Bigger station plea for Borders Railway

CAMPAIGNERS yesterday called for the planned station at the end of the restored Borders Railway to be enlarged to accommodate tourist charter trains carrying up to 500 people.

The Campaign for Borders Rail said four charter operators backed its proposal for platforms at Tweedbank station, near Galashiels, to be extended to cope with up to 11-coach trains rather than the planned six. It said such trains could add £500,000 a year to the Borders’ economy.

The £295 million line from Edinburgh is due to be opened in 2014, but construction is not likely to start until later this year and experts believe trains may not run till 2015.

The Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency said: “We would expect passenger charter trains to make use of six-car platforms as they currently do across the national rail network.”