The Scottish government intends to complete the high-speed rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh by 2024. The rail link, if and when completed, will diminish journey times to less than 30 minutes and will consist of 140 mph trains connecting Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Talks will occur now between the Scottish governmental transport officials, rail industry officials and possible partners for the rail link project in the two cities.

Intentions have already been proclaimed at Westminster to have the high-speed rail link, known as HS2, running between the English major cities.

As yet, there is no concrete timetable for a rapid-speed rail link from London to Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, has remarked, much to the delight of the Scottish nationalists, that the Scottish government wouldn’t wait for Westminster to deliver HS2 north of the border. Instead, the Scottish government would march ahead with its own plans.

As per Nicola Sturgeon, a survey in 2011, implemented by the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail, had revealed that the Scottish public hugely supported HS2 in Scotland.

The findings of this survey, which were published in the Fast Track Scotland (FTS) document, mentioned that an HS2 connection to London could advantage Scotland by £25bn.

Nicola Sturgeon has asserted that Scotland could introduce an HS2 way ahead of any Westminster timetable. An HS2 in Scotland, initiated by the Scottish government, would advantage the Scottish businesses, the local employment market and also the Scottish tourism business.

Meanwhile, the Westminster high-speed rail link project has phases, the first of which is worth £33 bn, which is scheduled to commence operations in 2026 between London and Birmingham.

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