TORIES SNUB SCOTLAND ON HIGH SPEED RAIL

For Immediate Release – Monday 4 October 2010

Attn:    NEWSDESKS
                 POLITICAL / TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENTS

The Coalition Government is under fire after Tory Transport Secretary
Philip Hammond announced that plans for taking high speed rail north
of Birmingham will only go as far as Manchester and Leeds, and not as
far as Scotland.

Speaking at the Conservative conference today, Mr Hammond said: “I can
announce today that the Government’s preferred option for High Speed
Rail north of Birmingham will be for two separate corridors. One
direct to Manchester, and then connecting on to the West Coast
Mainline, and the other via the East Midlands and South Yorkshire –
with stations in both areas – before connecting to the East Coast
Mainline north of Leeds. The so-called 'Y' option.”

Commenting, SNP Westminster Business and Enterprise spokesperson Mike
Weir MP said:

"Scotland has been snubbed again by the Tories, just treated as some
backward branch line. It seems we are front of the queue for cuts, but
way at the back when it comes to investment from this ConDem
coalition.

"If the coalition were serious about building a high speed rail
network that changes the social and economic geography of the UK and
connects our population centres, then Scotland must be in the first
phase of this project. It is extremely disappointing to say the least
that the Tories are reverting to type with this snub, which simply
underlines the fact that the Conservatives never have Scotland’s best
interests at heart.

"The Tories and LibDems must say why Scotland has been overlooked for
investment in high speed rail.”

ENDS