THE extension of the Borders Railway was “discussed at length” during a visit to Carlisle from the UK Government minister for Scotland.

Iain Stewart, of the Conservatives, met with representatives of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal to discuss how it would improve the region.

A feasibility study to look at the extension of the Borders Railway, which currently stops at Tweedbank, is part of the growth deal.

There have been repeated calls to extend the Borders Railway to the north of England through Hawick and Newcastleton.

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Mid Berwickshire councillor Mark Rowley, of the Conservatives, represented the Borders during Mr Stewart’s visit.

“The minister’s visit was an excellent opportunity for the partnership to once again highlight the importance of the deal for the region,” said Mr Rowley, Scottish Borders Council’s (SBC) executive member for finance.

“The joined-up approach being taken around transport and digital connectivity, including of course the extension of the Borders Railway to Carlisle, was discussed at length, as all partners recognise the importance of these issues in improving the whole of the Borderlands region for its residents and business and driving growth.”

Alongside SBC, the other four local authorities which make up the partnership are Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Northumberland County Council.

The deal is a regional investment programme jointly supported by the UK and Scottish governments and local partners, bringing in £452 million of “fresh investment”.

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Mr Stewart said: “The Scottish-English Borderlands region is home to many vibrant communities and innovative businesses with huge potential that the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, including UK Government investment of £265 million, will help to unlock, so the region can build back better from the pandemic.

"At the heart of the deal is a major boost to connectivity for southern Scotland and northern England which will bring significant benefits to the area, and I was very interested to see Carlisle Station and hear about plans to transform it into a major travel hub connecting the entire UK to the Borderlands.

"Together with the proposed extension of the Borders rail line from Tweedbank to Carlisle and the UK Government’s Union Connectivity Review, to revitalise rail, road, sea and air links between all parts of the United Kingdom, these are exciting times for the Borderlands."

For more information about the deal, click here.