Mr Tom Thorburn is here to speak to PE556, on the extension of rail commuter services on the east coast main line. I ask Mr Thorburn to introduce his colleagues, after which he has the usual three minutes to make a presentation.
Official Report · Committee
New Petitions
Rail Transport (PE556)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- John McAllion Lab 14
- Tom Thorburn Rail Action Group East of Scotland 12
- Phil Gallie Con 5
- Dr Winnie Ewing SNP 3
- Christine Grahame SNP 2
- Dorothy-Grace Elder Ind 2
- Euan Robson LD 1
- Robin Harper Green 1
- Barrie Forrest Rail Action Group East of Scotland 1
- Joyce McLean Rail Action Group East of Scotland 1
- Helen Eadie Lab 1
The record
43 contributions
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
Thank you. I am joined by Barrie Forrest, who is the vice-chairman of the Rail Action Group East of Scotland and Joyce McLean, who is a member of our local community council and of the action group.First and foremost, I would like to thank Euan Robson MSP for organising the Reston station reopening petition. As the chairman of the Rail Action Group East of Scotland, it gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to put our case for reopening Reston station in Berwickshire on the east coast main line.East Berwickshire desperately needs a station to rejuvenate the area and address the problems of social exclusion and an aging population. A station would also offer an environmentally friendly alternative to the car and would enable students to travel to university in Edinburgh or Newcastle. That alternative is particularly necessary in view of the costs of renting accommodation, especially in Edinburgh where costs are prohibitive, and because of the low wages in our area. Congestion charging is also on the horizon in Edinburgh.Prior to rail rationalisation and the Beeching cuts, Berwickshire had five main line passenger stations. Reston was the last station to close—that took place on 4 May 1964.Reston lies about 46 miles south of Edinburgh; it is more or less midway between Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Those stations are highly congested because of their popularity and, during the working week, it is almost impossible to park there.Willie Black, Network Rail Ltd's east of Scotland signalling manager, has visited Reston and has advised the group on the best site for the new station. He is desperate to have new passing loops put in at Reston because of the increase in freight traffic that he has to contend with. That would be a great boon to people in the area, because it would allow our local passenger train to get off the main line to let big brother go past and it would also make for a cheaper and easier station build.We have met the planning department of Scottish Borders Council and the site has been assessed to enable it to be listed in the local plan. Hugh Veitch, the local landlord, has given full consent to the use of any of his land that is necessary to gain access to the new station and the car park. Bill Ure, secretary of the Rail Users Consultative Committee for Scotland, published and presented a paper to the Scottish Parliament on local services that should be implemented on the west coast and east coast main lines. The paper said that East Linton and Reston should be reopened on the east coast main line and that there should be improved services to Dunbar, which could be implemented by means of an Edinburgh to Berwick local service. The north-east of England A1 multimodal study proposed an hourly local service for the Newcastle to Berwick section of the ECML.The three community councils in the Reston station catchment area have all shown their full support for a reopened station at Reston. They are full members of the group. We also have the full support of Councillors Jones, Elliot and Cook, MSPs Euan Robson and Christine Grahame, south-east Scotland transport partnership—SESTRANS—and Lewis Macdonald, who is one of the ministers responsible for transport.During the collection of signatures for the petition at Coldingham gala day, we were approached by caravaners. They want the station to be reopened because it would allow them to get into Edinburgh for entertainment and it would allow friends and relatives who are not able to get to the area by car to get there by train. A businessman who recently moved to Reston claimed that, if the village had a station, many of his Edinburgh colleagues would move to the area. They will not do so at present because of travel difficulties.I appeal to the committee for funding for Reston station.
I invite Euan Robson to speak in support of the petition.
