A delay-hit £300million rail project took a step forward on Monday.
The process of appointing a contractor to build the Borders Rail link will get under way by the end of the year, finance secretary John Swinney announced.
The project, also known as the Waverley Line, has been at the centre of concerns in the Borders over delays, with the estimated completion date having already slipped from 2011 to 2013.
Mr Swinney told the members of South of Scotland Alliance that the procurement process would get under way before Christmas.
He said: "This Scottish Government has always made its commitment to this vital public transport link clear.
"Providing a fast, efficient link connecting communities in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian to Edinburgh will be a significant catalyst for economic growth in the region.
"The recent unprecedented changes in the economic climate have meant it was not prudent to launch procurement until further market testing had taken place to ensure the project can deliver the best value for public money.
"This data has provided the necessary assurance that economic conditions are now favourable to run a procurement exercise and I look forward to the formal process getting under way before the end of this calendar year."
The line will run between Edinburgh's Waverley station through Midlothian to Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders.
The construction cost is estimated to be up to £295million - more than double the original estimates of about £130million. The procurement process has originally been scheduled to get under way before the end of last year.
It comes after the Government recently scrapped plans for a rail link from the centre of Glasgow to the city's airport amid cost overruns.
