Bathgate Station on track for Autumn opening

Network Rail director Scotland, Ron McAulay and Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson got an exclusive preview of the new Bathgate Station when they visited the work site recently to review progress on the construction of the Airdrie-Bathgate rail link project.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail director, Scotland and Stewart Stevenson MSP, Transport Minister, pay a visit to the site of the new Bathgate Station to view progress. The station will open on 18 October, with the new Airdrie-Bathgate line opening in full on 12 December.

Bathgate station is the largest structure being built for passenger use on the line and, when completed in October, will offer the local travelling public one of the most accessible travel facilities in Scotland.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail’s director, Scotland said:

“Being able to see inside the new station building and to walk across the new footbridge provides a real sense of the project’s achievements to date. Viewing these structures at first hand is tangible proof that we are making excellent progress towards completing not only Bathgate Station, but the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link as a whole.

“The opening of the relocated Bathgate station in October will mark a major milestone for the project. Construction is continuing to progress well and, when complete, Bathgate will enjoy a station facility befitting the town and its people.”

Stewart Stevenson, Scottish Government Transport Minister said:

“Scotland has the toughest climate change legislation anywhere in the world and our ambitious climate change delivery plan means persuading motorists to get out of their cars and use more sustainable forms of transport.

“The new facilities at Bathgate Station, with expanded parking facilities and provision for cyclists among many of the improvements, will encourage motorists to do just that.”

The new Bathgate station, which will be operated by ScotRail, has been relocated 400 metres to the east of the existing station and will include two platforms, a footbridge, lifts and stairs. It will also include a ticket office, waiting shelters, ticket vending machine and help points for passengers on each platform. Both station and car park will be monitored by CCTV.

The station will boast 400 parking spaces (including 20 reserved for Blue Badge holders), a bank of cycle racks, pick-up/drop off zone, taxi waiting area and two bus stops. A newly created traffic light controlled junction will also be installed to enable easier access for vehicles and to manage the flow of traffic around the station.

Since work began on the station project in May 2009, Network Rail has worked in partnership with a range of partners such as West Lothian Council, SEPA, Transport Scotland and Scotrail to ensure that disruption has been kept to a minimum for local residents. The station has been built in close proximity to an operational railway and, despite significant engineering challenges, the existing line serving Bathgate has only required short periods of inactivity to allow the installation of the passenger footbridge.

Bathgate station is one of two which have been rebuilt in a new location, the other being Drumgelloch. Livingston North and Uphall have been upgraded and three new purpose built stations have been constructed in Armadale, Blackridge and Caldercruix.

Under the new timetable, four trains per hour will stop in each direction with an approximate journey time of 25 minutes to Edinburgh and 45 minutes to Glasgow.

The £300m *Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is funded by Transport Scotland.

*At Q1 2006 prices