THE Scottish Government has been accused of playing “pass the parcel” with the decision of when a train station will return to East Linton.

A campaign has been ongoing for nearly two decades, with the earliest opening of the station thought to be 2021.

However, fears have repeatedly been raised that the timeline could change, with the opening of the station, along with one at Reston in the Scottish Borders, slipping further down the line.

Transport Scotland has stressed the plans remain “on schedule” and the commitment to the scheme is “unwavering”.

Tom Thorburn, chairman of Rail Action Group East of Scotland (RAGES), aired his frustrations at RAGES’ AGM last month.

He said: “We have been campaigning for these stations to open for nearly 20 years.

“We have been shunted from one Transport Minister to another with delaying tactics from each so that no firm decision is taken when our new stations will happen.”

Various discussions have taken place with a succession of Transport Ministers since 2011, when Stewart Stevenson MSP, according to Mr Thorburn, confirmed that a second Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) would not be required as the case for the Edinburgh to Berwick local service with a re-opened station at East Linton was so strong.

However, since then, progress has been slow, with still no date confirmed for when work could begin on the station.

Already, East Lothian Council has agreed to put forward more than £3 million for the station, with Scottish Borders Council doing similar for the station at Reston.

The new East Linton station would not be on the site of the former station there, which closed in 1964, and instead would be to the west.

Mr Thorburn said: “There is now a sixth Transport Minister, Michael Matheson, and when I tried to make an appointment to see him, his staff said his diary was full.

“We have no way of knowing when our stations will happen – will it be by 2024 or will they drop off Network Rail’s agenda altogether?

“It seems that it is a ‘pass the parcel’ exercise from one minister to the next and East Linton and Reston stations are not seen as a high priority project by the Scottish Government.”

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “It was agreed by the Scottish Government and East Lothian Council that East Linton station will be delivered during the next railway investment period (2019 to 2024) as part of a larger programme of works to enhance the East Coast Main Line. The progress of the station remains on schedule and our commitment to delivering it as early as practicable is unwavering.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We are committed to delivering stations at East Linton and Reston before the end of the next five-year funding cycle in March 2024.”