Network Rail, which owns and operates Britain's rail infrastructure including the 335 stations in Scotland, confirmed it was reviewing the future of stations which generate fewer than 1000 journeys each year and that closure was an option.

Proposed improvements worth £300m over the next ten years include extending platforms at Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Haymarket and Waverley to allow for more six-car trains, while creating larger concourse areas for passengers at the three stations.

On some routes trains would be extended and run more frequently. The plans also propose new track and timetable enhancements.

The proposals contained in the blueprint launched yesterday received an angry reaction from communities in the Highlands that would be affected if station closures went ahead.

Network Rail's 10-year strategy, which has now gone out to consultation, aims to tackle the challenges posed by a predicted growth in the number of passengers of 3% a year and a 10% rise in freight traffic over the decade.

It says there is already overcrowding on suburban routes into Glasgow and Edinburgh during rush hours and it is expected to get worse by 2016.

The strategy, which is expected to be finalised next spring, concentrates on infrastructure improvements on the busier sections of Scotland's rail network, focusing on routes in the central belt, Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Glasgow and the South-west.

The Glasgow Crossrail scheme to connect routes north and south of the Clyde failed to become one of more than 40 options to improve reliability for passengers because it was felt there needed to be a further investigation into its benefits.

But the strategy does include a proposal to move Hyndland station in Glasgow's west end and improve the junction as part of a multi-million pound upgrade that would make it easier for people to visit nearby Gartnavel Hospital.

The work, which would also involve installing an extra track, would allow more trains to use the line and improve punctuality.

Transport Scotland, the Scottish Executive agency responsible for road and rail strategy, is expected to resist any station closures.

"In view of the current expansion of the rail network in Scotland, station closures do not fit with our strategic aims ," said a spokesman.

Alistair Watson, a former train driver and chairman of Strathclyde Passenger Transport, said: "Some rural stations are lifelines to communities and let's be careful we are not throwing the baby out with the bath water. What we cannot have is journey times speeded up and better performance at the expense of any town losing its rail service."

James King, Scotland's representative on the Rail Passengers Council, said he would be concerned about any large-scale closures. He added: "If there is a case for closure, and it is a big if, it has to be carefully thought out."

David Simpson, Network Rail's route director in Scotland, said closing stations would be examined as part of the review but in some cases it may lead to a reduction in the number of trains stopping.

"They won't necessarily be closed," he said.

See also:

No plan to fill in the ‘missing link’ in network

The Herald: August 25 2006
MARTIN WILLIAMS

THE Glasgow Crossrail scheme to connect services north and south of the Clyde failed to become part of the Network Rail's options for action for the next 10 years because the case for it had not been proven.

Network Rail, which owns and operates Britain's rail infrastructure, said the scheme that would connect Glasgow's Central and Queen Street stations, required further investigation.

The project, seen by those who have championed it as "the missing link in Scotland's rail network" would use a line between High Street and Shields Junction, and would resurrect the Strathbungo link between Larkfield and Gorbals Cross to link Queen Street and Central.

It was included in a list of "potential enhancement schemes" which were said to be still under discussion with project promoters.

Alistair Watson, chairman of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport which is promoting the £187m project said he would be pushing to get the proposal included in the strategy when it is finalised in the spring of next year.

"My opinion is that Network Rail should see the proposal for Crossrail as a unique opportunity to provide additional capacity within the network," he said.

"This is a project for minimal capital cost that actually provides substantial additional capacity and also provides the opportunity to meet the huge demand for cross conurbation traffic from Inverclyde, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

"I can assure you that what I will be doing is indicating to Network Rail that they have a unique opportunity to embrace the merits and the arguments that Crossrail present and will be pushing for the Crossrail scheme to be a committed project by the Scottish Executive."

Transport Scotland, the agency that is responsible for helping to deliver the Scottish Executive's £3bn capital investment programme over the next decade, said that Glasgow Crossrail "requires further feasibility work to establish the demand for services".

"It is crucial a robust design is brought forward to ensure potential Crossrail services fit successfully and reliably within the network as a whole. Transport Scotland will continue to engage with SPT on this," said spokesman Campbell Docherty.

It is thought the implementation of Crossrail would boost Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.