John Mason has welcomed the completion of track laying for the East End’s new rail link. It has been announced that all the track has now been laid linking Glasgow’s east end stations, Airdrie, Bathgate and on to Edinburgh. All going well the train services will start in December this year.

The big advantage for Glasgow’s East End is that we will get direct services to Edinburgh and will no longer have to go through Glasgow Queen Street station. Instead passengers from High Street, Bellgrove, Carntyne, Shettleston, Garrowhill, and Easterhouse will have a direct link to the capital.

John Mason said, “It is fantastic news that the SNP is investing £300 million to boost our local rail services. I am delighted that Shettleston constituency is benefitting from this. A Glasgow Airport rail link might have helped foreign tourists, some business people, and a few others. But this new line has the potential to benefit many thousands of ordinary Glaswegians living in our area.

“And on top of this we have the investment in Dalmarnock station for the Commonwealth Games. This is really the strongest proof yet that the SNP is fully committed to Glasgow in general and the East End in particular.”

And what would John’s next choice be if there is to be more investment in rail? “Definitely a station at Parkhead Forge must be the next priority. This would mean passengers from the east of Scotland could come directly by train to shop at the Forge, attend football matches, and use the Commonwealth Games sports facilities. That is much more important than GARL. CrossRail with a station at Glasgow Cross would be great too.”

Finally it is worth noting that this 15 mile stretch of line is the longest domestic passenger railway to include new stations to be built in Britain since 1910. It shows the SNP really can and does deliver for Scotland!