Planning permission has been granted for a new station on the Glasgow/Edinburgh line but it is not the end of the story, says Mark Smith

You may have seen the news this week that planning permission has been granted for a new station on the Glasgow to Edinburgh rail line at Winchburgh, news that will undoubtedly be welcomed by the locals (believe me: I’ve used the bus they have to rely on at the moment – they need a train station). But we should look at exactly where we are with the scheme because yes, the plans have taken a step forward but no, the station is not definitely going ahead and the way ahead is still uncertain. There are leaves on the line.

Before we delve into the detail, a quick recap of what we’re talking about here. Winchburgh is a village 12 miles west of Edinburgh that’s been expanding rapidly in recent years and will be expanding more in the years to come; in the next ten years or so, we’ll be getting some 3,800 new houses in total. The developers have built new roads as part of their plans which is great, but the community also happens to be right on the main Glasgow/Edinburgh rail line so a new station would seem like a no-brainer. It is a no-brainer.

In theory, everyone agrees with this, including the Scottish Government who’ve just celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Borders Railway, which has had a big positive effect on the local economy all along the line. Last summer I was also on a train on the new Levenmouth line with John Swinney who told me he’d love to do more of the same: more........

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