Green Party in plea to dual Perth-Inverness railway line

The rail line between Perth and Inverness should be dualled as a priority, it has been claimed. Scottish Green Party members want to see the Highland Mainline railway dualled in a bid to tackle pollution, reduce crashes on the adjacent A9 and prevent delays caused by breakdowns blocking the line.

The 118 miles of tracks between the Fair City and Inverness have not been electrified and most of the stretch is covered by a single set of tracks. The main road parallel to the tracks is undergoing a multi-billion-pound upgrade scheduled to be completed in five years.

The Scottish Greens say the move would drive freight trucks off the A9 and, as well as lowering vehicle emissions, reduce the number of t ra ff i c accidents and damage done to road surfaces by heavy vehicles.

A party spokesperson said: “It isn’t right that in the 21st Century, it’s often quicker to drive to the

Highlands from the Central Belt, rather than get the train.

“This is because two thirds of the 118-mile line to Inverness is still single track and not electrified. This limits capacity and makes journeys slower. One breakdown can, and regularly does, bring the network to a halt.

“The Highlands needs the economy and transport infrastructure of the 21st Century, not be stuck in the past.”

The Scottish Government said it has already invested heavily in improving the rail service which connects the Highlands with the rest of Scotland.

National transport agency Transport Scotland said Holyrood will consider proposals for investment during an ongoing review of projects. A spokesman said: “The £ 57 million Highland Mainline investment has already delivered performance and resilience improvements. This sits alongside the £330m Aberdeen to Inverness project which has delivered new stations at Forres and Kintore, improving overall connectivity in the northeast and Highlands.

“Looking forward, the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) currently under way will include considering any rail infrastructure upgrades such as dualling the Highland Mainline.”

Asanyone who has travelled on the line can attest, the rail route between Perth and Inverness is one of Scotland’s most spectacular.

It also feels like one of the longest, given the time it can take to get from one city to another.

The nearby A9 was long overdue an upgrade, the Scottish Government finally acknowledging in 2008 it needed improvement. Despite this, work will not finish until 2025.

Better connectivity for Perthshire and the Highlands is a necessity and improvements to transport links should be investigated.

RAIL LINK: Pitlochry Station on the Highland Mainline, which the Scottish Greens want to see dualled as a matter of priority.