Borders Railway project

The Waverley Railway line ran from Edinburgh to Hawick from 1849 and on to Carlisle from 1862. The route was closed on 6 January 1969 as part of the Beeching Report.

In 1999, the Scottish Executive commissioned a Feasibility Study into the re-opening of the Waverley line between Edinburgh and Carlisle. This study found that a railway line to the Central Borders could be justified at this stage. 

In order to get authorisation to rebuild the railway the Waverley Railway Bill was lodged with the Scottish Parliament in 2003 by the Waverley Railway Partnership, which consisted of: 

• Scottish Borders Council - Promoter
• Midlothian Council
• City of Edinburgh Council
• supported by Scottish Enterprise Borders.

The Bill was given Royal Assent in July 2006 and became the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Act 2006. We took on the role of Authorised Undertaker (responsible for delivering the project) and starteded with the land assembly.

In August 2008 the role of Authorised Undertaker, in agreement with the Waverley Rail Partnership, was successfully moved to Transport Scotland.  The Waverley Railway project became known as the Borders Railway project. 

We kept the role of buying the land identified in the parliamentary plans needed for the project and continue to manage the land assembly programme.

Transport Scotland has carried out market consultation and testing and in winter 2009 began the procurement process for the contract. 

We have worked with Midlothian Council and City of Edinburgh Council throughout the project. Today we still play an active role in supporting Transport Scotland as it works towards delivering the project.