Possible travel disruption for Falkirk on the tracks with work set to start in March

ScotRail released the information earlier this week showing how routes are to be diverted while major work is carried out at one of Glasgow’s busiest stations.

The essential upgrading will see the high level tunnel close from Sunday, March 20 until Monday, August 8.

This means diversions are to be in place for up to 20 weeks.

For commuters travelling from Falkirk High and Polmont station the route to Glasgow Queen Street will follow a diversion through Anniesland and Partick into Queen Street Low Level station.

There will be only two trains every hour, half the number of services currently running.

Councillor Craig Martin agrees with the changes but the Falkirk Council spokesman for the environment is worried about the affect on commuters and that it will lead to more people using cars.

He said: “I welcome the massive investment into 
railway infrastructure, however it will cause massive 
headaches for commuters that use the various Falkirk stations.

“It will double the time it takes to get into Glasgow Queen Street and the frequency will be halved going to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

“This will certainly lead to many more people just taking their cars to work which will further increase congestion on an already busy motorway network.”

The councillor has a plan to help deal with the problem.

Dr Martin said: “I have tasked council staff to try and get bus operators to increase the amount of buses going through our area to Glasgow and Edinburgh.”

Falkirk Grahamston station will also suffer as a result of the work being done at Queen Street station.

One train per hour will run between Falkirk Grahamston and Anniesland via Cumbernauld and Springburn.

Customers should change at Cumbernauld or Springburn for a connection to Glasgow.

Cllr Martin said: “Once again Falkirk Grahamston will face the bluntest of measures as it won’t have a direct service to Glasgow.”

Prospective Conservative MSP candidate for Falkirk West, Alison Harris, agrees the changes will cause trouble on the tracks.

She said: “A huge queuing system is to be used which does not seem appropriate to Queen Street Low Level. This must lead to delays with overcrowding of the railways.”

The necessary closure will result in greener, faster and better trains hitting the tracks by Christmas this year before new ones are introduced in 2017.