THE extension of the Borders Railway has been described as the “best solution” to tackle the region’s transport connectivity issues.

Extending the line through to Carlisle has been a hot topic in the Borders since the route from Edinburgh to Tweedbank opened in 2015.

And now the Borderlands Partnership – made up of five local authorities across Scotland and England – has published its prospectus which will inform ongoing discussions on the extension.

The railway project “will be a catalyst for change”, according to the prospectus.

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On the document, Tweeddale East councillor Shona Haslam, leader of Scottish Borders Council (SBC), said: “The re-establishment of a rail line between Edinburgh and the central Scottish Borders has brought immense and wide-ranging benefits that we continue to try to maximise.

“Scottish Borders Council has made a case for the extension of the line to Hawick and on to Carlisle for some time, and together with the other Borderlands local authority partners we are reaffirming and strengthening that case in the prospectus.”

The partnership is made up of SBC; Dumfries and Galloway Council; Carlisle City Council; Cumbria County Council; and Northumberland County Council.

The prospectus outlines challenges in the region, such as residents struggling to access key services and car dependency.

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Outward migration is another problem that the prospectus links with the transport connectivity issues – with Hawick’s population falling by 20 per cent from 1971 to the 2010s.

However, the document does not provide a view on where stations should be located on the route, which will be a matter for the feasibility study.

The extension of the Borders Railway is described in the prospectus as the “missing link” to reconnect the region.

John Lamont, Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, described the document as “impressive and informative”.

“This project has the potential to truly transform towns and villages along the line – opening up educational and work opportunities, as well as making our area a more desirable place to live,” he said.

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“These proposals have been under consideration for a long time, and it is encouraging that they are gathering support from across the region.

“Only when the railway is completed all the way to Carlisle via Hawick and Newcastleton can the Borders Railway truly live up to its name.”

Work to assess the challenges and benefits of the extension is part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal – which was signed on March 18 by both UK and Scottish governments, and the five Borderlands partners.

The deal will bring in up to £452million of fresh investment to the Borderlands area.