Moore and Beith Press Minister on Future of Berwickshire ECML Services

5.40.00pm GMT Fri 12th Mar 2010

MPs Michael Moore and Sir Alan Beith have welcomed Government concessions on the future of the nationalised East Coast Main Line that will mean the reinstatement of a vital commuter service between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

However, they have warned that thousands of rail users in the Borders could still miss out unless Ministers revisit plans to withdraw a vital early train to London.

Speaking after a meeting with UK Transport Minister Chris Mole MP, Mr Moore and Sir Alan confirmed that the daily 17.30 service from Edinburgh, which calls at Berwick, is now set to be retained. They also welcomed news that Ministers are planning to introduce an additional daily 19.00 service from London which will call at Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Despite this, concerns remain over the future of the regular 05.45 train from Edinburgh. The Government announced recently that the number of stations this service calls at will be cut in an effort to reduce the journey time between Edinburgh and London. Under these plans, Berwick-upon-Tweed will be one of the calling points withdrawn.

During their meeting, Mr Moore and Sir Alan forcefully urged the Minister to re-consider the impact that this would have on business travellers in Northumberland and Berwickshire before a final decision is made.

Commenting, Mr Moore said:

‘While the reinstatement of a vital commuter service and the introduction of a regular new train from London to Berwick would be good news for people in the Borders, the fact that the future of the early service from Berwick-upon-Tweed remains in doubt is a real concern.

‘It seems absurd that thousands of rural travellers are set to lose out for the sake of 7 minutes on the timetable– the average time it takes for a train to call at Berwick.

‘Sir Alan and I have asked the Minister to go away and think again before cancelling a service that makes such a substantial contribution to the economic and social life of many people in the Borders.’

Sir Alan added:

‘Following the meeting I am much more hopeful that we will win the battle to keep the 17.30 train from Edinburgh stopping at Berwick and to get regular through Cross-Country trains to Glasgow stopping at Berwick.

‘The only stumbling block is still the first southbound train of the day, because of the Government’s determination to get down to a four hour journey time from Edinburgh to London. But where the result is a much later train it will leave local business people in Berwick and the Borders having to fly instead of using the train.

‘Michael Moore and I will continue to fight for this train to stop at Berwick.’