Tilting trains should run on lines north to Aberdeen and Inverness to cut journey times by 20 per cent so rail could better compete with road travel, a transport think tank has urged.
The move would shorten rail trips from Edinburgh to Aberdeen trips to less than 2 hours and to Inverness to 2 hours 40 minutes, according to the Scottish Association of Public Transport (SAPT).
The group argued that tilting diesel trains such as Voyagers, which can go round corners faster, would become available when other lines are electrified.
It fears that without significant improvements, rail travel to northern Scotland will become increasingly unattractive as driving times are reduced with the dualling of the A9 and A96.
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