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Monday 11 Jul 2011

WORKS SIGNAL CHANGES FOR BUSY RAIL ROUTE

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

• Major engineering works on Saturday July 16, Sunday July 17 and Monday July 18

• ScotRail providing replacement bus service between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street / Johnstone

Network Rail engineers will be renewing track and signalling between Glasgow and Paisley next weekend as part of a £170m project to increase capacity and flexibility on one of country’s busiest routes.

More than 150 engineers will be working around-the-clock to deliver the enhancements over the Glasgow fair holiday weekend – as part of the Paisley Corridor Improvements (PCI) project.

To deliver these improvements to the rail network as quickly and efficiently as possible some train services being diverted and others replaced by buses:

Glasgow Central - Ardrossan / Ayr / Largs

Services will start / terminate at Paisley Gilmour Street, however passengers should change at Johnstone for direct bus services between Johnstone and Glasgow Central. There will also be a direct bus service operating between Glasgow Central and Ardrossan Harbour to connect with ferry services.

Glasgow Central - Stranraer

Services are diverted via Kilmarnock, extending journey times. Passengers travelling to / from stations between Ayr and Stranraer should travel to Ayr and change for services to Stranraer.

Glasgow Central - Gourock / Wemyss Bay

Services start / terminate at Paisley Gilmour Street, with a replacement bus service operating between Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central.

Glasgow Central - Paisley Canal (16 & 18 July only)

All services are cancelled and a replacement bus service will operate calling at all stations.

Glasgow Central - East Kilbride / Neilston / Newton (17 July only)

Buses replace trains until approximately 10:30am.

Glasgow Central - Kilmarnock / Ayr (17 July only)

Buses replace trains until approximately 10:30am between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock.

David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director Scotland, said: “The Paisley corridor is one of the busiest passenger and freight routes in Scotland. These works are vital to the planned enhancement of the line, which will improve the railway’s capacity and reliability and have real benefits for businesses and individuals alike.”

Once complete, in December 2011, the PCI project will improve capacity on the route and allow for increased levels of service between Glasgow and Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

The works are being funded by Transport Scotland and Network Rail and previous phases of the project have already delivered two new platforms at Glasgow Central station and a new freight loop at Elderslie.