Call for new stations in £1bn Edinburgh-Glasgow rail plan

Campaign groups, MSPs and councillors are calling for up to 12 new rail stations to be added to Transport Scotland’s proposals for the £1bn Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP). Only one new station (to connect rail services to the Edinburgh tram system) has so far been incorporated in the plan.

EGIP is primarily designed to increase the number of trains between Scotland’s two largest cities from 10-13/hour and cut journey times 25% to 37 minutes. However, campaigners are calling for the scheme to open up new commuting routes as well.

"Clearly the primary basis for EGIP is the creation of faster links between the settlements the lines being upgraded serve. That is a rationale I wholly appreciate and support,” Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyt, said. “However, I believe there is also a clear case for utilising the opportunity presented by EGIP to consider the provision of new stations where demand and potential capacity merits it."

The campaigns have seen new stations proposed on the route between Glasgow and Edinburgh and on lines into both cities, despite Network Rail claiming that this could potentially destroy journey time benefits and business cases. EGIP is scheduled to be completed in 2016 following a further round of consultation this summer.

The Landor Links UK Rail Stations 2012: Making stations special conference takes place in London on February 22. It will examine the role of stations, including their relevance as transport hubs and agents of regeneration.