THE Border Railway feasibility study has been put on hold whilst the government undertake their capital investment review, it has been confirmed.

The previous Conservative government allocated £10million in April 2023 for a feasibility study into extending the Borders Railways into Cumbria, finishing at Carlisle.

Campaigners have long fought for the line, which reopened in 2015, to be extended from its current terminus at Tweedbank down to Carlisle, via stations such as Longtown, Newcastleton, Hawick and St Boswells.

A recent report from the Borderlands Partnership, which is made up of the local authorities from across the region said that extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle would be the ‘best solution’ to help solve the area’s notorious transport connection difficulties.

The scheme has the support of Carlisle’s Labour MP, Julie Minns.

Labour have put the brakes on a number of large-scale transport infrastructure projects since winning the election in July which the party says will help fix the ‘dire’ state of the public finances left by the Conservatives.

Transport secretary Louise Haigh MP said: “Communities up and down the country have been given hope for new transport infrastructure, with no plans or funds to deliver them.

“This government will not make that mistake.

“This government will rebuild our economic foundations while restoring transparency and public trust.”