Rail strike is cancelled but misery to continue

RAIL passengers escaped a second day of strike misery today when a 24-hour walk-out was cancelled after nine hours of talks at conciliation service Acas.

But travellers, who saw trains cancelled during a one-day stoppage by signallers on Tuesday, face more disruption next week when the Bathgate-Edinburgh line closes as part of a £300 million project to upgrade the line.

Today's strike, which was due to begin at noon, was suspended late last night after "progress" in the talks between Network Rail and rail union RMT over rota changes.

The Bathgate-Edinburgh rail link will close for ten days from Saturday, while seven days of works on the main Glasgow to Edinburgh line will see journey times extended by 20 minutes and service frequency drop to half-hourly.

Buses will replace trains between Edinburgh and Bathgate and extra services will be provided to and from Glasgow at peak times. But rail bosses warned commuters to prepare for the disruption.

The closures are part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project, which will involve double tracking and signalling works on the line.

Passenger groups said commuters will be more accepting of this disruption than the strikes.

Robert Samson, the Scotland manager for Passenger Focus, the official rail watchdog, said: "This week has been one of annoyance and frustration for passengers because of the strike and they will be facing this again next week. However, I do think, although people are being inconvenienced, at least next week they can see that the work is to deliver better services."

The Edinburgh-Glasgow line is being affected by work on the Newbridge junction and restrictions will be in place between Saturday and next Friday.

Journey times are being extended because trains will be diverted via Dalmeny, but ScotRail is planning a strengthened service between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central to try to compensate.

Passengers travelling between Stirling and Edinburgh will change trains at Linlithgow and also join bus services.

David Simpson, Network Rail route director Scotland, said: "The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project will create a vital new link between Edinburgh, Glasgow and the communities served by this new railway.

"To enable the work to take effect, Network Rail has to integrate the newly double-tracked Bathgate line with other parts of the rail network.

"In this case, that will require new track and signalling at Newbridge junction, a section of line also used by the Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh to Dunblane services.

"This will require temporary timetable changes and replacement bus services to operate."

The revamped Airdrie-Bathgate line is scheduled to open in 2010 and will carry four services an hour between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Steve Montgomery, operations and safety director at First ScotRail, said: "We have done everything possible to keep inconvenience to an absolute minimum by running as many services as possible.

"Journeys will take longer than normal and passengers should allow more time for travel."