Media centre

Tuesday 8 Mar 2011

TRANSPORT MINISTER OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES NEW £300m RAIL LINK

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

• New line re-establishes fourth direct rail route between Edinburgh and Glasgow after gap of over 50 years

Transport Minister Keith Brown will officially open the new £300m* Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link today (Tuesday, March 8).

Funded by Transport Scotland and built by Network Rail, the new route allows passengers to travel direct from Helensburgh and Milngavie, in the west, to Bathgate and Edinburgh in the east.

Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, said: "The completion of the £300 million Scottish Government-funded Airdrie-Bathgate Railway link will now open up new economic and educational opportunities for those living along the 14-mile route; the longest new passenger line in Scotland in over a century.

"This major project is one of a number of transport infrastructure improvements being delivered across Scotland, making a real difference to local communities.

"Completed on time and on budget, it re-establishes a lost-link between east and west and is testament to the skills of the project team who delivered it. It is a clear demonstration that our investment is supporting local economies across Scotland, creating employment opportunities and delivering infrastructure which will keep Scotland moving. "

Ron McAulay, Network Rail director Scotland, added: “The long-term benefits to the communities the new line serves are considerable, ultimately delivering four additional trains an hour between Glasgow and Edinburgh and allowing West Lothian residents direct access to Glasgow and North Lanarkshire residents direct access to Edinburgh for the first time in over 50 years.

“The line opens up new educational and economic opportunities for those living on the line of route, widens the labour pool available to employers and also offers a greener alternative to the daily car commute on the M8.”

Steve Montgomery, ScotRail’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to introduce the new services and operate from towns which have not been served by rail for more than 50 years. They will encourage more people to switch to public transport.”

The project has seen 15 miles of new track built to connect communities in West Lothian and North Lanarkshire. Bathgate and Drumgelloch stations have been rebuilt as part of the project, with Livingston North and Uphall stations having been upgraded.

Three new purpose-built stations having been constructed in Armadale, Blackridge and Caldercruix and 69 bridges along the line of route have either been upgraded or replaced.

Granted royal assent in 2006, more than 1,000 workers were on-site or servicing the worksites during the peak period of construction in 2009/10 and more than 4,500,000 hours were worked on the project.

The longest new passenger line in Scotland for over a century, the rail link is expected to generate new socio-economic opportunities for those it serves and to help encourage motorists out of their cars, easing traffic on the M8.

The original railway between Airdrie and Bathgate closed to passenger trains in 1957 and to freight services in 1982.

Services have been operating on the new line since December 12, 2010, but the opening of three of the new stations was delayed due to the prolonged severe weather.

With snow and ice covering the stations throughout December, construction of access roads and other facilities at Armadale, Caldercruix and Drumgelloch had to be suspended until early 2011. The three stations opened to the public in phases over February and March.

All stations on the route are now operational and additional train services were introduced across the route yesterday (March 7). There are now two trains an hour on weekdays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons with an hourly service on Sunday mornings and evenings. Current service levels remain between Bathgate and Edinburgh Waverley.

The service frequency will increase over time between Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) and Edinburgh - with trains every 15 minutes to be launched within a matter of months. The four trains an hour frequency will apply Mondays-Saturdays from early morning until 19.00, then revert to half-hourly.

The increase in services from Monday followed the introduction of more new Class 380 trains on routes in Ayrshire and Inverclyde, allowing a cascade of rolling stock to the new link.