Introduction of temporary rail timetable to impact Falkirk district passengers

ScotRail is bringing in the temporary timetable, cutting 700 daily services, amid a severe shortage in train drivers as staff refused to work overtime or on rest days in a dispute over pay.

Drivers’ union ASLEF has said it will ballot its members on strike action.

Passengers and politicians have hit out over the temporary timetable, which sees fewer trains on the network with many services stopping earlier in the evenings.

The changes will have an impact on those in Falkirk district travelling by rail.

The new timetable, which will operate from Monday to Friday, means the last train from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street via Polmont and Falkirk High will leave the capital at 10.15pm.

The last train from Queen Street to Edinburgh will also leave at 10.15pm.

While, those travelling on the Edinburgh to Dunblane line will see services stop even earlier in the evening with the last train from Edinburgh to Dunblane – stopping at Polmont, Falkirk Grahamston, Camelon and Larbert – departing at 8.03pm.

For those heading into Edinburgh, the last service leaves Dunblane at 7.52pm and will pass through Larbert at 8.09pm, Camelon at 8.12pm, Grahamston at 8.15pm and Polmont at 8.20pm.

The last service from Queen Street to Falkirk Grahamston, via Cumbernauld, will leave Glasgow at 7.25pm, and leaves Grahamston for Glasgow at 8.46pm.

ScotRail says these changes will provide greater certainty and reliability for customers as the current level of cancellations is not sustainable for customers and colleagues.

The disruption is forecast to cost the Scottish economy up to £80 million a week.

The train operator is currently working on temporary timetables for Saturdays, which will be broadly similar to the Monday to Friday timetable, as well as timetables for Sundays.The temporary timetable for Monday – Friday can be viewed online at scotrail.co.uk/timetable-update