 Concern has been raised about delays to the Waverley project |
Concern has been raised that the Scottish Executive is opening the door for delays to the Borders rail project. MSPs are set to take a vital vote next week on restoring rail services from Edinburgh to Tweedbank.
The Scottish Greens fear an amendment lengthening the time for compulsory land purchase suggests the executive could be going cold on the scheme.
Executive agency Transport Scotland said it was committed to the scheme and the amendment was "good governance".
It had been hoped the Waverley Line would be completed by 2010, but the projected date is now 2012.
The amendment has been tabled by the executive.
 |  They have also got other rail schemes in the central belt which have been higher priority to them |
Green MSP for the South of Scotland region Chris Ballance said: "Not all the executive members on the committee supported the railway and there is clearly a lot more appetite in the Labour party for the other big railway schemes.
"They've got Edinburgh Airport rail link for example, they have also got other rail schemes in the central belt which have been higher priority to them.
"I think this shows the Borders railway and the Waverley railway is not the high priority we would like to see it become."
That claim was denied by a spokesperson for Transport Scotland, the agency set up earlier this year to deliver executive infrastructure projects.
Unforeseen delays
"Transport Scotland is committed to delivering the Borders link and recognises the importance of the project being delivered by 2011," she said.
"Events can happen in the life of a major project causing unforeseen delays which may result in the time for compulsory purchase and development expiring.
"Good governance means that we want to take reasonable steps to avoid the potential for the scheme to be at risk.
"Therefore we are proposing to amend the bill so that the organisation constructing the railway can ask Scottish ministers for an extension of time should it be required.
"This is not unusual and has already been used for the tram bills recently passed by the Scottish Parliament."
The final stage of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill is due to be considered on 14 June.
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