GRAND DESIGNS

as part of a wider £160m Scottish Government investment in the line between Scotland’s two largest cities which will electrify the route by March 2019.

When completed, it will create the fourth fully electrified line between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Work at Carfin and Shotts Stations, due to be completed by autumn next year, will include new and extended platforms, new shelters, lighting improvements, CCTV and customer information systems.

The electrification of the line will enable the introduction of a new fleet of electric trains on services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central via Shotts with the new Hitachi class 385 rolling stock - the newest in the Scotrail fleet - offering improved reliability and increased capacity for passengers.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The Scottish Government’s funding of the Shotts line electrification and our overall £5billion package of investment in our railway, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving the Scottish rail network.

“This work contributes to the transformation of services across the central belt as part of the wider package of investment to enhance rail travel between the country’s two biggest cities, meaning passengers will see shorter journey times, increased capacity and better reliability.”

Network Rail is on target to deliver the next phase of electrification of central Scotland’s railway network, between Holytown and Midcalder junctions – which will complete the electrification of the Shotts line between Edinburgh & Glasgow by March 2019.

Additionally, the advanced clearance programme sees 17 structures on the line removed or replaced with an increase in the heights of side walls at a further 10 bridges.

The contract announced last week covers all aspects of work to upgrade and enhance the stations along the route to ensure they are complaint with industry standards and regulations on an electrified railway and appropriate for the introduction of the new fleet of trains that will operate on the route.