The key to Reston station is the installation of passing loops. Correspondence with the Strategic Rail Authority suggests that it is minded to put in passing loops for freight traffic on the east coast main line. Once that has been achieved, it will be possible to build stations or halts on the passing loops. That would be less expensive than building stations directly on the main line. The passing loops would be paid for as part of the east coast main line upgrade, before the station would be paid for.As Tom Thorburn said, there were originally five main line stations in Berwickshire alone. It is sad that none survives. Reston would be but one of a number of stations that could be built in due course. The petition refers to consideration of the reopening of other stations in other parts of Scotland, as well as on the ECML. The vision must be to make it possible, through new stations on the ECML, to commute into Edinburgh and beyond, if necessary. That will be especially desirable if charging for road access into Edinburgh is implemented.Therefore, I am pleased to support PE556. Reston is a small community, but the 2,000 signatures in support of the petition demonstrate that there is demand, not only from residents, but from visitors to the area who—as Mr Thorburn said—would use the station because it is well located. Reopening the station would fit in well with the new structure plan for the Borders, which regards eastern Berwickshire as a development area. All those reasons together with local factors such as the land being available, the local community having the will and the council and the enterprise company being interested mean that the ingredients exist for a successful reopening.I would be grateful if the committee would support the petition. Perhaps the committee could ask the Strategic Rail Authority when the passing loops might go in and encourage any other agencies that the committee feels could advance the case for Reston.
I support what Euan Robson said about the passing loops. I visited the proposed station site with Tom Thorburn and Barrie Forrest. The site is not where the old station was but where an old market used to be. As Tom rightly said, the landowner is content to sell the land at an agricultural price rather than a development price. There is also a bridge on the site, which would eliminate the need for expensive capital investment in order to comply with disability discrimination legislation. Disabled people would be able to get to either side of the line.Therefore, the site has a lot going for it and the proposed station would open up the eastern Borders. Reston is a bit of a cinderella place. The railway line that I punt most of the time is the proposed Borders line. However, reopening Reston could be part of the reopening of the Borders to the economic development that would be achieved by the reopening of the Borders line.Tourism is an interesting aspect of the Reston case. I wrote to the chief executive of the Scottish Borders Tourist Board and his view is that other public transport would have to link with a station at Reston. However, he said:"On the question of economic impact on the tourism industry, obviously anything which opens up new points of access to visitors is bound to bring some benefit"but that"exactly what that would be … is … difficult to assess."Reston is a beautiful part of the Borders and a station there would open up, for example, Eyemouth and the possibility of local caravaners being able to travel by train elsewhere. Reston is a bonny wee place. The Borders is a poor area in terms of investment and wages. Borders people earn £50 a week less than the Scottish average.The Borders requires infrastructure such as a station at Reston. My view is that Scottish Borders Council is, unfortunately, not pressing the matter, although it has had the opportunity to do so. The Scottish Executive commissioned in 2001 a study into potential candidates for support for passenger and freight transport by rail, but Reston was not included in that study, which I think was wrong. We are trying to get freight off roads and back onto rail. Passenger services could ride piggyback on a freight line.I understand that Scottish Borders Council could apply for funding for an independent feasibility study but has not done so. I think that the cost of the feasibility study that was done by Tom Thorburn's group into who would use the proposed Reston station was £20,000. An independent study would be a better option and the sum of £20,000 is a pauchle of money to get the show on the road.Of course, the role of ScotRail Ltd is key in the matter. Great North Eastern Railway Ltd is the rail company that is currently involved in the Borders area. My understanding is that GNER would not be interested in a station at Reston, although ScotRail would be. Therefore, it is important that when ScotRail is organising its franchises, and bargaining and negotiating for them, the proposed Reston station is put on the agenda. I fully support what Euan Robson said. The Reston campaigners, like the Stow people, are doing what politicians do not do for them.
I add my full support to the proposal, which I think is an excellent idea.
First, on the references to freight and passing loops, do the petitioners want a passing loop for Reston? If so, would that be dependent on freight's being dealt with first? Secondly, Lewis Macdonald confirmed in a parliamentary question that the"reopening of a railway passenger station at Reston is a local transport issue. As such we would expect the relevant local authority to take such a project forward."—Official Report, Written Answers, 4 July 2002; p 1109.Has the Reston campaign body asked for such action to be taken?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
First, I will answer the question on freight. Freight on the east coast main line has dramatically increased, although the Longannet deep mine has closed. The coal from the opencast mines in Ayrshire goes down the east coast main line, but coal must also be taken to the Longannet power station. Due to the contracts, coal must go in both directions. Railtrack—now Network Rail Ltd—is desperate that the loops are available.We have asked for progress funding for a feasibility study for the station from both the council and the local subsection of Scottish Enterprise but, unfortunately, we always seem to come up against a brick wall. Scottish Borders Council is very focused on the Waverley line, so we organised the petition to show the depth of support for the station.
