Festive engineering works could cause disruption for Falkirk district rail passengers

Network Rail is completing a range of vital infrastructure improvement works at locations across Scotland over the festive period.

Most of the programme of track, drainage and signalling work will take place on the Christmas and New Year holidays when the majority of trains do not run, but some projects, including work at Greenhill Junction near Falkirk, will disrupt services.

Engineers will be replacing track and renewing and refurbishing points and upgrading signalling systems at the key junction on main Edinburgh to Glasgow and Highland mainline over nine days from late on Christmas Eve until the early hours of January 2.

As a result, Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street services via Falkirk High will be diverted via Falkirk Grahamston and Cumbernauld during this period.

Glasgow Queen Street to Alloa services will be diverted via Cumbernauld, while Aberdeen/Inverness services will operate between Aberdeen/Inverness and Perth/Stirling only. A replacement bus service will operate between Glasgow and Stirling with options to change trains at Stirling.

The works are part of a £15m investment by Network Rail to help keep Scotland’s Railway reliable for passengers and freight services.

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director for Network Rail Scotland, said: “Our work over the festive period is designed to protect the railway infrastructure and improve passengers’ experience when travelling by train. We are pleased to be able to deliver most of this work without any impact on services as it’s being carried out when trains are not running. We are, however, urging passengers to plan ahead and check their journey in advance.”

David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “We know that improvement works can be an inconvenience to customers, but we’ll be doing everything we can to keep people moving to help them make the most of the festive period. We’re encouraging customers to leave extra time for travel, and plan journeys in advance.”