Media centre

Monday 11 May 2009

NEW PLANS FOR CALDERCRUIX STATION APPROVED

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail has welcomed North Lanarkshire Council’s decision to grant planning permission for the relocation of Caldercruix station.

A key part of the work to create the new Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link, the plans involve relocating the new station to the site of the old Caldercruix station, which closed in 1956.

The new site will bring significant benefits to passengers and local residents. Its central location means the number of people living within 800 metres of the station increases by almost 40% and access to existing bus routes will also be improved by the move.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail director Scotland, said: “This is great news for this vital project. As well as providing a better option from an engineering perspective, the new location also brings the station closer to the heart of Caldercruix, improving access for local people and complementing existing transport facilities.”

The relocation was proposed after extensive ground investigations around the former Caldercruix paper mill bordering the first station site revealed significant environmental and technical issues with plans to drain three of its five pulp lagoons. Drainage of the lagoons would have been required to allow for the creation of an access road and parking at the planned station.

Funded by Transport Scotland, the £300m rail link will provide an additional passenger route through the central belt between Edinburgh and Glasgow, with four trains each hour in each direction