�1bn boost for high-speed trains

Journey times between Edinburgh and Glasgow could fall to 35 minutes

Network Rail is to fund a £1bn scheme to electrify the track between Edinburgh and Glasgow, cutting journey times to as little as 35 minutes.

The company is to borrow the sum against the value of its network, including stations and land.

The arrangement means the Scottish Government will not have to increase its borrowing to realise the project.

The project, which has a completion date of 2016, will boost services between the cities to 13 an hour.

The cash will also create a new rail and tram interchange station at Gogar.

The Dunblane line, which sees services travel through Stirling, and the Cumbernauld line are also set to be electrified as part of the programme.

'Ambitious programme'

Network Rail will use the investment to upgrade the network's existing track and signals infrastructure as well as major bridge and tunnelling strengthening works.

The scheme includes boosting the frequency of services between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley to 13 an hour and adding new services on the Shotts and Carstairs lines.

Those behind the scheme said it could deliver significant carbon benefit in comparison to existing diesel services, while every minute shaved off journey times is thought to generate up to £60m in benefits to the economy.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Transport Scotland has asked Network Rail to use our regulatory asset base to facilitate the funding of the Edinburgh-Glasgow improvement programme.

"This project has wide-ranging benefits for communities across the central belt of Scotland and we look forward to playing our role in delivering this ambitious programme."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman added: "The Scottish Government has ambitious plans for improving the country's rail network and is delivering the biggest transport construction programme seen in Scotland in a generation.

"We expect to make further announcements in due course."