Green initiatives keep new line on track

The new Airdrie – Bathgate route will be a significant enabler towards a greener Scotland said Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson today.

The Minister was speaking during a visit to Bathgate to see some of the initiatives being implemented at the relocated station in advance of the new line opening in December.

Mr Stevenson said:

"Scotland has the toughest climate change legislation anywhere in the world and our climate change delivery plan means persuading motorists to get out of their cars and use more sustainable forms of transport. That's why we are investing £300 million in the Airdrie – Bathgate route to bring considerable benefits for the communities along the route, forming a direct rail link to Glasgow and Edinburgh for towns like Caldercruix, Blackridge and Armadale for the first time in 50 years.

“Together with the Scottish Government’s £4 million cycling plan, the new cycle path being constructed as part of this project will help us achieve our 2020 target of 10 per cent of all journeys taken in Scotland be made by bike.

“The work here is clear evidence of Network Rail’s efforts to employ environmentally friendly practices as an integral part of this project as it moves towards final delivery.”

Ron McAulay, Network Rail director, Scotland commented:

“We’re proud to be delivering this hugely important new rail line and look forward to seeing the enormous time and effort invested in this project coming to fruition in the next few months. Throughout the construction of this railway, we have been careful to put in place measures which reduce the environmental impact of our work and enable a positive legacy for communities across West Lothian and North Lanarkshire. We believe that positive legacy will continue when the new electrified line begins operating quieter, cleaner trains from December this year.”

Network Rail’s efforts to minimise the environmental impact of the project have taken on numerous forms across the 24 km of the route:

• to reduce stress and disturbance of local birdlife, all vegetation clearance has been kept to non-nesting months. Appropriate vegetation replanting is planned once construction of the new railway line is complete
• pulp and bark from felled trees has been used to improve the quality of the earth and used as flooring in a local playground
• artificial badger setts and otter holts have been built in some locations to provide new accommodation away from the new railway
• specially designed newt fences have been erected to stop great crested newts (a European protected species) from accessing the construction site or the new railway
• to protect the Hillend reservoir from becoming choked with silt, a boom has been installed adjacent to the project’s nearby construction site

The new Bathgate Station will include a ticket office, two platforms, a footbridge, lifts and stairs. With a new access footpath from the town centre and 400 car-parking spaces, the station will offer a real public transport alternative.

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 project is funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland.
Further information can be found at www.airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk