Travel – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Next stop: May half-term – train travel delivers over a £430m boost to local economies

This May half-term, families travelling by rail are set to contribute an estimated £191 million to the local area they depart from and over £240 million at their destination, boosting local microeconomies.

Those heading for seaside towns and villages could drive local spending of over £20 million across the entire May half-term.

Food and drink are the top spend in and around the departure station, with leisure passengers supporting local high streets and the hospitality industry when they travel.

Numbers of leisure travellers expected to jump by 9% in city destinations and leap by 1/3 in seaside towns during half-term week with rail passengers, giving a real boost to local economies.

This May half-term, when leisure travellers, families and friends opt to travel by rail, they will also be providing a significant economic boost to local communities across Great Britain. New data from Rail Delivery Group shows that rail travellers this May half-term will contribute an estimated £191 million to the local areas from which they depart and over £240 million at their destination.

When comparing the half-term week in May with surrounding weeks outside, numbers of leisure travellers are expected to jump by 9% in city destinations and increase by 1/3 in seaside towns with rail passengers, giving a real boost to local businesses.

Whether families are spending more time exploring new places, enjoying leisurely meals, or visiting seaside attractions during their holidays, every journey made during this half-term will contribute to local economies.

Just over half (58%) of all leisure travellers spend money in and around the departure station and the most common location to spend money is on the local high street (40% of leisure travellers) followed by inside the station (16%).

The data also found that passengers heading to seaside towns and villages are the most likely to spend money in and around their departure station (65%), followed by people travelling to non-coastal towns and villages (60%) and cities (58%) and with travellers to rural areas the least likely (49%).

Those families heading to the seaside are expected to make an even larger impact with an average spend of £34 in and around their departure station and £44 at their destination. This means that those travellers visiting seaside towns and villages could be contributing over £20 million throughout the entire half-term to their local high streets, independent businesses and beyond. Whether grabbing an ice cream, buying a book or enjoying a fresh batch of fish & chips, every journey will benefit the local economies.

Beyond the economic boost, choosing rail this May half-term has a real environmental impact. On average, a single train journey emits nearly five times less carbon emissions than the same trip by car—equivalent to saving as much carbon as boiling a kettle 455 times.

And compared with flying, domestic rail travel in Britain is up to 13 times greener. By choosing the train, half-term travellers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while also supporting local communities across the country.

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair & Chief Executive Officer at Rail Delivery Group said: “May half-term is a great time for families to explore many wonderful towns and attractions across Britain.

“Our data shows that by choosing sustainable rail journeys, passengers not only reduce their carbon footprint but also play a vital role in supporting local communities.

“Whether it’s a seaside escape, exploring somewhere new, or visiting family, this half-term every trip is more than a journey; it’s a chance to support local high streets, independent businesses and further drive economic growth across the country.”

Letters: Public transport experiences for people who are deaf or have hearing loss

Dear Editor,

The May bank holidays are upon us and train stations are buzzing with travellers and day-trippers. However, for millions of people who are deaf, or have hearing loss, using public transport can be a challenging and stressful experience.

Imagine being on a platform. Passengers suddenly start leaving and you’re not sure why. Or you’re on a train that stops unexpectedly between stations, and you seem to be the only person in the carriage unaware of what’s going on. What should be a relaxing journey can quickly become an anxious and isolating experience. Deaf people often rely on fellow travellers for help.

To mark Deaf Awareness Week (5–11 May), RNID – the national charity supporting the 18 million people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus – has highlighted concerning research showing that the public are often unwilling to assist deaf people when navigating public transport. Whilst many people do want to help – they’re often held-back by uncertainty around how to communicate.

The good news is that RNID’s ‘It does matter’ campaign offers free tips and videos with basic BSL phrases to help people become more deaf-aware and confident when offering support.

