The Friends of the Far North Line
Cairdean Na Loine Tuath
the campaign group for rail north of
Inverness - lobbying for improved services for the local user, tourist and freight
operator
A document long on cultivating attitudes and discussions and short on specific investment needs. Branchliner, (the HITRANS proposal for transporting timber from Georgemas and Kinbrace on the FNL) as an idea, is applauded and the HML is mentioned in passing but no explicit reference is made to the need for doubling and electrification of the line.
The document states that the Scottish Government, having already published research on the overall value of rail to Scotland's economy will commission the Scotland Freight Joint Board to produce a study which will review market potential at both a Scotland-wide and more localised geographical level; this will in turn inform the rail industry advice to the Scottish Government; this advice, due in September 2016, will be explicit on how rail freight needs have been fully considered in the rail investment priorities beyond 2019.
"Areas of focus in the advice should include opportunities for enhanced rail freight services on the Highland Main Line, and exploiting the full potential of electrification of the Edinburgh Suburban line and upgrades to related infrastructure, including Millerhill."