OPINION: Balance needs to be struck on railways

THE ambitious plans to electrify the main Glasgow to Edinburgh railway and reduce journey times will be welcome for the many passengers who regularly use the route.

Investment in the busiest lines are essential and bringing the journey time down to under 40 minutes on some express services will be good news as currently the trip more often than not takes almost an hour.

However the Scottish Government has to be careful it does not sacrifice local rail services in pursuing improvements on the flagship money generating routes.

The commitment that no stations would close from another consultation was hugely encouraging from Keith Brown this year and his job now is to ensure there are enough services operating out of these stations

These local stations are essential in getting people around their own communities and getting into the city to connect with the longer inter city services.

The local railway network in and around Glasgow is essential and must also see investment to secure its future for the tens of thousands of daily users.

However, the commitment of the Government to invest in our railways and stations is a welcome boost for promoting public transport and providing a viable alternative to the car.

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