Freight traffic scuppers plan for suburban passenger link

[Callum Johnstone]

Source: The Scotsman
28/04/04

Freight traffic scuppers plan for suburban passenger link

Plans to re-open the south suburban rail link in Edinburgh to
passengers have been shelved after a feasibility study found it was
already too busy with freight trains.

City of Edinburgh Council had hoped to reinstate the 12-mile track,
which runs from Abbeyhill through Morningside to Slateford, in order
to boost east-west transport links in the capital.

But a consultants' report has concluded that the route is already
congested with freight traffic and that there are not enough available
platforms at Edinburgh Waverley station to consider a circular route
which would take trains via the city centre.

Meanwhile, a separate report has found the Waverley to Glasgow Central
route, via Shotts, could attract an extra 300,000 passengers a year if
the frequency was doubled to a half-hourly service.

The Caledonian Express study recommends the new service would call at
Haymarket, Livingston South, West Calder, Shotts and Uddingston.

This would be in addition to the current hourly service which stops at
all stations along the route and could be up and running by October
2006.

[Callum Johnstone]

Post by Callum Johnstone
Source: The Scotsman
28/04/04
Freight traffic scuppers plan for suburban passenger link
Plans to re-open the south suburban rail link in Edinburgh to
passengers have been shelved after a feasibility study found it was
already too busy with freight trains.
City of Edinburgh Council had hoped to reinstate the 12-mile track,
which runs from Abbeyhill through Morningside to Slateford, in order
to boost east-west transport links in the capital.
But a consultants' report has concluded that the route is already
congested with freight traffic and that there are not enough available
platforms at Edinburgh Waverley station to consider a circular route
which would take trains via the city centre.

I can't believe the powers-that-be are simply going to call it a day as far
as this is concerned. Surely there must be some way of working things so
that a regular passenger service is possible?

It can't simply have been the fact that the Waverley Station re-development
will feature fewer through platforms than had originally been hoped for.
Smacks to me of a lack of political will - what usually kills off these
things.