The Scottish Government is fully committed to rail freight growth, with industry targets, and focussed network interventions to support rail freight capacity. In addition in 2025 Scottish Ministers awarded two freight facilities grants including a grant of £3,000,000 to enable the construction of rail freight terminal near Inverness to facilitate the movement of finished goods to the UK market by rail.

The budget announced in Parliament in January 2026 did not contain any funding support for MSRS due to the on-going pressures on Scottish Government finances, particularly in respect of revenue funding. The Government’s commitment to supporting rail freight remains. The potential reintroduction of a budget for MSRS will be considered should circumstances allow.

Taking freight off congested roads and moving it by rail or water can have environmental and wider social benefits but it can be more expensive. Freight Facilities Grant is available to assist with the extra costs generally associated with moving freight by rail or water by offsetting the capital costs of providing the required freight handling facilities. Within the draft budget under consideration by the Scottish Parliament is a budget for £2.5 million for Freight Facilities Grant in 2026-27.