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Borders to Edinburgh rail route works deal signed Borders to Edinburgh rail deal signed
(about 11 hours later)
An agreement is set to be signed to officially hand over responsibility to Network Rail for delivering a rail route from the Borders to Edinburgh. Responsibility for delivering a rail route from the Borders to Edinburgh has been officially passed to Network Rail.
Transport Secretary Keith Brown will carry out the signing at a ceremony at Newtongrange in Midlothian. Transport Secretary Keith Brown signed the agreement at a ceremony at Newtongrange in Midlothian.
Once completed, the project will see trains return to the Borders for the first time in more than 40 years.Once completed, the project will see trains return to the Borders for the first time in more than 40 years.
There have been claims it will miss a completion target of late 2014 and also exceed its £295m budget. Ministers still hope the £294m project will be completed by the end of 2014, although the contract sets a final deadline of summer 2015.
The agreement passes responsibility for completing the Borders line, with 30 miles of new track and seven new stations, from Transport Scotland to Network Rail.
Some preparatory work, like clearing vegetation and demolition of buildings and bridges, has already been carried out.
However, the project will begin in earnest early next year.
Total capital costs will be £294m, in line with the last official estimate, and the contractual completion date has been set for the summer of 2015.
Mr Brown said he believed the construction work would provide 400 jobs.
He added that, in the longer term, the scheme would benefit the Borders and the wider Scottish economy.
Passenger trains last ran in the central Borders in early 1969 and, if all goes to plan, they will return to the region after a 46-year gap.
The contract process for the route between Edinburgh and Tweedbank has taken more than two years to reach this stage.The contract process for the route between Edinburgh and Tweedbank has taken more than two years to reach this stage.
In June 2010, three organisations were selected to bid for the multi-million pound project.In June 2010, three organisations were selected to bid for the multi-million pound project.
However, once two consortia dropped out it was decided to scrap that process in September last year.However, once two consortia dropped out it was decided to scrap that process in September last year.
It was decided at that time that Network Rail would help take the project forward. 'Not complacent'
An agreement will now be signed which will officially hand over the scheme from Scottish government agency Transport Scotland to Network Rail. It was agreed at that time that Network Rail would help take the project forward.
Those in favour of the work claim the new line will bring major economic and social benefits to the Borders by connecting people to increased employment, housing and leisure opportunities.Those in favour of the work claim the new line will bring major economic and social benefits to the Borders by connecting people to increased employment, housing and leisure opportunities.
Opponents believe it would be better to invest even a fraction of the funding in the region's roads network instead.Opponents believe it would be better to invest even a fraction of the funding in the region's roads network instead.
Last week, Mr Brown confirmed that journey times between the Borders and Edinburgh would be under an hour along the new track.Last week, Mr Brown confirmed that journey times between the Borders and Edinburgh would be under an hour along the new track.
He also said that the Scottish government was "not complacent at all" about the costs of the scheme.He also said that the Scottish government was "not complacent at all" about the costs of the scheme.