As Winnie Ewing said, the minister has said that he will not address the matter because it is a local transport issue. However, the Executive's policy is to move as much freight transport as possible off the roads. Why do you think that the minister sees the issue as a local matter when providing stations would meet the Executive's targets?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
I cannot really answer that, Phil.
Can any of the other witnesses answer the question?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
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We cannot say why the minister views the matter as a local issue.
Has anyone followed that up with the minister through local representatives?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
No. Our group has not done so.
It might be worth doing that. The issue is far wider than a local matter. Given the Executive's targets on freight and road transport, I view the matter as a national issue.
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
We were depending on the east coast main line upgrade to take care of the passing loops for the freight side. We were looking for our local station to be reopened through local authority funding, as other local stations have been.
If the passing loops are put in, the cost of providing a halt would be pretty minimal, as you suggested. That was done privately at Prestwick airport; a halt was put on the main line there at relatively low cost.
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
The costs for two new stations in East Lothian were about £1 million or £1.1 million, but those were on the main line. Building directly on to the main line causes many problems because the work force must be pulled back whenever the trains pass, whereas building the stations on loops would make things far easier and would not involve the same danger factor.As Christine Grahame stated, Reston has an underbridge that could be fully utilised, so that we could dispense with the need for an overbridge for the disabled, which would cost about £400,000. We are talking about somewhere between £0.75 million and £1 million to provide the halt.
Phil Gallie asked my question on what the overall cost would be and you have—against the background of the two new stations in East Lothian costing only between £1 million and £1.1 million—already explained that.If it is any encouragement, I add that Scottish Borders Council was not particularly focused on the Waverley line, although the public were. However, once the Parliament started, we managed to focus the council—to put it politely—because of the great deal of work that was being put into the issue by parliamentarians.
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
I am sorry—I have been picked up wrongly. I meant to say that Scottish Borders Council is very focused on the Waverley line.
Do you mean at present?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
Yes. That is why the council seems to be ignoring the east coast. However, it is coming round.
The Strategic Rail Authority is keen to have passing loops on the east coast main line because of the implications for freight traffic on the line. Is it correct that the SRA would have to negotiate to have the loops put in, as part of awarding the franchise to Great North Eastern Railway?
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
No. Given the volume of traffic on the line, the funding for the loops would come from the SRA.
Therefore, it would ultimately be a matter for ScotRail to put a station on one of those loops. Local authorities would have to use the public transport fund and approach ScotRail to build a station.
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
ScotRail would have to provide the service—
But the station could be built using the Scottish Executive's public transport fund.
Tom Thorburn
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
Yes.
That would require Scottish Borders Council to carry out a feasibility study and to approach the Executive. That is where the blockage is and that is where we need to apply pressure.
Barrie Forrest
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
link
Years ago, when I was a little boy, Reston station was open and a bus service took people to St Abb's Head and Coldingham. Nowadays, St Abb's Head is one of the five most popular tourist destinations in the Borders. Given the housing boom in Edinburgh, Scottish Borders Council should pay more attention to Reston and Berwick. I foresee Reston as the site of a new park-and-ride facility for the eastern Borders to allow people to get into Edinburgh and, vice versa, to allow people to get out of the town to visit our area. Berwickshire has much to offer.
Joyce McLean
Rail Action Group East of Scotland
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Tourism is a big thing. We have loads to offer in Berwickshire such as cycling, walking and castles. The area is absolutely beautiful, but the marketing is lax.
