All-night Edinburgh-Glasgow trains service rejected

ALL-night trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow have been rejected by Network Rail despite the track operator predicting soaring passenger numbers in the two cities.

It looked at the feasibility of non-stop hourly services between midnight and 6am.

However, Network Rail say such a service would not attract the minimum 31-35 passengers per train required to be viable.

The study followed repeated calls for round-the-clock trains, including an appeal from Edinburgh International Festival director Jonathan Mills.

Network Rail has recommended instead in its latest planning blueprint that main line trains should start one hour earlier than at present and will consult on the plan until January.

Robert Samson, from the official watchdog body Passenger Focus, agreed that earlier trains rather than a full all-night service looked more viable.

However, he pointed out that new services, such as on reopened lines to Alloa, Bathgate and Larkhall, had generated far greater passenger numbers than forecast.

Network Rail said an all-night service would have "significant operating costs" and would have to attract "considerable" numbers of passengers to make it viable - 54,000-64,000 a year.

The route utilisation strategy states: "Given the current average demand for non-stop Edinburgh-Glasgow travel, it is unlikely that this level of demand would be achieved all night. The analysis suggests, however, that there is demand for earlier morning services."

ScotRail operates trains on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line from 6am-11.30pm, including every 15 minutes in each direction from 6.30am-7.30pm on weekdays.

Trains only run one hour later during the Edinburgh Festival.

However, the Network Rail document also forecasts passenger numbers in Edinburgh will double over the next 15 years, and increase by more than one third in Glasgow due to new housing developments and economic growth.