Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said that decarbonising transport, including rail services, offers a significant opportunity to contribute to reducing the threat of climate change.
Speaking at the launch of the 120 million GBP (140.44m euros | 163.33m USD) Glasgow Queen Street Station, Sturgeon applauded the investment of over nine billion GBP (10.53bn euros | 12.25bn USD) in rail infrastructure since 2007 that sees over 75 percent of all rail passenger journeys in Scotland made by electric services.
She also announced key progress in the continuation of rail decarbonisation with confirmation that the 63m GBP (73.74m euros | 85.75m USD) Barrhead line electrification will now move to the construction phase.
This is the latest milestone in the delivery of Transport Scotland’s Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan. Launched in 2020, it aims to see the removal of all diesel on passenger services by 2035.
“With just a month until world leaders arrive in Glasgow to address the growing climate crisis, Scotland’s railway is well on track in its journey towards full decarbonisation of passenger services.
“The new Glasgow Queen Street, delivered as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, is a shining example of how we can modernise historic and iconic stations, offering greener transport hubs that are more attractive to commuter, business and leisure markets alike.
“This station led the city through industrialisation and it now stands out as an example of what we can achieve as we navigate our way towards net zero.
“Since 2007, we have invested over £9 billion in rail infrastructure, including electrification to enable greener trains to run on those routes. We are committed to continued electrification, and the use of alternative traction technology, if we are to address the challenges facing this planet. Scotland, as a responsible global citizen, will do everything we can to play our part.”
