Share

SCC & AGCC welcome continuation of non-stop East Coast Rail services

Scottish Chambers of Commerce have been advised that the UK Government has finally confirmed that non-stop East Coast rail services between Inverness and Aberdeen to London will be safeguarded, following the review of the InterCity Express Programme. Welcoming the news, Mike Salter, Chairman of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Scottish Chambers are delighted that The UK Transport Minister has recognised the need to maintain these direct links between Scotland and England. With nearly half of Scottish business, measured by turnover, served by this rail link to the north of the Central Belt, connectivity with markets is essential. As the recent weather related problems have indicated, the propensity to cancel domestic air links as soon as there are problems in the south of England emphasise the importance of rail now and for the future.

“We would hope that further positive decisions with respect to the proposed High Speed Train link extending to serve Scotland will follow as well. The case for the expenditure in saving hours on the trip between London and Edinburgh and Glasgow is proven. This would be even more beneficial with the through running of High Speed Trains to and from the North on to the High Speed link, which this latest confirmation would imply.

“The continuation of through running trains, a decision on rolling stock by the UK Government, should be a direct encouragement for the Scottish Government to plan and timetable upgrades to the rail links to the North, as part of an overall plan for transport infrastructure in Scotland.”

Bob Collier, Chief Executive at Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce said:

“This is very welcome news and an important commitment to the economy of the North and North-east of Scotland. The significance of the region to the UK economy cannot and should not be underestimated. As home to a global energy industry - and with aspirations to further grow our renewables sector- it is essential that businesses can be confident that they will have excellent connectivity to London and beyond to support their future development. Losing that direct route would have been a real step backward in terms of supporting the economy and future potential of this region.

“Connection with the business hubs in North and central England are also essential and for passengers travelling to these destinations a through train is a viable and sensible option to road or air travel. This Chamber lobbied the former Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson on this issue prior to his meeting with UK Transport Minister Theresa Villiers in London in November and we are glad the voice of business has been taken into account.”