Not that impressed. The journey time from Gala to Edinburgh will be an hour, about the same time as it takes on the bus, and ticket prices (going by what train journeys of similar distances currently cost) will probably be about double. In Spain they have just opened a rail link that covers the 350-mile distance between Madrid and Barcelona in just over 2 1/2 hours. What we are being asked to pay for (and make no mistake, those living in the Borders will be paying for it) is an outdated, single-track white elephant that will cover the 30+ mile distance to Edinburgh at the speed of a Victorian steam train.
No local businesses will benefit from being able to move freight on it as it will be a passenger-only line. They will continue to have to move goods on our lethal roads, which have had no significant investment in years and which kill drivers with horrifying regularity.
Since you ask.
