, and reducing journey times by an average of 6 minutes at a cost of £1.2 million.
Highland Mainline Improvement Project Phase Two was completed in March 2019 at a cost of £57m. This phase delivered signalling upgrades at Aviemore and Pitlochry stations, along with an extension of the passing loop at Aviemore and the reconfiguration and extension of the platforms at Pitlochry. The infrastructure work delivered already and an integrated approach to passenger and freight timetable patterns have created capacity for additional rail freight on the Highland Main Line.
There are no active enhancement projects on the Highland Main Line. However, Transport Scotland continues to revise its programme of works against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures Transport Scotland can deliver the right projects at the right time as it seeks to progress its rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.