A long-term partner for Scotland’s Railway

I was delighted to speak at the Rail North of the Border conference in Glasgow last week with Bill Reeve, Alex Hynes and other colleagues. The event was a reminder of Scotland’s impressive ambitions for rail. Scottish passengers have benefitted from substantial investment in electrification and other infrastructure upgrades over the last decade.

These achievements reflect a clear and consistent approach to funding rail improvements from the Scottish Government underpinned by a long-term plan. Such a strategy delivers best value from both public and private investment by reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

Porterbrook has supported the Scottish rail network for more than 25 years and our track record for designing, delivering, and introducing innovative technology for the railway can help deliver a more sustainable railway.

The Scottish Government’s rail decarbonisation action plan is right to recognise that hydrogen and battery trains can be a valuable contributor to rail’s decarbonised future. However, these trains aren’t an alternative to electrification. They are a complimentary solution which can help speed up the journey to a greener railway and bring benefits sooner.

Significant rolling stock replacement is required over the next decade across Scotland, and we have worked closely with Transport Scotland on both their future strategy and on how existing assets can be maximised and best utilised. It’s important that the plan is dynamic and flexible given that it will evolve over time.

Our recent partnerships with Rolls-Royce and GB Railfreight demonstrate the important role the private sector can play in achieving net zero by 2045. Private capital can enhance and multiply the impact of public investment.

The new ScotRail operating contract and rolling stock renewal programme are a once in a generation opportunity for the Scottish rail supply chain and economy more widely. It can support the National?Strategy for Economic Transformation recently announced by the Scottish finance minister Kate Forbes and help “to shift the dial on our economy into becoming fairer, wealthier and greener”. It’s a chance to leverage the impact of public procurement to grow skills in key areas such as digital, software and systems engineering and to increase apprenticeships in green jobs.

Porterbrook’s innovative approach to asset ownership and management can support the Scottish government’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2045 and help create both a railway and a Scotland which truly thrives.