Travellers’ rail misery will last extra 7 months
Electrification of key route is late and will bust £742million budget
ELECTRIFYING train routes between Edinburgh and Glasgow is seven months behind schedule and will go over its £742million budget, it emerged yesterday.
The work should be finished by the end of this year but will not be completed until July 2017 at the earliest.
Network Rail blamed poor weather, including flooding and high winds, for the problems.
It also disclosed that it had changed its electrification management team, admitting lessons had needed to be learned.
But Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said he refused to accept the new timescales and costs.
Passengers have already had to endure longer journeys due to work on the Glasgow Queen Street tunnel, where electrification is also taking place.
Repeated strike action by the RMT union has led to nationwide chaos.
Mr Yousaf said: ‘I am very concerned and disappointed with Network Rail’s latest programme assessment for Scotland, which identifies significant risk of not meeting previously committed delivery milestones and increasing cost estimates.
‘Of particular concern, Network Rail has informed Transport Scotland the Edinburgh to Glasgow line will not be running electric services until July 2017. This is seven months later than scheduled. This will also increase the cost beyond the previous £742million estimate.’
He added: ‘I am not prepared to simply accept the long-term cost implications, nor the revised programmes Network Rail have set out. I will be doing everything possible to ensure that Network Rail deliver the full programme in Scotland by March 2019 and without any extra funding from the Scottish Government.’
It is not yet known how much extra funding will be needed. Network Rail has said the money will be found from its existing budget.
But the Office of Rail and Road watchdog said ‘increasing cost estimates’ were beginning to put pressure on Network Rail’s funding cap for April 2014 to March 2019. That will raise concerns taxpayers’ money will be required at some stage.
Phil Verster, managing director of both Network Rail Scotland and the Scotrail Alliance, said: ‘Costs have risen due to extra compliance requirements, complicated interfaces with other projects and other unforeseen factors, such as severe weather impacts. Despite this, I am pleased to confirm that we are committed to still deliver the overall railway enhancement programme for Scotland by March 2019 – and within the agreed funding limits.’
David Sidebottom, of watchdog Transport Focus, said: ‘Passengers in Scotland will be disappointed to learn of potential delays to long-promised improvements. What passengers will want now is a clear plan of action, setting out exactly when Network Rail will deliver the promised improvements.’