Borders railway extension to Carlisle seeks renewed support

Scottish Borders Council is being urged to reaffirm its support to extend the region's new railway on to Carlisle.

Hawick councillor Davie Paterson has tabled a motion to the local authority seeking the move.

He wants to see a "wholehearted commitment" to extending the line beyond Tweedbank to Hawick and then on to Carlisle via Newcastleton.

A transport study in the region is currently examining the feasibility of increasing the length of the railway.

The multi-million pound Borders Railway opened to the public in September 2015.

There have been numerous calls since then to extend the line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank on to Cumbria.

The Scottish government is looking at the possibility as part of a wider study of transport services in south east Scotland.

Mr Paterson's motion - to be debated by the full council - seeks a renewed commitment to making the case for the extension.