Media centre

Thursday 25 May 2017

Accessibility improvements in site for West Calder station

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Engineers will shortly start work on a new pedestrian footbridge at West Calder station.

The new structure will be constructed next to the existing bridge and will provide both stair and lift access. This is part of wider work on the Shotts line being delivered by Network Rail ahead of the electrification of the route by 2019.  

The work, which starts on June 4, will be ongoing until December 2017 will deliver step free access across the railway improving the station for people with impaired mobility, travelling with luggage, children or cycles.

Work will be delivered from the site compound previously used to deliver the A71 bridge works and will see the new  accessible footbridge constructed during the next six months, including lifts and stairs. It will replace the existing bridge which will be removed after the new structure has been opened.

Pedestrian access will be maintained over the existing footbridge during the majority of the work, however, there will be points in the construction programme where pedestrian access will be over the road bridge for safety reasons but this will be kept to a minimum.

Work will be a combination of both day and night shifts with day shift (7.30am – 6pm) works ongoing throughout the project. Night shift works will take place on Saturdays (11pm to 9am) and Sunday to Thursday from 8pm to 6am.

Mak Kader, Network Rail programme manager, said “We are continuously seeking opportunities to make our stations more accessible. This new bridge will help ensure that everyone in the community has the opportunity to easily access services at West Calder station and thus enable even more people to travel by train.”

The work at West Calder station is being delivered by contractor Bam Nuttal who delivered the A71 bridge works ahead of programme, on behalf of Network Rail.