A PUBLIC meeting to highlight continued problems with overcrowded train services between East Lothian and Edinburgh is being held, amid claims it has not changed despite promises made a year ago.

The ScotRail Alliance, which operates the North Berwick service, has been invited to send representatives to the meeting, which is being organised by East Lothian’s MSP Iain Gray and MP Martin Whitfield.

It comes a year after Mr Whitfield, in his previous role as Prestonpans Community Council chairman, headed a meeting in which a series of concerns about the service were raised.

Mr Whitfield said: “That event was well-attended and provided an opportunity for local rail users to make their feelings known and quiz ScotRail about the numerous problems they were experiencing.

“Some commitments were made at that meeting around delivering improvements on the North Berwick line.

“However, I think it’s clear to anyone who uses services on the line that very little has changed over the last 12 months.

“This ongoing misery for commuters in East Lothian is simply not good enough. We need to see real action from all partners to remedy the problems and deliver a reliable service for local rail users. This meeting will provide another opportunity to push for that change.”

The meeting has been arranged for Prestonpans Town Hall on Thursday, May 3, from 7pm.

Mr Gray said it came after another year of frustration and complaints about the issues that have dogged the line, such as serious overcrowding, frequent delays and cancellations, and problems with ticketing, including broken ticket machines.

He said: “I have spent years campaigning for the kind of safe, regular and reliable rail services that people in East Lothian need.

“Sadly, despite various promises and warm words from successive rail ministers and ScotRail bosses, little progress has been made.

“Indeed, I continue to receive a regular flow of complaints from local rail users about their poor experience.

“Frequent overcrowding, sometimes to the point where passengers have felt unsafe, delays and cancellations cause huge frustration to those using the line. It is unacceptable and must change. Martin and I intend to use this meeting to reiterate the strength of feeling on the issue and relaunch our local #RailChange campaign for improvementsin local services.”

A spokesperson for ScotRail said representatives from Network Rail and ScotRail would attend the meeting.