This Deaf Awareness Week is the perfect time to learn how you can make a difference. Visit www.rnid.org.uk/it-does-matter

Yours sincerely,

Teri Devine,
Associate Director of Inclusion,
RNID

Barrhead Travel reveals top destinations for Edinburgh holidaymakers this Easter

Following a record start to the year, leading travel agent shares destinations that have topped the must-visit lists for customers this Easter

 Barrhead Travel has revealed sunshine is top of the priority list this spring for British holidaymakers, with Tenerife, Mallorca and Turkey emerging amongst the most popular destinations this Easter.

With the recent spell of fair weather, customers have caught the bug for sunshine, with Easter departures set to exceed their record-breaking holiday period in 2024.

Following the agency’s successful start to the year, cruising has also proven a very popular option, thanks to the value-for-money on offer as well as the convenience of many regional departures.

According to Barrhead Travel sales data, the top selling destinations for travel across the Easter period in Scotland have included:

Tenerife
Mallorca
Lanzarote
Antalya
Alicante

All-inclusive holidays remain the number one choice for holidaymakers, while cruise is also amongst the top picks. Most customers are opting to maximise the holiday period with seven nights listed as the top duration. However, the group have reported an increase in three and four night breaks this season with many people opting for long weekend getaways.

The ongoing demand mirrors Barclays latest consumer research which highlights that spend with travel agents was up 13.1 percent in March while holidays were cited as a “top priority purchase.”

Jacqueline Dobson, President of Barrhead Travel said: “We can see the appetite for holidays in 2025 shows no sign of slowing down, with travel across the Easter period set to exceed our departures from last season.

“We’ve seen an increase in late bookings this Easter which suggests that there’s high levels of confidence amongst customers to add in extra holiday breaks. The pattern we’re seeing is that people have secured their main annual holiday further ahead than usual and are then assessing their budgets periodically to see what other trips they feel they can plan in.

“We know how important holidays are to our customers this year and we’ve been working hard to make sure that we can deliver the very best value for money. Working with a trusted travel agent, like our team at Barrhead Travel, can help make your budget go further.

“With Easter wrapping up this weekend, we’re now looking ahead to a busy May Bank Holiday period and summer season.”

Barrhead Travel’s retail network is open seven days a week until late as well as offering evening support through their online service, call centres and social media channels.

Find your nearest Barrhead Travel store by visiting:

https://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/storelocator  

Students call for Edinburgh’s South Suburban rail line to reopen to passengers after 60 years

Engineering students from Heriot-Watt University are spearheading calls to reopen a rail route that last served neighbourhoods in the south of Edinburgh over 60 years ago.

The six-strong team of civil engineers, based in Edinburgh, are behind an online petition urging policymakers to integrate Edinburgh’s South Suburban Line into the city’s existing tram network paving the way for a new transport corridor in the Capital. In addition to the petition, which has already gathered almost 1500 signatures in the last week, the students carried out a public survey revealing significant support for their proposals from local communities and potential passengers.

Opened in 1884, the line – commonly known as the Sub – closed to timetabled passenger services in 1962.

Spanning 12.3km, the line links Murrayfield stadium in the west of the city with Portobello on its eastern boundary, passing through the key neighbourhoods of Craiglockhart, Morningside, Newington, Cameron Toll, Craigmillar, Fort Kinnaird and Brunstane. It currently has six platforms lining the route which the students acknowledge require renovation. Their plans also propose a further four new platforms at Portobello, Fort Kinnaird, Niddrie Bingham and Cameron Toll.

While the line is maintained by Network Rail and used today for freight transportation, the students argue it is underutilised asset, capable of assisting Edinburgh City Council in meeting its target to reduce car miles travelled by 30% by 2030.

Caitlin Cummings is working on the project as part of her final year coursework in Civil Engineering. She said: “Breathing new life into Edinburgh’s South Suburban Railway will make travel easier for all and encourage people to leave their cars at home in favour of this transport link.

“We do have a second phase to this project that would see a separate line extend from Portobello to Leith using a disused railway line. This would also reduce public disruption by preventing roads from being dug up and minimise impact to business and the environment while helping encourage people onto public transport.”

