A study into extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle has yet to start – eight months after being commissioned.

Both the Scottish and UK governments agreed to equally fund the £10m feasibility in 2021 as part of the Borderlands Growth Deal.

After almost four years of delays, which included a capital projects spending review by the newly-elected Labour government at Westminster, project lead Scottish Borders Council (SBC) was given written confirmation at the start of 2025 to appoint a project team.

Although Edinburgh-based Turner & Townsend was awarded the two-year contract in April to undertake the feasibility study, further disputes over releasing funds have prevented progress.

Marion Short, who chairs the Campaign for Borders Rail, said: “I have been left tearing my hair out for most of this year – I’m the same as everyone else, deeply frustrated.”

The original 98-mile (158km) Waverley Route between Edinburgh and Carlisle closed in 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts to the UK rail network.

A 30-mile (48km) section, between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank, was officially reopened in September 2015, at a cost of £294m.

The initial success of the route, with greater than expected passenger numbers, strengthened calls for the tracks to continue through Hawick and Newcastleton, on to Carlisle.

While the original funding agreement and eventual appointment of contractors have been welcomed, there is growing anger about the continued delays.

Mrs Short added: “A group was set up to discuss progress on the feasibility study – we’ve been asking for updates and not getting any.

“Everyone wants to know why it hasn’t started.

“I don’t understand why everyone involved can’t just be up front – if there are problems, tell us.”

Although an outline business case for extending the line was approved by both Westminster and Holyrood ahead of Turner & Townsend being appointed, it is understood the Department for Transport’s (DfT) demands for the figures being revisited has led to the most recent delays.

It is also understood that an agreement was finally reached earlier this month which will see the money for phase one of the feasibility study being released early in the new year.

Although no timescales have been made public for completing the £10m contract, there are fears that the continued hold-ups will lead to the project going over budget.

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP John Lamont said: “It was good news that an agreement was reached last winter by both governments to fund the feasibility study, but there has been frustration ever since.

“We are already eating into the contract time and if these delays create additional cost, we may find ourselves having to go back to each government and ask for more money.

“It is really important that in the new year we start to get progress – we need to know what the route of the extension will be and how much it will cost.”

SBC said it would provide updates and a timeline “when appropriate”.

A spokesman added: “Projects of this nature require careful co-ordination and follow a structured process, which takes time.”

The Scottish government said it remained committed to developing “a shared understanding of the benefits and challenges of extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle”.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson added: “We are currently awaiting further proposals from SBC on the scope of the work and will consider those proposals when we receive them.

“There is no delay in the release of agreement funding on the Scottish government side.”

The UK government said it was also behind the project.

A DfT spokesperson said: “We are committed to the feasibility work on the Borders Railway extension and are working closely with all local partners to finalise the study’s scope.”