Glasgow passengers to face travel disruption due to essential works on Edinburgh railway line

Four days of safety work has began today (January 29) on the Glasgow to Edinburgh line as ScotRail engineers install a netting on a rock cutting above the railway which will help to prevent potential rockfall. The work is set to last for four days until February 1 meaning that services are to be significantly disrupted during that time. The netting being installed will help prevent loose stones falling from a fragile rock face measuring 10m high and 100m long above the line.

ScotRail have advised that passengers should plan ahead and on some routes, only travel if absolutely necessary as there will be reduced capacity on trains, longer journey times and replacement bus services.

Works are being carried out now to avoid sub-zero temperatures normally seen in February and March which could further deteriorate the rock face with all trains due to return to normal at 9am on Friday February, 1.

ScotRail customer operations director, Phil Campbell said: “There will be significant disruption to the services ScotRail can operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Inverness.

“ScotRail’s advice to customers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High or via Bathgate, and between Edinburgh and Dunblane, is that you should only travel if your journey is essential. “Customers travelling between Inverness and Edinburgh should also be aware that journey times will may be longer as those services are diverted via Fife, and will not call at Stirling. “We understand the disruption this will cause to customers journeys, but it is essential that Network Rail carries out these works. We thank customers for their patience.” The following trains services from Glasgow are set to be affected:

Glasgow – Edinburgh via Falkirk High services will terminate at Linlithgow.

• There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Linlithgow.

• A limited number of replacement buses will be available between Linlithgow and Edinburgh Park station, with ticket acceptance in place with Edinburgh Trams for travel between Edinburgh Park and Haymarket and Waverley.

Edinburgh – Helensburgh/Milngavie services will terminate at Bathgate.

• There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Bathgate.

• A limited number of replacement buses will be available between Bathgate and Edinburgh Park, calling at Livingstone North and Uphall, with ticket acceptance in place with Edinburgh Trams for travel between Edinburgh Park and Haymarket and Waverley.