I thank the petitioners for their presentation. They have made a big impression. They are free to listen to our discussion on what we should do with the petition.It is suggested that we write to the Executive to ask for its response to the points raised in the petition. In particular, it is suggested that we ask the Executive to provide details of its policy on restoring stations, where suitable conditions exist, with a view to reducing the predicted increase in traffic congestion in major towns and cities, which is in line with the Executive's priorities on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and road traffic congestion. It might also be helpful for us to write to the SRA to ask about its policy on installing loops on the east coast main line and, in particular, whether it intends to install one at Reston. I also suggest that we write to the Scottish Borders Council to ask for its position on the matter and why it has not applied through the public transport fund for money to carry out a feasibility study with a view to placing a station at Reston.Do members have any points?
I know the area that we are discussing well because I was a candidate there in the 1997 general election. I understand the petitioners' points about tourism. I know that St Abb's Head has one of the few class 1 scuba diving areas in the United Kingdom and is particularly highly regarded and that Coldingham has one of the loveliest guest houses in the area.Could we also write to GNER? I see from the note on the petition that GNER funds stations in England, but that it does not propose to help stations in Scotland. Funding for the development of railway stations should not only be about the Scottish Executive, but about partnership. We should write to all the partners that are involved in railway development, including ScotRail, GNER and Virgin Trains. All the stakeholders ought to be involved in helping to develop railway stations.Fife, where I come from, got a brand new railway station at Dalgety Bay on the basis of Fife Council's bid for challenge funding from the Scottish Executive, which the convener mentioned. I was emphatic that that station had to have disabled access, which has been debated this morning. We should press for that for future stations as well. I hope that the petitioners get their station.We should also write to SESTRANS—the south-east Scotland transport partnership. All the relevant local authorities, from Scottish Borders Council up to Fife Council, and including West Lothian Council and Falkirk Council, are members of the partnership, the essence of which is to try to agree a strategic view of how transportation should be developed. I understand that if the City of Edinburgh Council were to pool its congestion charging money, that would help to finance such initiatives, so I would like to know the partnership's official position on Reston.I agree with the convener's suggestion on writing to Scottish Borders Council. It might also be appropriate to approach East Lothian Council.
The list is getting longer and longer. The committee is understaffed, so members should have some consideration for the clerks.
The suggested action in the members' briefing uses the phrase "where suitable conditions exist". As far as I can see, two suitable conditions are not mentioned in the petition: the availability of the underbridge and a suitable site. Both make the conditions very suitable and we should not fail to extend the petition by mentioning them.I return to my earlier question, which was followed up by Phil Gallie, and to Lewis Macdonald's written answer that a passenger station at Reston is a local transport issue and that the relevant local authority would be expected to develop a project through the public transport fund. Can we write to the minister to ask whether he really believes that the question of freight and passing loops is a local issue? Is it not—at least partly—more than a local issue?
We are doing that in a sense. We are writing to the SRA because the question of loops is strategic. Therefore, that is a matter for the SRA. However, the provision of a station is a local issue that can be advanced through the public transport fund, which is why we are writing to Scottish Borders Council. Your point about the suitable conditions that are available at Reston will be drawn to everyone's attention through the Official Report.
I will be happy as long as we can underline that important point.
I will summarise our discussion. We will write to the Executive along the lines suggested and to Scottish Borders Council to ask it why it is not taking action. We will also write to the SRA to ask what it is doing about loops along the east coast main line, particularly the loop at Reston. We will write to GNER to ask why it provides stations in England and Wales, but not in Scotland, as part of the upgrade of the east coast main line. We will also write to SESTRANS, the cross-council organisation, to ask for its comments and any information that it can give us to assist our consideration of the petition.
On a point of information, I received a letter on 9 July from Scottish Borders Council that explained why it did not apply to the public transport fund. I could provide a copy of that letter for reference if you want.
Yes. That would be useful.
The contents of the petition widen the issue to other places in Scotland. I am a bit worried that, in our contact with the Scottish Executive, we will lose the special circumstances that affect Reston, particularly those related to Dr Ewing's points and the effect on commuters of Edinburgh's expanding population. It would be worth while for the Executive to concentrate on Reston, rather than on the more general issues.
We can ask the Executive to focus on the Reston question and, at the same time, to comment on the wider issue of the provision of stations along the east coast main line.Do members agree with the recommended action?Members indicated agreement.
I thank the petitioners for their attendance today. We will keep them updated on the petition's progress.
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