Efforts to reopen the Sub line have been discussed before but dismissed due to high costs related to increasing capacity at the stations. But with Edinburgh’s population increasing and placing greater demands on existing public transport services, the students believe they have found a ‘practical and cost-effective’ solution.

After months of research using the knowledge gained through their studies, they have tabled a proposal to introduce Scotland’s first battery-electric tram-train network. Tram-trains have been in use in Europe for decades and already operate in Sheffield with more planned elsewhere in the UK.

Tram-trains are a type of light rail vehicle that meet the standards of a light rail system – such as a tram network – and also national mainland railway standards. Tramcars are capable of operating on streets like an urban tramway as well as alongside mainline trains.

It’s a proposal the campaign group hope will trigger interest from the Scottish Government, Edinburgh City Council and Network Rail.

Final-year MEng Civil Engineering student, Corey Boyle said: “The system we propose is called discontinued electrification. That’s an alternative to a full route electrification like we see used on the Edinburgh trams.

“As they’re battery electric vehicles, they can run on sections using battery alone and then switch to overhead lines at certain points. This way, it helps keep costs down and gets round any potential obstacles, such as low bridges that might otherwise prevent a tram train from receiving power.

“It is a low-carbon and viable transport option that would see greater connections between homes in the south of the city with the city centre and beyond.”

The group say their proposal will help alleviate capacity concerns at Edinburgh’s two busiest railway stations, Waverley and Haymarket.

Corey, continues: “Ultimately, we want our work to result in the commissioning of a new feasibility study which looks into reopening the South sub.

“The last one was in 2008, which was before the trams were even opened and it never looked into the use of tram trains. Since then, there’s been a lot of new developments and there’s a strong case for a new feasibility study to be carried out.”

Edinburgh City Council’s Transport and Environmental Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson thanked the students for organising the petition and supported calls for Edinburgh to have an interconnected public transport system.

He said: “The South Suburban Railway network has been an issue that has appeared many times over the years and represents a potential future opportunity for development.

“Edinburgh requires an efficient, innovative and interconnected public transport system to allow us to deal with projected population growth, fulfil our climate responsibilities, drive economic growth, and accelerate developments to respond to our housing emergency.

“I’ve been clear that the North-South tram route is a key part of this and I’m looking forward to seeing the final Strategic Business Case when it is ultimately presented to committee. In addition, we are working with partners on how a North-South tram route can connect with other public transport options across the city and the surrounding local authorities and South Suburban Railway is part of this.

“We’ll continue to keep Edinburgh moving and encourage all our residents and visitors to use public transport wherever possible.”

If you wish to add your name in support of the campaign, you can by visiting Change.org.

Travel Agents of Change exhibition opens on Saturday

Travel Agents of Change project showcases stories of flight-free holidays from Edinburgh

Local sustainable transport project Porty Community Energy launches an exhibition this coming Saturday featuring the stories of local people who have bucked the holiday trend and opted not to take a cheap flight to their vacations from the capital, choosing to travel more slowly instead.

Porty Community Energy launched their ‘Travel Agents Of Change’ project last November as a competition for people in Edinburgh, asking to be sent the best stories of flight-free travel from the capital.

The project organisers were delighted to receive more than sixty entries. The best stories have now been published as a colourful Zine that will be sold in bookshops across the city.

And a smorgasboard of colourful photos, top slow travel tips, recommendations for the best places to go, and quotes from contributors explaining the highlights of their trips, has been made into a 21 panel outdoor exhibition that will tour the city.

While some contributors to the project found scenic adventures in Scotland and the UK, many more travelled further afield.

Competition entrants shared their slow travel adventures which included a trip to a monastery in Belgium, taking the Eurostar to a hotel in Venice, family Eurorail passes to go skiing in the Alps, and biking and sailing in the Friesian isles.

What’s more, contributors argued that, far from being a second-rate option, travel by bus, train and ferry is the very best way to go on holiday, offering a chance to wind down, enjoy the view, and is very sociable too.

