Alexander welcomes ‘huge opportunity’ to enhance sleeper  

Highland MP Danny Alexander is urging the Scottish Government to seize the chance to end unwelcome speculation over the future of Caledonian Sleeper services between the Highlands and London. As Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Alexander has played a key role in securing an offer of £50million towards the replacement of the aging rolling stock which provides an overnight rail link from the Highlands, the North East, Edinburgh & Glasgow to the UK Capital. The Scotrail franchise, under which the sleeper operates, is the responsibility of the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, but UK Ministers are offering help to safeguard it after a Transport Scotland consultation placed its future in doubt. The offer, made in today's Autumn Statement, would provide half of the funding needed to provide badly needed new trains, creating an opportunity to improve the service offered to passengers...