“IMPORTANT progress” is being made in a bid to protect rail services calling at Dunbar, according to the county’s MSP.

Potential changes to train services were highlighted in a proposed new East Coast Mainline timetable earlier this year. The changes would come into force from May next year, with many residents unhappy about the alterations, which would see more than a dozen services failing to call at Dunbar.

Local elected representatives and community activists have met with rail operators in a bid to see the services protected and potentially enhanced.

The Rail Action Steering Group, formed by East Lothian MSP Paul McLennan, who is also a councillor for the Dunbar and East Linton ward, met with representatives from ScotRail, CrossCountry, LNER and TransPennine Express last Thursday to discuss the proposed changes ahead of the consultation deadline today (Thursday).

Consultations are ongoing but it was confirmed that Transport Scotland had engaged in discussions with TransPennine Express and CrossCountry to ensure Dunbar retained the eight daily southbound services and six daily northbound services by CrossCountry as per the December 2019 timetable.

Mr McLennan described last week’s meeting as “hugely positive”.

He said: “It is clear we have made important progress in protecting Dunbar’s much needed rail services.

“Working alongside cross-party representatives, community activists and rail operators has made this progress possible. I’m grateful for all involved for their role in the Rail Action Steering Group I have chaired in recent weeks, which was established to work towards a shared end goal – safeguarding East Lothian’s connectivity.

“I want to thank all the members of the public who took the time to fill out the consultation and wrote to the Department for Transport to oppose the changes. We have achieved this excellent outcome together and I look forward to continuing engagement with the steering group for discussions concerning stations at East Linton and Haddington in the future.”

The outcome of the consultations is to be announced by the end of the month.