Airdrie–Bathgate rail link
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a proposed railway development in Central Scotland.
Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan is intended to open up a third direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Currently awaiting being presented to Parliament as a private members bill, it is anticipated that the project will be complete by 2010, and cost an estimated £225 million.
Background
In line with plans to complete the missing part of the M8 motorway, the Executive stipulated that public transport links between Scotland's two largest cities must also improve.
The new line will join the North Clyde Line of the Glasgow suburban railway network which currently links the North Lanarkshire town of Airdrie to Queen Street main line station in Glasgow with the Edinburgh-Bathgate line which connects with the East Coast Main Line at Haymarket. By reinstating a section of line between Bathgate and Airdrie that was closed in 1982, it will be possible to travel from Edinburgh Waverley main line station to Queen Street in around 62 minutes.
Benefits and Infrastructure Improvements
The line will bring significant benefits to the West Lothian area, which will be better connected to the Greater Glasgow conurbation. New stations will serve the towns of Caldercruix and Armadale, while the new town of Livingston will have an additional direct rail link to Glasgow.
In order to deliver the required frequency of trains (4 per hour), the following improvements to the existing line will be made.
- Twin Track running will be provided between Airdrie and Newbridge. (The current Airdrie-Drumgelloch stretch of the North Clyde Line is single track)
- Drumgelloch station will be demolished and rebuilt with an additional platform.
- Electrification of the section of line between Newbridge and Drumgelloch, meaning that the existing DMU operations on the Edinburgh-Bathgate section can be withdrawn.
Although the initial plans do not mention rolling stock upgrades, they do mention that the new line will be rated for 80mph running (the benefits of 100mph running are too costly to be worthwhile). However, the Class 320 rolling stock which currently provides the majority of services on the existing North Clyde route has a maximum speed of 75mph. This would mean that some rolling stock improvements would be inevitable, given the plans call for the existing Helensburgh/Balloch-Airdrie/Drumgelloch services be extended to Edinburgh.