ONWARD TO CARLISLE

ONWARD TO CARLISLE RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2022 :: RMTnews 21 RMT joined the Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) over ten years ago to re-open the whole of the Waverley Route from Edinburgh Waverley to Carlisle through the Scottish Borders. The line was shut by Beeching in 1969, an act of shear vandalism, cutting of large towns like Galashiels and Hawick and turning the area into an economic backwater of low wages and young folk moving away to find work. In 2015 the Route was partly re-opened by the Scottish government between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, just South of Galashiels – the first 31 miles of the roughly 80 miles of the closed Route. Pre – COVID passenger numbers were over two million per year, up 65,000 on the previous year. Tweedbank alone saw passenger numbers of not far short of half a million. As with all re-openings in Scotland, actual passenger numbers have far outstripped those predicted by the “experts”. These figures clearly indicate that the full re- opening of the route should be fully and properly investigated as soon as possible. It has long been CBR`s position that the re- opened Southern section offers huge potential for both passenger and freight traffic, opening up potential new traffic flows from the North West of England to the Eastern Central Belt and North East of Scotland. The fully re- opened route would also provide a diversionary route when both the WCML and ECML are disrupted or closed for maintenance. The line would also provide additional Anglo-Scottish capacity, easing congestion on the WCML and enabling the full benefits of HS2 to Scotland to be realised. The campaign is now raising funds to engage the consultants Arcadis to carry out a professional study to provide the ammunition to move forward to the full re- opening of the Route on its original track bed via Hawick and Newcastleton. The campaign already has funds to proceed with the first two elements of the study, strategic justification for the railway extension including economic, social, environmental and other transport benefits and route alignment, analysis and review of existing and proposed assets. The further work with the consultants will be staged in order that we may proceed when funding is available. When RMT joined in 2011 its contribution undoubtedly helped the campaign in its work to get the first stage opened to Tweedbank. That help was greatly appreciated. As a solely member / supporter supported organisation we totally rely on our supporters to move forward with the Campaign to re-open this historic Route. Our aim is for this route to be re-built to the highest engineering standards to provide a high-quality rail service to this long-neglected part of the UK. If any RMT branch would like to hear more about the campaign, we can provide a speaker for any event. Details of how to contact the campaign are available on the website https://campaignforbordersrail.org Retired RMT member Lorne Anton of Campaign for Borders Rail gives an update on re-opening the Edinburgh Waverley to Carlisle line Shankend Viaduct, just North of Whitrope Tunnel, between Hawick and Newcastleton