LONGER trains will be a permanent fixture in East Lothian from December this year, ScotRail has promised, following a public meeting in Prestonpans.

The rail firm's senior representatives told people who attended the meeting last night that they would be running six carriage trains in the county by the end of this year - one year ahead of initial plans.

The move comes after ScotRail introduced the longer trains as a temporary fix on the North Berwick to Edinburgh line last month.

At a meeting, arranged by Prestonpans Community Council, in Prestonpans town hall last night, Scott Prentice and Rob Shorthouse, from the company, heard pleas from locals to keep the longer trains in East Lothian.

But they said they were contractually tied to taking them away once the Edinburgh to Glasgow line was electrified, expected to happen over the next two months.

However they vowed to bring them back as soon as possible.

Speaking to the meeting Mr Shorthouse said: "From December this year we will be able to run the six-car trains we hve just now in East Lothian.

"Then as we introduce new trains we will increase the service over 2018."

The company said Transport Scotland set down the services they had to cover as part of their contract and the current longer trains, which are being used in the county, would have to be taken away for a short period.

And they revealed they had debated whether to introduce the temporary six-car trains at all in the knowledge they would have to be taken away again.

Mr Shorthouse told the meeting: "We know it is a bad thing to give a baby a sweetie and then take it away. There was a lot of discussion about introducing six-car trains as a temporary fix."

Mr Prentice, who is responsible for long term planning at ScotRail, told the meeting that by 2024 six-car trains would be needed across East Lothian to meet the demand of passengers.

And he revealed ScotRail had warned the Scottish Government that a longer term solution, involving introducing four tracks at Prestonpans, would cost up to £400million.

He said: "The reality is that having that infrastucture in place will take five years before we even see a spade in the ground. We have told the Scottish Government what is needed and given them the price tag."

Nearly 50 people attended the meeting, including East Lothian MSP Iain Gray who has lobbied ScotRail over the problems with overcrowding on the train.

He told their representatives: "People just want a reliable service. They want to be able to get to work on time and get home again. They are not asking for anything unreasonable."