Edinburgh South Suburban railway - your views online

A petition to reopen a historic route on the Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Railway, known as the Ed South Sub, has gained thousands of signatures as it aims to increase mobility and city centre links for Edinburgh residents

Steven Oliver

Will never happen. As well as the congestion, CEC don't like any idea which may potentially harm Lothian Buses. Their mindset is "if it doesn't involve Lothian Buses, we're not interested" and that, alone, will see this latest attempt to revive the South Sub for passenger use go the same way as so many other attempts have done - kicked into the long grass.

Helen Green

As someone who lives near Glasgow, I am surprised how poor the suburban rail network in Edinburgh is compared with Glasgow. As the Edinburgh councillors seem to hate cars so much, re-opening a line like this would be a sensible move.

Ian MacLachlan

Bring it on! It was going to cost the vast sum of £18m to reopen it, but the council at that time spent £770 million on a tram that goes to nowhere in particular!

Thomas Tw Whiteford

Won’t happen as it would increase capacity on Haymarket Junction that's already congested during disruptions and peak times. You can, however, travel round it during diversions and when Cross Country run the Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Waverley service during the week and some weekends that avoids Haymarket. Better in the lighter summer months.

Ken Johnston

Unfortunately the current trams can't be used on the South Suburban - different voltage on train lines. Would need a hybrid redesign.

Robert Richardson

Edinburgh could easily have a circle line, Metro-type railway going round the city. Would be fairly easy to do and a hell of a lot cheaper than the trams!

Bill Kerr

Used to have a business in Morningside Road and the train tracks passed just down the road. I was perplexed once when having a walk to see a goods train with very odd wagons. Apparently these were transporting used nuclear fuel rods from Torness...to where for processing?

Paul Kierley

UK railway is more expensive than international flights!

Frances Petrie-Hay

Where's the money to come from? The council is already billions in debt. Never going to happen plus there is a lot more of South Edinburgh beyond this.

Margaret Lumsden

This was part of a route which was closed 60 years ago by Beeching. Unknown to him it was a very profitable route.

Ian Flockhart

They won’t do that - it’ll cut into their bollard money!

Reuben Withers

A great idea but Waverley station does not have the capacity to put the local trains through it. But when the proposed expansion happens, we have hope.

Marshal Wade

Any genuine attempt to tackle the transport issues in the Edinburgh area will start with the revived suburban rail service, without which everything else is just playing with toys instead of grown-up policy.

Lioslaith Rose

Park and ride. Park your car and ride an e-sccoter on cycle paths into town!

Derek Patterson

The problem would appear to be congestion at Waverly and Haymarket junctions.

Robert Stephenson

I think it's already actively being looked at, as I have a friend in the rail department and they are saying the line at Meadowbank just needs relaid. Now that the Scottish Government are taking back control over ScotRail things will progress as Abelio were digging theirheels in about paying for it.

Ian Divine

It’s a no brainer really.

Kevin Whyte

Trying to reinstall Tory destruction is a good thing!

Covid Scotland

Calls for delayed reopening of schools in January as Omicron surges

Stacey Weir

No, no, no, kids are struggling after the loss of so much education. Come on, get a grip now. There is a lot more things like gyms, pubs and clubs all to be closed rather than schools.

Dee Greer

Education should be prioritised to stay open. Far too many children have had a negative impact of being at home already.

Claudia Reid-Mertner

For everyone worried, keep your child at home. I want my child in full education. The virus is here to stay and mutate every now and again we need to learn to live with it in my opinion.