A newspaper’s campaign to save a direct rail service between Inverness and London has been successful.

The bi-weekly Inverness Courier launched its ‘Save the Chieftain’ campaign in September after a study by former Audit Commission chairman Sir Andrew Foster suggested that forcing passengers to change trains in Edinburgh could save the government tens of millions of pounds.

But the title said the Highland Chieftain direct rail service was vital for the area and launched a petition to save it, which gained support from politicians and the business community.

Now transport secretary Philip Hammond has ruled out the option of forcing train changes in Edinburgh under the government’s plans for rail investment revealed yesterday – saying he had received representations expressing strong support for the direct service.

Editor Robert Taylor, second right, celebrates the campaign’s success with Highland business and political leaders.

Editor Robert Taylor said: “We were surprised how the issue touched a nerve not just with business leaders, who feared for the signal such a move would send to customers and potential investors, but also ordinary travellers.

“It has been an intense few months pulling everything together, particularly for our chief reporter Val Sweeney, but it is clear the paper’s efforts have made a real difference.”

Scotland’s transport minister Stewart Stevenson was the first person to sign the petition, saying the Inverness Courier had made a compelling case for the train service to be saved.

Politicians from all parties also lent their backing, including Inverness MP and chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, while other signatures came from as far afield as Australia and the Czech Republic.

An ode to the Chieftain was even written by performance poet and comedian John Hegley.