Ministers call further rail delays ‘wholly unacceptable’

● Faulty electrical equipment on main route will have to be replaced

Plans to speed up rail journeys by electrifying Scotland’s busiest line have been further delayed.

Network Rail has admitted that “safety-critical” components in new wiring on the main Edinburgh-glasgow line has failed and will have to be replaced. The fault is likely to postpone the planned start of electric trains in July.

Network Rail also revealed that the performance of construction firms on the project had “not been acceptable”.

The setback follows the original electric start date being put back from last December because of other difficulties with the so-called Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Project (Egip).

It is not known how long the delay could last, but one source said: “That’s July out”.

The problem will delay overhead electric power cables going live – or “energisation” – at the end of this month.

That will have a knockon effect on the training of Scotrail drivers, and could postpone the start of an allelectric service using brand new trains from December.

The faulty equipment may have to be replaced over the entire 46-mile route. Transport minister Humza Yousaf told MSPS any delay would be “extremely disappointing”. A Scottish Government spokesman later described the situation as “wholly unacceptable”.

The £742 million project will enable faster-accelerating, longer and greener electric trains to replace diesels on the route via Falkirk High.

Electric trains from other routes were due to initially take over some services by the end of July.

They were to be followed by the first of a fleet of brand-new Japanese Hitachi trains from September, with the last diesel trains replaced in December.

They will be progressively lengthened between December and the end of next year, when Edinburgh to Glasgow journeys are due to be cut by about ten minutes to 42 minutes.

In a letter to Mr Yousaf, Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: “Regrettably, it is now clear a safety critical component is susceptible to failure and must be replaced.

“This will impact the energisation start date.

“We are working extremely closely and collaboratively within the Scotrail Alliance to assess how the impact of this challenge can be minimised for passengers.”

Mr Carne also revealed in a separate letter that he had been “personally addressing other challenges” where “performance has not been acceptable and action is being taken”.

0 The new Hitachi trains could be delayed by the latest setback

These involve the Egip Alliance, which includes construction firms Costain and Morgan Sindell.

Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Liam Kerr said: “Rail passengers will be dismayed to hear of a further delay. Travellers simply want to see improved services, and will care little for the machinations of what has gone wrong.”