Trains to Glasgow cancelled for four days

Dec 11 2008 by Cameron Hay, Paisley Daily Express

TRAIN passengers heading to and from Paisley face major disruption as improvement works take place at one of the country’s busiest rail hubs.

Platforms at Glasgow Central are to be renumbered over the New Year and a new one will be built.

Many of the improvements are in preparation for the new £210million rail link between the station and Glasgow Airport, which is scheduled for completion in 2011.

Platform 13 is the number to be given to a new platform being built to accommodate passengers travelling to the airport.

As a result of the work, a number of services to and from Renfrewshire will be suspended from Boxing Day until the start of Tuesday, December 30.

Many train services will be replaced by buses, causing disruption and delays for passengers.

There will be no train services from Glasgow Central Upper Level.

There will be buses to and from Glasgow Central to Paisley Gilmour Street to connect into train services to Gourock/Wemyss Bay and Ayr/Largs/Ardrossan.

In addition, a bus service will also operate between Glasgow Central and Paisley Canal, Barrhead and Neilston.

Steve Montgomery, operations and safety director at First ScotRail, said: “We have done everything possible to keep inconvenience to an absolute minimum by running as many services as possible.

“Full plans are in place to provide alternative transport arrangements where required.

“Journeys will take longer than normal and passengers should allow more time for travel.”

The plans for improvements include the upgrading of five miles of existing track between Shields Junction and Paisley Gilmour Street station, as well as a mile of new track being laid between Paisley St James station and Glasgow Airport.

The project will also involve four new rail bridges – one of which will span the M8 motorway – and a railway station at the airport.

David Simpson, route director for Network Rail in Scotland, said: “The work we are undertaking at Glasgow Central will improve reliability of the rail network in the west of Scotland.

“Christmas is the quietest period of the year for rail travel, so it makes sense we carry out this work at this period.”

A revised timetable will operate on some First ScotRail routes on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Friday, January 2.

There will be no First ScotRail services on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. For more information, visit www.firstgroup.com/scotrail.