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Monday 15 Sep 2014

New railway bridge to be installed in nine-day Carfin line closure

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

• New longer structure being installed to allow dualling of road below

• Service alterations in place, with buses replacing trains on some routes

Network Rail is undertaking major works near Carfin, North Lanarkshire, to install a new, longer railway bridge to enable the construction of a new section of dual carriageway beneath the line.

Over an intensive nine-day period from Saturday, September 20, engineers will work around-the-clock to remove the existing bridge and embankment, install the new pre-fabricated bridge structure and then reinstate the railway.

This work is being delivered by Network Rail on behalf of North Lanarkshire Council to allow the council to dual the existing A723 between Carfin and Holytown. The new structure will enable two lanes of traffic on the new southbound carriageway to pass below the railway.

The main bridge installation works will take place between September 20 and September 29, when the line will reopen. During this time the following service alterations will be in place:

Dalmuir – Motherwell

Trains will be extended to start / terminate at Lanark and will also call at Wishaw, Carluke and Lanark.

Milngavie – Lanark

Trains will terminate at Motherwell and passengers can travel onto Lanark using Dalmuir-Lanark or Partick-Lanark services. Passengers wishing to travel to/from Holytown should use replacement buses to/from Motherwell and Wishaw, which will connect with trains at these stations.

Glasgow Central – Edinburgh via Shotts

A limited train service will operate between Edinburgh and Kirknewton. Buses will replace trains for all or part of the journey.

For road users, temporary traffic lights will be place on the A723 until September 30 to safely manage the volume of construction vehicles accessing the site.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Given the location and the nature of the work required, there is no alternative way to install this bridge. We appreciate that this is a significant imposition on people who are living next to the work site and to those travelling the route by train.

“We are committed to delivering the project as quickly as possible and will try to minimise the impact of the work on local residents, road users and rail passengers as much as possible.”

If local residents have questions or concerns during the work they can contact Network Rail’s 24-Hour National Helpline on 08457 114141.

Further information for rail passengers is available from National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or by visiting http://www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-journey/engineering.