This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Rail network upgrading to begin
28/10/2003
Work to reduce overcrowding on Scotland's rail communter
routes will start by the end of this year, Transport
Minister Nicol Stephen announced today.
The Minister confirmed that agreement had been reached
with the Strategic Rail Authority to extend 25 platforms on
four routes to accommodate 22 new trains shortly set for
the Scottish network.
The routes to benefit are:
- Edinburgh Waverley to Bathgate
- Fife Circle
- Glasgow Queen Street to East Kilbride
- Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane
The Executive will provide £7.4 million for work on the
Glasgow to East Kilbride, the Edinburgh to Dunblane lines
and Glasgow Queen Street (Platform 1).
This will also include funding from the Public Transport
Fund for work on car park facilities at Rosyth and Uphall
stations. The SRA will provide £8.2 million for work on the
Edinburgh to Bathgate line and the Fife Circle.
Mr Stephen said:
"This platform work which is planned to begin by the end
of the year is a clear signal that we are committed to
delivering better services for passengers. By lengthening
these platforms, they will accommodate the new six carriage
trains which will help improve the quality of people's
journeys on busy routes.
"Today's announcement shows the real benefits that can
come from working together. We want to encourage more
people to use public transport where possible but that
choice will only be made when there is a high quality,
reliable and safe alternative. We have very significant
resources in place for public transport. Our challenge now
is to show the benefits of that investment."
Nicola Shaw, SRA's Managing Director of Operations,
said:
"This programme of platform extensions will deliver real
benefits to passengers in Scotland. From October 2004,
ScotRail's fleet of new, longer trains will be able to stop
at an increased number of stations on key internal routes
in Scotland, with more seats for passengers and an improved
journey experience. This has been achieved through
partnership between the SRA, the Scottish Executive and
Network Rail, and we look forward to work beginning
soon."
Work is expected to start on platform lengthening by the
end of the year and is due for completion in October 2004
when the majority of new trains are expected to be
delivered to the network.
The 25 stations to benefit are:
Edinburgh to Bathgate
Uphall, Livingston North and Bathgate.
Fife Circle
South Gyle, North Queensferry, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour,
Kinghorn, Glenrothes, Cardenden, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath,
Dunfermline Queen Margaret and Rosyth.
Edinburgh to Dunblane
Bridge of Allan, Larbert and Camelon. Glasgow to East
Kilbride: Pollockshaws West, Thornliebank, Giffnock,
Clarkston, Busby, Thortonhall, Hairmyres and East
Kilbride.
Glasgow Queen Street (Platform 1) is a new scheme and
funding is included in the £7.4 million.