Oasis Murrayfield: Scottish Government requested Edinburgh concerts end early to take pressure off ScotRail

However, the plea for the Murrayfield Stadium concerts to end before 10.45pm was met with a “somewhat vociferous response” from organisers, a Freedom of Information (FOI) response showed.

DF Concerts and venue officials rejected the call as “any changes could/would likely impact on an artists’ willingness to perform”, The Scottish Sun on Sunday reported.

Oasis are playing sold-out shows at Murrayfield on Friday, Saturday and the following Tuesday at a time when the Scottish capital’s transport networks will be under greater pressure because of the Edinburgh festivals.

But the plea came despite ScotRail managing director Joanne Maguire telling The Scotsman in February the Oasis gigs presented a “huge opportunity” to encourage fans to travel by train more often.

An official from Transport Scotland’s events resilience team wrote: “I asked if there was any consideration or scope in bringing end times forward slightly to minimise the necessity on enhanced/extended public transport.

“These events will still have challenges around audience movement — albeit it’ll be less related to vulnerability and more akin to potential disorder should there be transport delays etc.”

The FOI response showed the earlier finish request “was met with a somewhat vociferous response by DF Concerts and, to a degree, SR Murrayfield”.

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Scottish Government-owned ScotRail is running extra trains from Haymarket after the concerts, including up to 11.22pm to Perth, 11.39pm to Dunblane, 12.02am to Dundee and 12.47am to Glasgow Queen Street.

Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Sue Webber said: “Huge events like this bring thousands of people to the city and millions of pounds to the economy. I pity the lackey who had to ask the Gallaghers if they wouldn’t mind cutting short their set because the SNP can’t run a train service. It’s also an insult to fans who paid a small fortune.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “It is our role to challenge travel plans and understand potential impacts on the wider network to allow for business as usual, as well as encourage extra services to be laid on. Our critics would be the first to complain if we didn’t.”