Scottish Ministers today set out the "utterly convincing" case for High Speed Rail to come to Scotland.

They also highlighted advice from the Scottish Partnership Group which recommends that work in Scotland could actually start ahead of planned completion in England.

Addressing the ‘Making HS2 Happen’ conference in London this afternoon, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil also provided more detail on the timetable for bringing forward planning for new high speed lines north of the border.

Mr Neil said they stood ready to begin preparatory work and quoted from advice provided by the Scottish Partnership Group for high speed rail, which looks at potential route and station options. The group features representatives from: City of Edinburgh Council; Glasgow City Council; Regional Transport Partnerships; Network Rail; The same report suggests there is also an opportunity for early delivery of an Edinburgh-Glasgow High Speed Rail Connection.

The main findings of the report, which was produced for Ministers by the Scottish Partnership Group for high speed rail, are:

•That work in Scotland could start sooner rather than later, and ahead of planned completion in England

•Those works present an opportunity for early delivery of a Edinburgh to Glasgow High Speed Rail connection

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•Talks with HS2 Ltd to start work on detailed route planning for high speed lines to and within Scotland to be made a priority

•HS2 Ltd urged to consider a direct Edinburgh-Glasgow route as part of a scheme to link to the South

At the Conference - which included contributions from the UK Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening, Greengauge 21, and Passenger Focus – Mr Neil said: "Scotland invests heavily in its rail network and has a strong record in developing new lines. We have committed £1 billion on improvements on the Edinburgh-Glasgow route and are in the process of electrifying the core rail network between Edinburgh and Glasgow, reducing journey times and increasing the number of trains. We have also improved the Highland Line by adding three extra services which will lead to faster journeys.

"And we are absolutely convinced of the benefits of high speed rail. We are looking to bring forward planning for new high speed lines with the aim of linking them to the network proposed for England. The latest advice from the SPG suggests that construction in Scotland could begin in the shorter term. We would not be bound by the timings of the legislative processes of the UK Parliament, or by the constraints of proposed phasing of construction in England. However, it is essential that we work together in this regard, and that any new line is planned according to the criteria and assumptions directing development in England.

"For that reason we want to engage fully with HS2 Ltd, and agree terms for joint working, with the full support of the UK Government. The Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening is due to visit Scotland in the very near future, with planning for high speed rail expected to be high on the agenda. We look forward to making quick progress on this vital issue for Scotland’s economy.

"Let there be no doubt, Scotland is ready to take its share of the hard work and stand together in its support for high speed rail. Leading business organisations, trade unions, local authorities and social groups are continuing to make a credible and persuasive case for Scotland’s early inclusion in a UK high speed rail network. Their and our arguments are similar, we want better connectivity, and more trading links. Whilst we are eager to see it delivered as quickly as possible, we also want to recognise and balance private and public interests. However I believe strongly that there will also be benefits to our environment, this presents a real opportunity and if we don’t have high speed rail Scotland will undoubtedly be disadvantaged."

(GK)