Edinburgh-Borders rail link on track for 2011 start

Date: 3/11/2009

The rail link between Edinburgh and the Borders will be put back another year, though requests for proposals will be called by the end of 2009.

Finance secretary John Swinney said the government would not appoint a
contractor for the project until the end of the year for an anticipated
autumn 2011 start date.

Mr Swinney explained that a bidding contractor's ability to
improve on the anticipated 2014 completion date would be "an important
part of the tender evaluation process", according to a BBC report.

Transport Scotland had originally planned to put the project out to
tender before the end of last year until the recession hit and
"unprecedented changes" in the economic climate delayed the project.

The project is hoped to be a "significant catalyst" for economic growth,
according to Mr Swinney.