The aim of the exhibition is to persuade people of the delights of a flight-free holiday and to help make it easy to plan such a holiday whether they have a small family, are looking for something more active, or really want a once in a lifetime experience.

The first exhibition opening will take place in Portobello and will feature presentations from two of the contributors. Councillor Jane Meagher, Head of Edinburgh City Council will officially open the exhibition.

Future destinations for the exhibition will include a couple of weeks at the Water of Leith visitor’s centre in February, and a Pancake Day launch in Bruntsfield organised by BANZAI – Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative in March.

Travel agents of change_porty community_nov2024_colour (1)Download

Project coordinator Hazel Darwin-Clements said: “‘Less than 20% of the global population has been on a plane. It’s time we stopped seeing it as either normal or aspirational to fly regularly for holidays.

“As someone who now considers it quite normal to plan a summer holiday with my family using trains, buses or a car share, I know what great holidays there are out there for people who no longer wish to burn the excessive carbon needed for a cheap flight abroad.

“Dark, cold January is apparently the most popular time for people to book their holidays away. So this exhibition is to inspire this year’s holiday-makers – because it’s easier than you think to choose a flight-free holiday and there are so many hidden gems out there.’

PICTURES:

Skiing in the alps – Sarah Lewis

Cairngorm Mountain – Kathalena Leung

Jet2holidays and Jet2CityBreaks are recognised as Which? Recommended Providers once again

UK’s largest tour operator receives good news to start 2025, after receiving prestigious status in five categories – Beach and Resort Holiday Providers, Solo Holiday Providers, Family Holiday Providers, Tailor-Made Holiday Providers and City Breaks Providers
Jet2’s brands named Which? Recommended Provider in seven categories in total!

Jet2holidays is starting this year on a high, having been named a Which? Recommended Provider in an unprecedented five categories.

The UK’s largest tour operator has once again been praised for its customer first approach and received the prestigious status in the Beach and Resort Holiday Providers, Solo Holiday Providers and Family Holiday Providers categories, as well as in a brand-new category for Jet2holidays – Tailor-Made Holiday Providers. Jet2CityBreaks is also recognised as a City Breaks Provider once again.

For the first time, Jet2holidays has received recognition in the consumer champion’s Tailor-Made Holiday Providers category which involved surveying almost 13,000 Which? Connect panel members who had discussed their holiday requirements with a travel advisor and had their specific holiday needs catered to or had been provided with recommendations on destinations or hotels. After being highly praised for its customer service and value for money of their holiday overall, Jet2holidays was awarded a customer score of 81%.

Adding to its success, Jet2holidays also received Which? Recommended Provider status in the Beach and Resort Holiday Providers category for the seventh year running. This accomplishment comes after respondents to the survey rated their beach and resort package holidays based on their customer service, accommodation, description matches reality, organisation, transport to and from destination and value for money, seeing Jet2holidays score an impressive 82%. Assessing Jet2holidays, Which? concludes ‘For a short-haul European beach break, Jet2holidays’ quality and wide number of destinations make it unbeatable.’

There was cause for even further celebration, as the company has also been named as a Which? Recommended Provider in the Family Holiday Providers and Solo Holiday Providers categories for the third year running. This recognition was achieved after customers rated the package holiday specialist highly in both categories, with Jet2holidays receiving a total score of 78% in the ‘Solo Holiday Providers’ category and 80% in the ‘Family Holiday Providers’ category.

Jet2CityBreaks has also been named a Which? Recommended Provider for City Breaks for the fourth consecutive year, after receiving a customer score of 80%.

In addition to these latest successes, Jet2.com is also a Which? Recommended Provider for Airlines and Jet2Villas is a Which? Recommended Provider for Villas and Holiday Lets Abroad. It means that Jet2’s brands are recognised as a Which? Recommended Provider in seven categories in total. These are: Beach and Resort Holiday Providers, Tailor-Made Holiday Providers, Family Holiday Providers, Solo Holiday Providers, City Breaks (Jet2CityBreaks), Villas and Holiday Lets Abroad (Jet2Villas) and Airlines (Jet2.com).

