This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Green light for new freight railway
13/08/2003
A new light railway in East Ayrshire has been given the green light, it was announced today.
A Freight Facilities Grant award of £3.9 million has been made to Kier Minerals by the Scottish Executive to build a rail link to a new open cast coal mine. Kier Minerals intend to build the 3.5km line on the site of a dismantled railway from the mine at Greenburn, near New Cumnock, which will link in with the existing rail network.
The company can then transport their coal by rail rather than road to Longannet power station and various power stations in England.
Visiting the Greenburn site today Mr Stephen said:
"The rail line to Greenburn marks a first for Scotland. It is the first opportunity for Scottish Ministers to authorise a line's construction through a Light Railways Order. We are considering how this could be used in other projects to improve Scotland's rail system.
"I am pleased to have been able to offer the award of £3.9 million to Kier Minerals. This investment will remove 800,000 lorry miles from Scotland's roads each year. Encouraging the transfer of freight from roads to rail is a central plank of Scottish transport policy
"The Scottish Executive is pleased to have worked with Kier Minerals, East Ayrshire Council and the rail industry to make this happen. I understand that the rail link is expected to be completed in early 2004."
Since July 1999, 18 previous Freight Facilities Grant awards have been made for Scottish projects representing a total grant award of over £57 million (including five awards in conjunction with the Department for Transport).
The published target to make awards of FFG by March 2003 which will remove 21 million lorry miles each year from Scotland's roads has been achieved, with the target rising to 23 million by March 2004.
Railways that remain for their entirety within Scotland can be promoted under the Private Legislation Act 1936 or the Light Railways Act 1896. Under the second of these acts, Scottish Ministers may make a Light Railways Order - a Statutory Instrument - setting out the specifications under which a railway may be built and operated.
A Light Railway Order sets out - among other things - what may be carried on the line and its speed restrictions. The resulting rail link is termed a 'light railway'. This is different to the expression "light rail", which is often used to describe trams etc.
The Greenburn Light Railway Order came into force on 11 July 2003.
The Minister was undertaking a visit to the West of Scotland where he also visited Lochwinnoch to view the completed National Cycle Network and made an announcement about a new cycling body for Scotland.