In an unexpected move last autumn, Transport Scotland announced that negotiations with the one remaining contractor bidding to design, build and maintain the railway to Tweedbank had been terminated, and that Network Rail had been asked to deliver the project instead. The official position is that the move will not affect either the cost or the opening date (projected as £235M – £295M and December 2014 respectively), but this will only become clear once an agreement has been concluded between TS and NR. It is expected that legal negotiations will be concluded within weeks and that NR will be appointed Authorised Undertaker in the spring – no doubt progress will be reported in the media and on the TS website www.transportscotland.gov.uk/projects/borders-railway/news
In the meantime there should be further signs of progress on the ground with devegetation taking place at various locations along the line over the winter.
