Bullet train and road toll revolution

A REVOLUTION in Scotland's overloaded and outdated transport network is being planned by ministers, with the introduction of bullet trains and controversial road tolls.

Rail journey times between Glasgow and Edinburgh will be slashed to 30 minutes under the ambitious proposals, which would also see French-style TGV trains travel from Scotland to London in just two and a half hours.

Last night opposition politicians and transport experts warned "starstruck" ministers were in danger of squandering billions on a public transport pipe dream while penalising motorists with stealth taxes.

The sweeping reforms to Scotland's road and rail system will be laid out on Tuesday when the Scottish Executive publishes its long-awaited national transport strategy.

Transport minister Tavish Scott will commit the Scottish Executive to a bullet train project between Edinburgh and Glasgow, arguing that Scotland's two main cities need to be better linked to drive the economy. At present, most trains take nearly an hour.

At the same time, Scott is expected to support a new high-speed London-Scotland link in the belief that millions of passengers could be persuaded to travel by rail rather than by environmentally damaging aeroplanes.

Scottish ministers will also throw their weight behind a new national road pricing scheme, which could see motorists charged up to 80p a kilometre on Scotland's busiest routes.

The strategy comes in the wake of the report to the Treasury by former British Airways chief executive Sir Rod Eddington last week, in which he, too, called for a new road pricing scheme to prevent Britain from a future of gridlock.

Eddington backed away from new 'mega-projects' - such as new rail routes - warning they may not be cost-effective. But Scottish ministers say such views are "unambitious" and are pledging to press ahead.

A source close to Scott said last night: "This is the first attempt to map out what our future needs are and to set the framework for Scotland's transport."

Officials also said that the Scottish Executive would now be lobbying for a high-speed north-south link modelled either on the TGV network in France or the high-tech 300mph Maglev trains in Shanghai, which levitate above a magnetic track.

The source went on: "In 2004-05, there were four million people on flights between London and Scotland and only one million on the rail. Tavish wants that the other way round."

Scottish ministers also say that, if the UK government delays, it will press ahead with its own road-charging scheme. One proposal is for all cars to be fitted with sat-nav units which will charge motorists for the type of road they drive on, and the time of day they use it.

But Eddington sounded a warning note over the London-Scotland link last night. "Don't be starstruck by large-scale projects. My concern about Maglev is that it is untried and untested. Clearly the north-south corridor is important. The question is: does it need to be reinforced? Do you want to spend £30bn for a journey like that?"

SNP transport spokesman Fergus Ewing said: "After eight years of neglect by the Labour-Lib Dem Executive it is time they realise that they must invest now in Scotland's transport infrastructure to help protect the country's economy and to improve life for its commuters."

David Davidson, transport spokesman for the Tories, said: "They will have to deal with the M8. It needs widening because you have got both road freight and passengers. The question of the A9 also needs examining."