Mr Purvis claimed there was a good case for extending the scheme

The line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank is to be brought back into use by 2011.

Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis said the case for extending the line had been rejected by the transport minister.

However, SNP counterpart Christine Grahame said that once Scotland had "full financial independence" the route could easily be extended.

Mr Purvis asked minister Stewart Stevenson whether the executive had any plans to expand the project.

He confirmed there were no such proposals in place at present.

The question is why didn't the Lib Dem transport minister order the line to be extended right at the start, before the work had even begun? Christine Grahame MSP

The MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale claimed this ignored the needs of the region.

"There is a clear case for the railway being extended at least to Hawick," he said.

"The SNP, however, have slammed the door shut on any such prospect."

Ms Grahame said that the length of the 35-mile project had been decided when the Liberal Democrats were in power.

"The question is why didn't the Lib Dem transport minister order the line to be extended right at the start, before the work had even begun?" she said.

"Instead, they tried to curtail the project and at one point even threatened to close down the possibility of a station at Stow.

"I have campaigned long and hard for this line to be opened and firmly believe that once Scotland has full financial independence there will be sufficient funds to develop the line to Hawick and ultimately to Carlisle."

'Cross-party consensus'

Tory MSP Derek Brownlee said he failed to see how plans had changed in any way from one government to another.

He has tabled a question in parliament to clarify if there has been any alteration to proposals to extend the line.

"Before the election there was a cross-party consensus on the issue of the Borders railway and it is sad that so soon after the election the issue is being used for party political point scoring," he said.