In further recognition for providing customers with industry-leading products and customer service on their well-deserved holidays, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays also secured the title of Travel Brand of the Year for the third year running at the prestigious Which? Awards 2024.

To help holidaymakers secure their well-deserved holiday for even less this year, Jet2holidays has launched a promotion giving customers £90 per person off all holidays that depart between now and 15^th November 2026.

The tour operatorhas also announced that customers with a myJet2 account can access an even bigger saving – with a whopping £100 off per person on all holidays. To take advantage of this saving, customers can sign up quickly and easily for a myJet2 account at https://www.jet2holidays.com/myjet2

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “This is fantastic news to start the new year. We are extremely proud to receive Which? Recommended Provider status once again and to be repeatedly recognised for our commitment to delivering outstanding customer service.

“This in-depth study carried out by the consumer champion, which is based on the experiences of paying customers, demonstrates who holidaymakers and independent travel agents can trust and look to when booking their next holiday, as we enter the peak booking season.

“With no fewer than seven Which? Recommended Provider accolades, this recognition reflects the hard work we put into delivering our industry-leading customer service.

“Whatever type of getaway a customer is after, they can be assured that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will go above and beyond to deliver their much-deserved holiday. We are looking forward to even more successes in 2025.”

To view the findings of the survey, please follow the links below:

Best & Worst Tailor-Made Holiday Providers: Best tailor made holiday providers – Which?

Best & Worst Beach and Resort Holiday Providers: Best Package Holiday Providers – Which?

Best & Worst City Break Providers: Best And Worst City Break Providers – Which?

Best & Worst Family Holiday Providers: Best family holiday providers – Which?

Best & Worst Solo Holiday Providers: Best and worst solo holiday providers – Which?

Record year for Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport, part of the VINCI Airports network, has welcomed a record 15 million passengers in a single year, a milestone achieved for the first time ever at a Scottish airport.

The milestone was reached earlier this month at Scotland’s busiest airport, marking the first time any airport in Scotland has recorded such numbers.

Edinburgh Airport is among the first airports in the UK to achieve growth in both passenger numbers and connectivity options following Covid.

The record-breaking year comes as the airport introduced new routes in 2024 and facilitated travel for major events. Key highlights include:

Emirates returning to Edinburgh with a daily service to Dubai.
JetBlue entering the Scottish market with daily flights to New York during the summer.
WestJet expanding its presence by adding Toronto and Halifax to its Calgary service.
Increasing frequency into and connections to Germany as the Tartan Army went to cheer on Scotland at Euro 2024.
Taylor Swift fans flying in from all over the world to attend her concerts at Murrayfield.

The airport has already announced new routes and airlines for 2025, such as the return of American Airlines and its Philadelphia route, JetBlue adding Boston to its options, and Austrian Airlines entering the Scottish market with its seasonal route to Vienna.

Work is also underway to improve facilities for passengers at the airport with an expansion to its check-in hall, and a range of new food and drink options being introduced in the coming months.

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “It’s great to hit this major passenger milestone that shows the clear interest that people have in tourism and travel, both to and from Scotland.

“Whether it was supporting Scotland at the Euros, being a Swiftie and singing your heart out at Murrayfield or travelling to a bucket list destination for that special holiday, we’ve been able to facilitate more than 15 million journeys this year at Scotland’s busiest airport.

“That’s an achievement that reflects the incredible spirit of our team, the excitement of our passengers to see the world, and the growing connections we’re proud to foster across Scotland and beyond. We’re already planning for 2025 and what it will bring, and we look forward to seeing even more people next year.”

All aboard! Bella+Duke and Caledonian Sleeper partner to enhance unique travel experience

– Partnership includes travel perks and nutritious treats for pets –

Bella + Duke and Caledonian Sleeper have joined forces to offer pets onboard the paw-fect travel experience to make their journey as smooth as possible, with a tasty complimentary treat as they set off on their overnight trip.

