Question S6W-22543: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour, answered on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it (a) has done and (b) is doing to reduce the cost per single track kilometre (STK) of railway electrification.

Fiona Hyslop: In our Control Period 6 (2019 - 2024) through our High Level Output Statement (HLOS) we tasked Network Rail with development of an efficient electrification technical specification optimised for Scotland, in order to deliver an efficient and affordable rolling programme of electrification, with appropriate plant, staff and resources based in Scotland. We have built on this on our Control Period 7 HLOS with a requirement placed on to Network Rail to continue to deliver and further develop the efficient electrification technical specification agreed across Team Scotland (Network Rail, Transport Scotland and ScotRail).

With all rail infrastructure works, including railway electrification, Transport Scotland's officials actively engage with Network Rail and rail industry partners to seek ways to reduce the cost of construction.

For example, Transport Scotland participates in Network Rail Scotland's Decarbonisation Innovation workstream. This workstream aligns with Network Rail's Efficient Electrification work with the goal of enabling cost and time savings for electrification schemes as well as identifying process and safety improvements.

Transport Scotland has maintained a rolling programme of electrification work, unlike elsewhere in Great Britain, as reflected in current work on Barrhead and then East Kilbride to ensure learning curve benefits are consolidated.

Question S6W-21986: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered on 17 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the conclusions of the Audit Scotland report, Investing in Scotland's infrastructure, and, in particular, the stated change in status of the Borders railway decarbonisation project to "Paused", alter the status of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan's objective to electrify the Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen mainline by 2035, and whether it can confirm that the Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen mainline will be fully electrified by 2035, as committed to in the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.

Fiona Hyslop: The objectives in the July 2020 Rail services Decarbonisation Action Plan DAP currently remain. Any updates will be included in the refreshed plan, which is under development, and is due to be published in the near future.

[This answer was also given on 7 December in response to S6W-23297, asked by Rhoda Grant MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, regarding the inclusion of the FNL, HML, Kyle, West Highland and Inverness-Aberdeen lines in the refreshed plan.

Question S6W-23935: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour, answered on 9 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will revise the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) model for future rail infrastructure investment, in light of patronage projections for the reopening of Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank stations on the Borders Railway reportedly having been underestimated for the first year of opening by, respectively, 313%, 330% and 681%.

Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland keeps forecasting methodology under review to ensure best practice. The Borders Railway business case demand forecasts were based on modelling that was informed by surveys of residents regarding their potential use of the line. This resulted in forecasts that underestimated demand from Borders stations and overestimated demand from Midlothian stations.

Rail demand forecasting has developed considerably since the demand forecasts for the Borders Railway business case were first developed in 2008. A post-opening hindcast from the South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SESTran) Regional model for those Borders stations gave forecasts within 30% of actual demand. Where available, Transport Scotland recommends to promotors the use of Regional models for new station demand forecasts.