Virgin praises rise in popularity of cross-border services
Rail operator Virgin Trains says it has seen a surge in cross-border rail travel after investing in new services.
Rail operator Virgin Trains says it has seen a surge in cross-border rail travel after investing in new services.
New figures show 5,000 additional passengers are said to be crossing the border every week on the east coast route.
Between May and September, the number of passengers crossing the border in each direction grew by 7% compared to the same period last year.
Transport minister Humza Yousaf said: Cross-border rail services are an undoubted success and demand continues to grow.
We look forward to the further planned improvements in quality and journey times, which will improve rail's attractiveness in this market.''
A timetable overhaul in May was the first step in improving east coast services between Edinburgh and London.
In December, the firm is introducing a further three services on Sunday and a late-night service to Newcastle on Friday evenings.
David Horne, managing director for the east coast route, said: We're delighted to see the positive response from customers from the improvements we've made to Anglo-Scottish services.
We now offer more trains connecting Edinburgh to Newcastle and London and have invested heavily in improving the quality of these services.''