Letter: Borders travel

If anyone thinks the future of the country's transport infrastructure is in line with local needs, they should try living in the Scottish Borders, where the only railway runs from Berwick-on-Tweed to Edinburgh. The plan for the railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank is flawed. What is needed is the re-opening of the entire Waverley line from Edinburgh to Carlisle.

At present, people wishing to travel anywhere by rail must go by bus to Carlisle, Berwick or Edinburgh, involving roughly a two-hour journey.

The so-called rail bus to Carlisle no longer stops at the station, although it is a fairly frequent service and connects with quite a number of trains.

The Berwick rail bus takes one right to the station, but it is not such a frequent service and the connections with southbound trains are less good.

The Edinburgh service does not go to the station and if people are travelling south, why should they have to go north first of all?

I am told that this is the largest area in Europe without a railway, which makes me feel that I am living in a Scottish back-water.

Am I alone?

Margaret Dick

Kingshowes Village

Galashiels, Selkirkshire