SNP MSP John Mason today used a parliamentary question in Holyrood to draw attention to the Glasgow to Edinburgh – via Airdrie and Bathgate – rail link which opened in December 2010.

Astonishingly it has been almost a year and a half since Mr Mason was selected by the Parliament’s automatic ballot to ask a question inside the Chamber.  The Shettleston MSP has, however, been submitting written questions to the Government on a regular basis, however this does not allow the opportunity of a supplementary question as those in the Chamber do.

Commenting from Holyrood, local MSP John Mason – who is hoping to set up a Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Rail – said:

“I am enthusiastic about Rail and I was delighted to be able to organise the inaugural meeting of the proposed Cross Party Group on Rail in Parliament earlier this month.  Rail is a big issue in the East End with my own constituency having eleven stations serving the area.

“There is a lot of good news around rail these days – be it with the steady passengers numbers on the new route to Edinburgh through Airdrie and Bathgate or the forthcoming electrification of the Whifflet-Central line which runs through the East End.

“I appreciate that budgets are incredibly tight but in the longer term I’m keen to see a station at Parkhead and the introduction of Glasgow CrossRail.  I’ll certainly be hoping that the new Cross Party Group can keep such East End rail projects on the Parliament’s agenda”.