MORE trains travelling from Edinburgh to Newcastle will stop off at Dunbar before the end of the year.

Transport Scotland and Rail North Partnership have signed an agreement which will see TransPennine Express (TPE) operate five services per day between Edinburgh and Newcastle from the December timetable change.

In addition, at the May 2022 timetable change, TPE will introduce two additional services per day operating between Edinburgh Waverley, Dunbar, Reston and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

All seven of these services will call at Reston in both directions once that station has opened, and it has been confirmed that these services will also call at East Linton once that station – which was recently approved by East Lothian Council – has opened.

Paul McLennan, East Lothian MSP and a councillor for the Dunbar and East Linton ward, welcomed the move.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome seven additional TransPennine Express services to Dunbar and new services for East Linton once that station has opened.

“There were real and understandable concerns that Dunbar was set to lose train services that thousands rely on daily when the East Coast Mainline 2022 timetable consultation was published earlier this year.

“Panicked residents will feel huge relief from this announcement, which ensures East Lothian’s connectivity is protected.”

Community activists from Rail Action Group East of Scotland (RAGES), who campaigned against the proposed scrappage of Dunbar rail services alongside Mr McLennan and other politicians, also welcomed the announcement.

Tom Thorburn, the group’s president and acting secretary, said: “These five trains will bolster Dunbar services, which are currently insufficient for this expanding town.

“Importantly, these five services will also call at the new station at Reston which is due to open in December, and East Linton when it opens.

“Dunbar passengers will now be able to enjoy much better connectivity with Berwick-upon-Tweed, which it has sadly lacked up until this announcement by TPE.”