The iconic overnight sleeper train serves over 40+ destinations between London and Scotland, and, sees over 2000 pets use the service every year and from this month will be well stocked with Bella+Duke all-natural and grain-free venison dog bites.

In addition to providing treats onboard, Bella + Duke and Caledonian Sleeper are offering customers exclusive discounts including 10% off travel and savings for being a Bella + Duke subscription customer. This exclusive partnership offer is just part of the newly launched offering from Bella + Duke as they go all in to support well-being from nose to tail with exclusive products and services.

The partnership comes just in time for Christmas, one of Caledonian Sleeper’s busiest travel times, with dates filling up fast. Those travelling with pets from London Euston station will today (10 December 2024) enjoy a tasty treat from a Caledonian Sleeper staff member before making their journey up north.

James Sturrock, CEO at Bella + Duke, said; “Our pets have become an integral part of our everyday lives. We don’t just want to take care of them when we’re at home, we want them to join us on special occasions and adventures too.

“With the Caledonian Sleeper welcoming pets onboard, we’re delighted that pet owners can bring their four-legged friends along with them and can enjoy a tasty Bella + Duke treat during the ride.

“Caledonian Sleeper is one of the many fantastic partnerships we’ve been able to build as part of our newly launched offering for pet owners, letting customers and passengers get more out of having a furry friend with you every step of the journey.”

Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said; “As a pet friendly travel operator we are delighted to partner with Bella+Duke, a fantastic Scottish, fresh pet food brand with the health and well-being of pets at the heart of what they do.

“Caledonian Sleeper prides itself in delivering the very best guest experience and that includes our four-legged friends.”

Tickets for the Caledonian Sleeper overnight train service, between London and Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Fort William, Glasgow and Inverness, can be booked here. With exclusive Bella + Duke offers available to redeem here.

Temporary lights in Lanark Road as second phase of Craiglockhart gas network upgrades begins

Gas distribution network SGN is continuing its gas network upgrade project in the Lanark Road and Craiglockhart areas of Edinburgh.

Engineers are replacing old metal gas mains and services with new plastic pipes. This essential work will ensure homes and businesses in the local area continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply.

From tomorrow (Monday 21 October), SGN will begin its second phase of the project by installing temporary three way traffic lights at Lanark Road’s junction with Craiglockhart Avenue. The lights will be manually controlled during peak times to help traffic flow.

This phase is expected to last approximately three weeks and cause significant disruption to traffic. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow more time for journeys, especially during peak travel times.

SGN Project Manager Craig Brown said: “This particular location has experienced multiple gas leaks in recent years and by upgrading our pipes now, we can prevent future emergency work which will lead to more disruption overall.

“We’d like to thank local residents, businesses and motorists for your ongoing patience and support during this critical work.”

Final Countdown: One month left to enter Caledonia Sleeper’s photography competition

Time is running out to enter Caledonian Sleeper’s photography competition aimed at encouraging everyone – from onboard guests to photography enthusiasts – to capture views of the most scenic locations on the overnight train’s iconic route from Scotland to London.

Running until 31^st October, the first-place prize includes a return journey in an en-suite Club Room onboard the Caledonian Sleeper with dinner plus a £500 Amazon voucher to use on photography equipment. Second place will receive a £250 Amazon voucher, while third prize is a £100 Amazon voucher.

Images will be judged by a panel from Caledonian Sleeper, including Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director, and professional photographer Tony Marsh.

Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director of Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We’ve been blown away so far by the calibre of submissions we have received.

“Caledonian Sleeper calls at more than 40 stations between Scotland and London, so there’s plenty of vibrant and historic beauty spots along the way to spark creativity.

“We’re looking forwarded to judging the final batch of submissions when the competition closes at the end of October.”

To submit your entry into Caledonian Sleeper’s photography competition, visit: