I thought the whole branch was having a full closure next year for about a month in July/August? I.e. similar to the closure for Barrhead last year.
post #1692 gives a heads up on the line closure to come in 2025 along the route from Busby jncn to EK station.
This will include
no services running to/from East Kilbride for 16 weeks from 01/02/25 to 24/05/25 then another 4 weeks closure from 02/08/25 to 30/08/25. Between those two main periods there will also be successive Sunday closures across the summer.
I'm not sure the options put forward by the project team, a few years ago, about how to deliver these works included such a sustained period of withdrawn rail services. The alternative during the 16 week closure will offer passengers a much poorer, longer road journey during a time of poor weather.
Link to Network Rail Engineering Access Statement [EAS] for 2025 in Scotland.
The Engineering Access Statement (EAS) and the Timetable Planning Rules (TPR) are collectively referred to as the Operational Rules. EAS The EAS describes the rules regulating the arrangements for engineering access to the rail network. It sets out the location, number, dating and duration of...
www.networkrail.co.uk
Hopefully passengers will return after this extended service disruption to fully utilise the greatly enhanced accessibility, upgraded station provision and new passenger facilities. But with little sign of journey time improvements, more efficient train door open/closing operation, electric rolling stock across all EK services, extra capacity or enhanced frequency on the route being delivered from late 2025 this may not be a given.
Scottish Government information relating to projects with a capital value of £5 million or more which are at the outline business case (or equivalent) approved stage or beyond.
www.gov.scot
Latest Scottish Government update on its finances across all capital investment plans and the latest news, quoted below, on the specific East Kilbride rail project delivery and revised timescales. Challenging times ahead for providing funds for future electrification vs all the other SG investment pressures due to a continuing drift in delivery timescales and cost increases.
Project: East Kilbride Rail Enhancement
Business case approved stages: Project is part of the East Kilbride and Barrhead Rail Enhancement scheme. The scheme will make rail services reliable, efficient, and attractive to passengers and support modal shift whilst progressing against the Scottish Government's target to decarbonising the rail network. The OBC outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £100 million to £120 million and that it was estimated to be operational in December 2024. The FBC outlines that total project cost is estimated to be £139.8 million and that it is estimated to be operational in December 2025.
Progress at March 2023: No change to timing since the last report (as outlined at OBC, project is estimated to be operational December 2024).
The total cost of the project is now estimated at £136.8 million which is an increase in that previously reported. This is due to further refinement of the Full Business Case (FBC) cost and additional scope of the Hairmyres Loop extension and accessibility enhancements.
The project went to Transport Scotland's Investment and Decision-Making Board (IDM) in November 2022 and instruction was given to provide further assurance on the programme and the cost. Network Rail is working through providing further details to Transport Scotland and this should be finalised in the coming months. The project will then return to IDM Board prior to being provided to the Minister for Transport for endorsement.
Progress at December 2023: The FBC was approved in June 2023, with funding announced by the Minister for Transport in September 2023. The project is now in construction.
The total cost of the project is now estimated at £139.8 million which is an increase to that previously reported. This is due to further refinement of the cost and additional scope of the Hairmyres Loop extension and accessibility enhancements.
As per the approved FBC, the project is now estimated to be operational in December 2025 which is later than that outlined at OBC. This is due to re-phasing of the delivery of the electrification programme and seeking increased cost and programme assurance from Network Rail.
