Reston train station has reopened its doors for the first time since its closure in 1964 after a £20m refurbishment funded by the Scottish Government.
First opened in 1864, the station connects the village in the Scottish Borders to Edinburgh and also has services which run to King’s Cross in London.
The station will cater to multiple routes, including TransPennine Express and LNER services from Edinburgh to London, with a train to down south costing as little as £39.50.
The station, which now boasts a 270m platform, a 70-space car park, and a "Ribbon" footbridge, was a Network Rail project that was brought to action by a £20m investment from the Scottish Government.
The opening comes after the First Minister announced in February that Scottish stations including East Linton, Dalcross, Cameron Bridge and Leven will all be reinstated within the next three years.
Construction of Reston station began in March 2021, after work was completed to redirect a water main which crossed the site of the Berwickshire station.
Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, attended the opening of the station, and said she was “delighted that work to construct the new Reston station is now completed.”
Gilruth, the MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, added: “The £20m investment provided by the Scottish Government for Reston station and investment in other new stations is one way to make travelling by rail an easier option and enable more people to choose the sustainable transport option as an alternative to using the car.”
Speaking in Scottish Parliament on May 18, Gilruth said that “full devolution of rail powers is a long-stated aim of the Government, as it would bring track and train together”, adding that devolution of rail services would “ensure that we have the levers that we need to create a sustainable rail service in the future.”
Construction of the station itself was one of many tasks at hand, with electrification upgrades and the installation of modern-day train signals all being included in the agenda.
A spokesperson for Network Rail stated: “Reston station is an investment in transport but also in our economy, communities and our environment.”
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