• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Transform Scotland

Transform Scotland

  • About Us
        • Our team
        • Our members
        • Contact us
        • About us

  • Our Work
        • Publications
        • Our projects
        • Consultancy
        • Cross Party Group
        • Our work

  • Latest
        • News
        • Alerts
        • Events
        • Latest

  • Join us
  • Donate

Twenty years of Scotland’s railway: Our briefing for MSPs

8 September 2025

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

A welcome for Scottish Government motion on 20 years of Scotland’s devolved railway, but calls for serious challenges ahead to be tackled.

Ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s Holyrood debate on Scotland’s Railway, we’ve issued a detailed parliamentary briefing to all MSPs.

The Government’s notes the many achievements on Scotland’s railway over the past 20 years and calls for UK Government railway reforms to benefit, not hinder, the devolved nature of Scotland’s railway.

read the briefing

Key points:

  • Welcomes Scottish Government debate & agrees with the content of the motion, including with regards to devolution of rail powers.

  • Welcomes decisions to abolish peak hour fares & to commit to Fife/Borders rail electrification.

  • Notes large backlog of ageing infrastructure, in particular on inter-city and rural routes.

  • Notes poor alignment between broader transport policy and rail policy.

  • Proposes a new set of priorities for Scotland’s Railway, in order to put passengers first.

Read the briefing in full below.

‘Twenty Years of Scotland’s Railway’ debate — Transform Scotland briefing paper — 2025-09-09Download

NewsInvestment Policy Public transport

Share

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn
Back to Latest

Latest posts

How many oil shocks will it take before Scotland changes course?

10 July 2026

The recent disruption to global oil markets has reignited debate over fuel prices and energy security. Transform Scotland’s Emilia Lauder reflects on the 2026 Iran crisis and argues that reducing…

Read more

NewsCars Climate Equalities Investment Policy

Why Scotland’s next fleet is everyone’s business: Inside our cross-sector rail summit

18 June 2026

The challenge facing Scotland’s rail network is no longer about whether new trains are needed; it’s about how we actually deliver them. Scotland is running some of the oldest rolling…

Read more

NewsClimate Equalities Investment Policy Public transport

Edinburgh’s next tramline

15 June 2026

The publication of the City of Edinburgh Council’s North-South tram consultation results has renewed debate about the future of Edinburgh’s transport network. Transform policy advisor Nigel Bagshaw argues that extending…

Read more

NewsEqualities Policy Public transport

Scotland’s next trains: New paper sets out case for national investment plan

28 May 2026

Our new discussion paper sets out the critical need for a clear, ambitious investment plan to renew Scotland’s ageing train fleets. With ScotRail now operating the second oldest fleet in…

Read more

NewsPolicy Public transport

Sign up for email updates

We'll send you news on our work, plus other updates about how you can get involved in Scotland's campaign for sustainable transport.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies policy
  • Credits
  • Accessibility
  • Work for us
  • Leave a legacy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

© 2026 Transform Scotland is a registered Scottish charity (SC041516)