A £7.2m package of engineering work will be delivered across Scotland’s railway over the Easter weekend and throughout April to improve infrastructure and support more reliable train services.

Network Rail will use the quieter travel period to carry out upgrades, including targeted signalling, track, overhead line and drainage renewals.

Much of the activity is scheduled to take place when trains aren’t running, allowing engineers to complete the work safely and with minimal disruption.

While the vast majority of Scotland’s railway will remain open, some lines will see temporary changes to services. Passengers are being encouraged to plan ahead and check their journey with their operator before travelling.

What’s happening?

£2.2m worth of key infrastructure renewals around Glasgow and the installation of a new £1.5m bridge at Carstairs will mean an amended service between Glasgow Central and Motherwell / Lanark / Edinburgh. (4-6 April)
Work on the West Coast Main Line in Scotland and further south - including £3.5m of reliability improvements across South Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway - will affect journeys between Glasgow and London Euston. (3-8 April and 11-20 April)

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “Easter gives us a valuable window to carry out work that’s difficult to deliver when the railway is at its busiest, and we’ve planned this programme carefully to make the most of that time.

“The majority of Scotland’s railway will be open as normal throughout this period. Where changes are needed, we want passengers to have information in advance so they can plan their journeys with confidence.

“We’re grateful to everyone for their patience while this work goes ahead. Our teams will be out day and night delivering essential improvements safely and efficiently, and helping to improve the railway for the busy summer months ahead.”

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added: “While Network Rail delivers this £7.3 million programme of essential improvements, our focus is on making sure customers can continue to travel with confidence and get to where they want to be.

“These works will help improve reliability and resilience across key parts of Scotland’s Railway, supporting more dependable services in the months ahead.

“There’s never an ideal time to carry out this type of engineering work, but the Easter weekend and holiday period provides a quieter window to complete upgrades that are much harder to deliver when the network is at its busiest.

“We know that some journeys will look a little different while the work takes place, and we’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding. We have robust plans in place, including rail replacement where required, and our teams will be working hard to keep people moving safely and as smoothly as possible.”