I, too, thank Ariane Burgess for securing the debate, which, rightly, highlights the value of the Highland main line railway in contributing to the wealth and prosperity of the Highlands.

A variety of points have been made. I heard what Fergus Ewing said about the incident that he described. I am aware of it and have urged a rapid response, and I will ensure that ScotRail responds quickly to him and his constituents.

Ariane Burgess referred to the Victorian era. The quickest journey time from Inverness to Perth has reduced from three hours and 15 minutes in the late 19th century to two hours and three minutes in the present day.

Stations along that stretch of railway have a distinct charm and character. I give a special thanks, as others have done, to the Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership for all its work in creating a welcoming environment for passengers who visit the Highlands. I am aware of the positive changes that it has made through various projects, including the installation of new signage at Pitlochry station to support wayfinding towards local amenities and cultural hubs, and the maintaining of historical assets along the line, such as the Dalwhinnie station clock and the Victorian semaphore signal at Pitlochry station, which have been restored.

There is currently a focus on investing in rail to unlock the economic potential of the Highlands. I understand that, and I am sure that my colleagues will want to join me in celebrating the investment that the Scottish Government has already made in unlocking that potential. In 2023, we opened a station at Inverness airport as part of our £42 million Scottish Government investment to increase capacity and strengthen resilience on the network. As well as providing a new, green means of accessing the airport for passengers and staff, the new station serves the Inverness airport business park and the growing new town of Tornagrain.

As Mark Ruskell pointed out, there have been improvements. Those include the £57 million phase 2 of the Highland main line enhancement programme, which was completed in March 2019, and the platform extensions that he mentioned.

This year, as we have heard, we have invested more than £3 million in improving access within Dunkeld and Birnam station for those with reduced mobility, which has facilitated wheelchair users to board and alight at that station for the first time.

Ariane Burgess stated that we should make things easier for freight, including timber. That point was also made by Richard Leonard. They might not be aware that, yesterday, I announced a £3 million Scottish Government investment to enable the construction of a new £11.2 million rail freight terminal at Dalcross. Over a 10-year period, that project is expected to result in the removal of more than 8.5 million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads and more than 17 million from UK roads. That joint investment with West Fraser will help to reduce Scotland’s transport emissions, reduce road congestion and improve air quality. It is only right that that should be celebrated, particularly during Scotland’s climate week.

Supporting private investment is key to success, as the Highlands Spring rail freight terminal at Blackford has already demonstrated. That facility, which received £4.47 million of Scottish Government funding, will remove a minimum of 10 million lorry miles from Scottish roads in the first 10 years of its operation.

In the summer, we provided more than £345,000 to John G Russell to enable the company to purchase a reach stacker for the Needlefield facility at Inverness, allowing the continued loading and unloading, and movement, of supermarket goods. Again, that highlights the benefit of freight movement and shift.

I note that Highlands and Islands Enterprise has published research that explores regional transformation opportunities in the region. I have asked my officials to work with colleagues across the Scottish Government and partners in the renewables industry to consider opportunities for transport to support that work.

The Highland main line is a popular travel choice for tourists, as it provides a scenic gateway to the Highlands. We know that tourism is one of Scotland’s most important industries, and getting more people to visit our rural communities will boost local economies and enable growth. Now that peak fares are gone for good, we have made travel across the Highlands more affordable and accessible for the people of Scotland and for our visitors.

I point out to Jamie Halcro Johnston, in response to his request for movement on procurement, that, last year, I commenced a procurement exercise to replace the high-speed trains that operate on the line. The replacement trains will provide reliability and resilience for the long-distance rail services that will sustain vital connections for communities and visitors to the north of Scotland, and they will present Scotland in an improved way.

I am proud that ScotRail is one of the highest-performing train operators in the UK. However, we know that it can perform better, not least on the Highland main line, which is why the Scottish Government continues to press our delivery partners to improve train punctuality and reliability across Scotland’s railway. I fully welcome the opportunity to celebrate the importance of the Highland main line and recognise the central role that it plays in unlocking the economic potential of the Highlands—