Local Greens call for Scottish Government to dual Highland main line
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Scottish Greens have urged the Scottish Government to commit to a major upgrade to the Highland Main Line between Perth and Inverness.
Around two thirds of the 118-mile line is still single track and has not been electrified.
This limits capacity and makes journeys slower.
Ariane Burgess, Scottish Greens lead candidate for the Highlands and Islands, said: "It isn’t right that in the 21st Century that it’s often quicker to drive to the Highlands from the Central Belt rather than get the train."
She added: "One breakdown can, and regularly does, bring the whole network to a halt.
In 2008 the Scottish Government promised to improve the rail link to Inverness and cut the journey time by half an hour. But, 13 years later, this has not been delivered."
The Scottish Greens published their Rail For All report in January.
It presents what the party said is a new, ambitious and fully-costed vision for Scottish rail infrastructure.
Ms Burgess said: "The Scottish Government has talked a good game about infrastructure in our part of the country, but it has failed to deliver.
"When it comes to railway improvements, the Highlands is often the last place to get them, even though our need is greater.
"The government has promised £3 billion to upgrade the A9 but this will only make rail even less attractive.
"We want to open the Highlands for people that do not have a car and move freight to rail.
"The first step to do this would be to upgrade the Highland Main Line and give our communities the transport connections we have been promised.
"This would be better for people, and better for the planet."
