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| Borders-to-Edinburgh railway to open as longest UK line in century | Borders-to-Edinburgh railway to open as longest UK line in century |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Trains are returning to the Scottish Borders after 46 years with the opening of the longest new domestic railway built in Britain for over a century. | Trains are returning to the Scottish Borders after 46 years with the opening of the longest new domestic railway built in Britain for over a century. |
| The old Waverley Line through the region shut in 1969. | The old Waverley Line through the region shut in 1969. |
| The new Borders Railway runs between Tweedbank and Edinburgh and was built at a cost of £294m. | The new Borders Railway runs between Tweedbank and Edinburgh and was built at a cost of £294m. |
| David Spaven, author of a book about the route, described it as the "astonishing achievement" of a project which had been dismissed by many. | David Spaven, author of a book about the route, described it as the "astonishing achievement" of a project which had been dismissed by many. |
| Services will run every half-hour during the day on weekdays and take under an hour to travel the full length of the line. | Services will run every half-hour during the day on weekdays and take under an hour to travel the full length of the line. |
| Special passengers with golden tickets were able to travel the route on Saturday while the Queen will carry out an official opening on Wednesday - the day she becomes Britain's longest serving monarch. | Special passengers with golden tickets were able to travel the route on Saturday while the Queen will carry out an official opening on Wednesday - the day she becomes Britain's longest serving monarch. |
| The Scottish government has said it believed the line can boost local economies in Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. | |
| Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown said it was a chance to access "new work, learning and social opportunities, as well as new business and industry links". | Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown said it was a chance to access "new work, learning and social opportunities, as well as new business and industry links". |
| "The Borders Railway has become a symbol of this golden age for Scotland's railways, and it will be the vehicle for a new prosperity for the communities on the route," he said. | "The Borders Railway has become a symbol of this golden age for Scotland's railways, and it will be the vehicle for a new prosperity for the communities on the route," he said. |
| Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said the start of services was a "truly historic moment" for Scotland. | Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said the start of services was a "truly historic moment" for Scotland. |
| It is hoped one million passengers a year will be using the railway within five years of it opening. | It is hoped one million passengers a year will be using the railway within five years of it opening. |
| Mr Spaven said it was a historic day as Galashiels and Hawick would lose their "unwanted status" of being further from the rail network than any other towns of their size in Britain. | Mr Spaven said it was a historic day as Galashiels and Hawick would lose their "unwanted status" of being further from the rail network than any other towns of their size in Britain. |
| "Experience from other Scottish rail re-openings - and the special opportunities for tourist and leisure traffic on this route - suggest that the trains will be very popular and encourage a significant shift from road to rail," he said. | "Experience from other Scottish rail re-openings - and the special opportunities for tourist and leisure traffic on this route - suggest that the trains will be very popular and encourage a significant shift from road to rail," he said. |
| He added that with significant numbers of people in the Borders not owning a car it could provide a "step-change in terms of social inclusion". | He added that with significant numbers of people in the Borders not owning a car it could provide a "step-change in terms of social inclusion". |
| He said it could see more businesses and people move to the Borders and Midlothian as well as enhancing tourism prospects. | He said it could see more businesses and people move to the Borders and Midlothian as well as enhancing tourism prospects. |
| Mr Spaven concluded it would "partially put right one of the great wrongs of the old model of London-based transport policy". | Mr Spaven concluded it would "partially put right one of the great wrongs of the old model of London-based transport policy". |
| The Campaign For Borders Rail has welcomed the opening as "one of the greatest achievements of grassroots rail campaigning in British history". | The Campaign For Borders Rail has welcomed the opening as "one of the greatest achievements of grassroots rail campaigning in British history". |
| However, it has raised concerns about how the network would cope with growing demand. | However, it has raised concerns about how the network would cope with growing demand. |
| Simon Walton, chairman of the group, said the "whole concept of future-proofing" was something they felt had not been addressed adequately. | Simon Walton, chairman of the group, said the "whole concept of future-proofing" was something they felt had not been addressed adequately. |
| Its main concern is the reduction of the length of double track on the line, which it said did not leave a "great margin for error" in maintaining the scheduled service. | Its main concern is the reduction of the length of double track on the line, which it said did not leave a "great margin for error" in maintaining the scheduled service. |