What Britain’s longest new railway in a century can teach us about reusing infrastructure

Enjoying Scotland’s rural landscapes, historic towns, and pretty villages is now easier in some areas thanks to the re-opening of the Borders Railway.

Along the way, visitors can enjoy spectacular views, and if they wish, stop and see Arthur’s Seat, catch a Gala rugby game, or visit the home of the famous poet Sir Walter Scott.

Not only does it provide access to tourist destinations, but it has also reconnected local communities and serves as a major link between the Scottish borders and Edinburgh.

It’s now the longest new railway to be built in the UK in the last 100 years. This was made possible by making the best use of existing infrastructure.

Re-introducing the Borders Railway line

Originally opened in 1849, the railway line closed in 1969 as it was found too difficult to maintain.

Local communities raised a long campaign to revive the line. Construction began in April 2013, and the line officially reopened in September 2015.

Rather than insisting on building new structures, bridges and tunnels from the original railway were reused, carrying out repairs where necessary.

For example, work on the Bowshank Tunnel included restoring old brickwork and lowering the tunnel floor to accommodate modern trains.

Maintaining or repurposing old infrastructure almost always reduces carbon emissions.

But Scotland is going further through its plan to introduce new battery-electric trains to its Borders Railways line, which will help cut emissions and improve air quality.

This is a clear example of the direction Scotland intends to take in managing its infrastructure.

Identifying Scotland’s long-term priorities

The Scottish Futures Trust has recently published its first 30-year infrastructure needs assessment. It sets out a long-term evidence-based framework that is to inform planning, investment and delivery.

The assessment highlights the need for more asset management strategies and plans for new and existing infrastructure, ensuring assets remain usable, sustainable and aligned with user needs over the long term.

It also suggests that engineers should consider how to manage user demands across systems (rather than project by project) as well as providing enough infrastructure to meet that demand.

The assessment also identifies significant challenges within the public sector related to ageing assets and maintenance backlog.

Scotland’s 10-year infrastructure strategy

Findings from this needs assessment have informed the recently published 10-year draft infrastructure strategy. One of its principles is to make use of current assets before considering new infrastructure.

This will support the wider outcomes the government is after, which are to:

• enable net zero and environmental sustainability;
• drive inclusive economic growth; and
• build resilient and sustainable places.

The draft strategy is now closed for consultation. Feedback will help inform the final strategy, which will be published in late 2026.

Using data to inform infrastructure needs

The needs assessment also highlights the role that data can play to assist evidence-based decision-making in asset management.

To support its wider outcomes, Scotland could arrange partnerships – for example, between sectors – and encourage all parties to collect useful data and use it appropriately.

Canada uses a similar approach to collect information on existing infrastructure at the national and regional levels.

This will enable stakeholders to compare data across different levels of government and ensure that the information gathered covers changing infrastructure needs, such as the impacts of climate change on older assets.

Putting Enabling Better Infrastructure principles into practice

The 30-year infrastructure needs assessment reflects on the work of the Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) programme’s global best practice guidance.

The guidance helps governments create a national approach to plan and prioritise infrastructure more strategically.

Scotland’s needs assessment embodies principle 3 of the EBI guidance.

Selecting the best solution for future service needs (e.g., climate resilient infrastructure) requires a good understanding of the performance and maintenance needs of existing assets.