Extend the Borders Railway

That the Parliament supports the extension of the Borders Railway from the present terminus at Tweedbank onwards through Hawick to Carlisle to provide a new cross-border rail link; welcomes the opportunity to complete the spine of an integrated low-emissions public transport network for the Borderlands region, providing a catalyst for economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability; recognises the potential of the project to improve the resilience and capacity of the wider national rail network, encourage modal shift from road to rail, including the transport of timber, and connect the region directly to HS2 services at Carlisle, and encourages the Scottish Government to continue working in partnership with the UK Government, its agencies and local government bodies on both sides of the border to deliver the project as a high priority.