DUMFRIESSHIRE MP David Mundell is stepping up his campaign to bring improved main line rail services to Lockerbie.
A petition calling for better rail links for Dumfriesshire, launched earlier this month, is already attracting good support from people wanting to see improvements.
Now the MP has arranged to meet First TransPennine Express Managing Director Nick Donovan to press for more stops in the company’s new timetable.
That meeting is being held in Lockerbie on Friday, February 1.
As part of his campaign to bring better rail services to Dumfriesshire Mr Mundell has already held talks with TransPennine and Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown.
The MP has already raised the issue of an early morning Lockerbie to Edinburgh service with TransPennine, calling for it to be included in future timetables so that local people could get to Edinburgh before 9am.
Mr Mundell said: "I am determined to get the balanced timetable of services that Lockerbie needs, as well as making sure there are enough seats on the trains we currently have.
“I am lobbying again all the interested parties in the rail industry to make the case for more trains stopping at Lockerbie, and in particular for the early morning service to Edinburgh and late evening services from both Glasgow and Edinburgh so local people can enjoy entertainment opportunities in both cities.
“It must be in TransPennine’s interests to improve services for Dumfriesshire. Even more people would use their services if there were trains running at the times people wanted to use them, and in particular if people were able to effectively commute between this area and Edinburgh.
The MP went on: “I am also concerned that so many people have to stand between Lockerbie and Edinburgh. This is not acceptable, and in my view is partly down to TransPennine encouraging more passengers with special deal tickets onto services that are already busy, rather than onto less busy ones.