What would it achieve that enhancing the existing Citylink/local bus services would not? Dalwhinnie-Tulloch would give you the freight connection and a direct passenger route to Edinburgh/Perthshire taking traffic off the A9 and A86 with it. And more.
It doesn't. It fails to identify how the tourist traffic flows work in Glen Albyn. A large proportion of the traffic is cars taking the near 1M tourists to/from Skye every year. A railway gets *some* tourists off the road but won't dent the Skye traffic because it's not going where they want to go.
The Fife Circle is currently being electrified. Look out of the window after leaving Haymarket and you will see where the current electrification is being extended.
Unfortunately the SNP prefer money to be spent on roads like the A9, si this will be partial electrification.
Electrification will stop at Dalmeny. It will resume at Kinghorn and continue to IIRC Cowdenbeath, It will also extend to Leuchars. Between local passenger trains will run on batteries. A Mickey Mouse system, bur one that appeals to fcuking politicians.
I'm sure there's a beautiful ground-level detailed alignment but the concept of the Inverness to Ft. William Electric Air Line taking a near-direct route by just bridging over the lochs tickles me for some reason. Certified Transport Fever moment.
There's a case for speeding journeys between Edinburgh and Perth with via stirling or ladybank being very unsatisfactory. TS priced business plan level 15 years ago at £800 mill for new line..
It gets a mention! It's just that unlike the other links I don't have a certain answer on whether it would be the best option versus serious upgrades on the existing lines.
No easy answers for this. Green party plan for tunnel from Leith to kinghorn on first look was WTF. But the idea of relieving pressure on Haymarket corridor and tying Leith onto network is good.
Comments
https://www.youtube.com/live/nrU9RPmxgKs?si=BLMB8qBM8EGys7kP
Unfortunately the SNP prefer money to be spent on roads like the A9, si this will be partial electrification.
Any thoughts on the new Edinburgh South Sub plan launched this week?
https://bsky.app/profile/sw20ed.bsky.social/post/3lgztubdr7s2z