It is “50-50” as to whether Edinburgh’s Southern Suburban Railway could be reopened to passenger traffic, the city’s transport convener has said.
Scott Arthur, who leads on transport for the Labour administration that re-took control of Edinburgh City Council from the SNP last year, said there would be a consultation on the proposal in the summer.
The route, popularly known as ‘the Sub’, connected the city centre with Piershill, Portobello, Duddingston, Newington and Craiglockhart on a loop line across the city’s south. It was closed to stopping services in 1962, but maintained to passenger standard so that it could be used for diversions.
Consideration of a reopening of the route to passenger traffic was included in a city transport plan approved on February 2.
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Comments
Ross Clark - 13/03/2023 09:13
With the congestion in and around Edinburgh's roads the need to reopen the "Sub" is more pressing that ever. Let's keep encouraging the modal shift from cars and buses onto Rail. Electrification of the Sub should be straightforward thus increasing the green benefits of using rail. I say don't dither and get in with it.
David - 13/03/2023 12:40
For the Edin Sub line to function, additional paths are reqd through Waverley. The priority should surely be a reinstatement of X-rail, in full including Piershill and Portobello.
Doug - 15/03/2023 22:09
This should have been reinstated years ago instead of the tram network. It was a viable option, at the time but was mothballed. The ridiculous amount of money spent on the trams could have been put to better use opening up the south suburban line, serving a wider population of the City.
Alan Aitken - 05/04/2023 16:58
The South Sub as it’s known does not require Rail staff @ Halts it’s a Round route from Edinburgh Waverley to Haymarket Craiglochart then Mornigside Road to Asda Halt then Brunstane & then Waverley Station a passenger Train every 20 or 30 minutes would give travelers an alternative to Bus travel in the City of Edinburgh it’s lain unused other than Nuclear trains Freight & repositioning Trains !