Polmont bridge delivered on programme
We have today completed the replacement of the railway bridge on Station Road, Polmont on time and on budget as part of the EGIP advanced clearance programme.
Representing a £2.25m investment in our infrastructure, the work began in January 2015, and lasted nine months and was completed to the day as per the programme.
The bridge replacement at Polmont station was part of a series of similar projects throughout the central belt designed to ensure there is enough height clearance above the rails to run overhead electrification cables below the bridges safely.
Network Rail has now delivered clearance work at 55 structures with a further six planned or in progress for completion in 2016 as part of an overall investment of circa £60m preparing for the electrification of the railway. This included the recently completed replacement of bridges at Redding Road and Hope Street in Falkirk and the 44 day programme of work delivered at Winchburgh Tunnel.
Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay, said: “The reopening of Polmont Bridge and the reinstatement of a permanent foot and road bridge takes us a step closer to electrifying our central rail network as part of the £742m Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.
“I am pleased to note that the work was delivered safely and on schedule. It is important to recognise that the local community will have been affected by the works and I would like to thank them for their patience during the period of disruption.”
Rodger Querns, Network Rail’s programme director for the EGIP said;
“Extending electrification across central Scotland is key to unlocking additional capacity, reducing congestion and ensuring that longer trains provide more seats for passengers, particularly at intermediate stations such as Polmont.
Post-electrification, Polmont will benefit from faster journey times and higher seat availability on services to both Edinburgh and Glasgow with more reliable and resilient services on quicker, quieter, greener trains.
With Station Road bridge now complete and re-opened, the focus of the work in the station turns to completing the platform extensions and to ensuring the footbridge parapets are safe for the electrified railway as well as installing electrification apparatus through the station.