Yestermonths in Parliament

Question S4W-09534: Mary Scanlon, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/09/2012
To ask the Scottish Government what reductions in train journey times to Inverness have been achieved since 2007.
Answered by Keith Brown (24/09/2012): Journey times for services operating between Glasgow/Edinburgh and Inverness will be reduced by up to 17 minutes. These reductions will be delivered from 9 December 2012 as part of phase one of the Government's Highland Main Line Improvements Project.

Question S4W-09533: Mary Scanlon, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/09/2012
To ask the Scottish Government what reductions in train journey times from Inverness to (a) Caithness and (b) Perth are planned in the next five years.
Answered by Keith Brown (24/09/2012): We are working closely with Network Rail to deliver phase two of the Highland Main Line Improvements Project in the next five years which aims to support an hourly service in both directions between Inverness and Perth extended to either Glasgow or Edinburgh with an average end-to-end journey time reduction of around 10 minutes in both directions. We will expect bidders of the new ScotRail Franchise from 2014 to work with local stakeholders to identify opportunities for journey time reductions across the network, including services between Inverness and Caithness.

Question S4W-11496: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23/11/2012
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-03440 by Keith Brown on 27 October 2011, what technical improvements aim to deliver reduced journey times on lines between Inverness and (a) Aberdeen, (b) Glasgow and (c) Edinburgh.
Answered by Keith Brown (04/12/2012): The technical improvements required to deliver journey time improvements to the Inverness and Aberdeen and the Highland Central Belt (sic) may include additional passing loops, double tracking, signalling enhancements and work on the track and structures to deliver line speed improvements.

Question S4W-11497: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23/11/2012
To ask the Scottish Government which loops on the Highland main line and the Newburgh line it plans to reinstate and when.
Answered by Keith Brown (04/12/2012): Network Rail is currently developing phase two of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project, which aims to deliver infrastructure enhancements. These enhancements may include passing loops at Ballinluig, Newtonmore or Etteridge. A report on the proposals for phase two is expected by summer 2013. At present there are no plans to deliver infrastructure improvements to the Newburgh line.

Question S4W-11495: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23/11/2012
To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to alleviate any congestion on the single railway line between Inverness and Aberdeen.
Answered by Keith Brown (04/12/2012): Network Rail is currently undertaking detailed development work on the Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements Project to determine the track and signalling required to alleviate congestion and enhance commuter services on the single railway line. The track enhancements may include additional loops, work on the track and structures to deliver line speed improvements and potential double tracking.

Question S4W-11499: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23/11/2012
To ask the Scottish Government what decisions have been made about Network Rail's proposals for the upgrade of the Inverness to Aberdeen railway line and what the timeframe is for completion of the upgrade.
Answered by Keith Brown (04/12/2012): The Inverness to Aberdeen Rail Improvements project aims to be completed in phases between 2015 and 2030 as specified in the Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan, published in 2011. Phase one of the scheme, which is included in the Scottish Minister's High Level Output Specification, published on 21 June 2012, will deliver enhanced commuter services into both cities and two new railway stations at Dalcross (near Inverness Airport) and Kintore (Aberdeenshire) between 2014 and 2019.

(The Newburgh line is the route between Ladybank and Perth which is used by most ScotRail trains between Edinburgh and Inverness, along with the Edinburgh - Perth connections.)