WIREDGOV

Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, yesterday launched the ScotRail Alliance’s communications campaign to inform the public of changes to timetables during the closure of the Queen Street Station High Level tunnel.

The tunnel will be closed for a period of 20 weeks from Sunday, March 20, to Monday, August 8 2016, and will require the diversion of all services using the station’s high level platforms.

Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said:

“This is a significant milestone in our £5 billion programme of investment in Scotland’s Railway which is helping to reverse decades of under-investment and substantially modernise our rail infrastructure.

“This is a once in a generation project and one of the most ambitious ever planned on the Edinburgh-Glasgow route. The works will support the introduction of a new generation of faster, quieter and greener electric trains onto routes across the Central Belt next year.

“Although I understand that this work will cause some inconvenience to passengers, the Network Rail - ScotRail Alliance is working to ensure that services are maintained where possible, disruption is kept to a minimum and that passengers are kept well informed throughout the work.

“I would like to thank passengers in advance for their cooperation and understanding during the tunnel closure”.

Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance said:

“Glasgow Queen Street is one of the busiest stations in Scotland. Every day, tens of thousands of people travel through the station on their way to work, to college or university or to visit friends. People will still be able to do that while the tunnel is closed - the railway is still very much open for business. However, they will see changes to their normal journey. We want to make sure that everyone understands what these change mean for them.

“That is why we are launching our biggest ever public information campaign. In the run up to the closure we will be speaking directly to our customers, to businesses, and to public bodies to give them the information they need and to answer any questions that they might have.

“Upgrading the tunnel will allow us to run faster, longer, greener trains in the future. This will mean more seats, shorter journey times and less impact on our environment. The long term benefits of this investment will be considerable, not just for our railway, but also for the country.”

The tunnel closure supports the ongoing works to deliver a faster, electrified line between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) will reduce journey times by up to ten minutes, with longer trains, providing 7,500 extra seats for passengers

During the tunnel closure, no trains will arrive or depart from Glasgow Queen Street High Level platforms. A temporary timetable will be in place throughout the closure, which will allow the vast majority of customers to travel to and from Glasgow by train, with the majority of services to and from Queen Street diverted via the lower level platforms.

Customers can check their own journey online now, with full timetables available to download from 20 February.