WORK on bringing a railway station back to East Linton should be under way within the next five years.

Network Rail has unveiled its Control Period (CP) 6 Delivery Plan for Scotland, which covers the period 2019 to 2024.

The document also outlines enhancement to the East Coast Main Line, which includes “early” delivery of a new station at East Linton, as well as Reston in the Scottish Borders.

The announcement was welcomed by East Lothian MSP Iain Gray and MP Martin Whitfield, who have both been campaigning for the station to be created.

While no specific date is mentioned for the completion of the project, both politicians hope its inclusion in the plan means the important infrastructure will now go ahead by 2024 at the latest.

Mr Gray has been campaigning for the delivery of the new station since he was first elected in 2007.

He told the Courier delays to the project in the past had led to “fears that it would never be implemented”.

He added: “With the publication of this delivery plan, we finally have something more concrete to aim for.

“I hope that we can now finally see the new station, and consequent local rail services, completed and available for local people as rapidly as possible.”

A two-decade campaign has been fought to see the station return to the village, with the original station closing in 1964.

The new station will be built to the west of the previous version but, before work can start, a planning application has to be made to East Lothian Council. Then, members of the public will get the chance to give their views on the design before a decision will be made about whether the scheme can go ahead.

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

Mr Whitfield said: “I have raised East Linton station with UK Ministers in Parliament and in ministerial meetings and asked them to press Network Rail to ensure that it is delivered, so I’m pleased to see it in black and white in the new plan.

“The station at East Linton will not only bring great benefits to the village itself but should also lead to improved local services between Berwick and Edinburgh, benefiting the whole of the county.”