Network Rail will invest more than £4 billion (EUR 4.45 billion) in maintaining and expanding Scotland’s rail infrastructure, between 2019 and 2024.
Scotland’s railway is currently undergoing a period of enhancement unmatched since the Victorian era and across the country Network Rail is working on projects to expand the railway, improve passenger facilities and introduce greener, faster electric trains.
Compared to CP5, under the CP6, the pre-efficient cost forecasts in this plan for operation, maintenance and renewal are 22 % higher. The investment is focused on priorities with the aim to invest more to provide increased physical resilience to extreme weather events, investments will be spent on core electrification, buildings and signalling assets to maintain reliability and safety.
The railway infrastructure investment will be allotted to increase capacity on key routes, with the roll out of electrification, new rolling stock and proposed redeployment of the diesel fleet, and station enhancements.
In Scotland, as part of the ScotRail Alliance, Network Rail maintains 4,500 km of track, 359 stations and over 14,000 structures, including the Forth Bridge and Glenfinnan Viaduct, on a network which carries over 2,500 trains a day.
Network Rail will invest in Scotland as railway traffic is estimated to increase. Passenger numbers in Scotland have increased by 96 per cent since 1995/96 to 96.1 million journeys in 2014/15. This growth is expected to continue, with numbers forecast to double on many busier routes and at major terminal stations.
In Scotland, Network Rail recently completed the Baillieston railway bridge, and, together with Glasgow City Council, invested EUR 4.45 million. Part of ScotRail Alliance, the rail infrastructure manager, has also completed the construction of a 10-km double-track between Dyce and Aberdeen. Since Network Rail started work in spring, over 19 km of new rails have been laid across 13,200 new sleepers and 66,000 tonnes of stone ballast. Signalling systems along the line have also been upgraded. The work between Aberdeen and Dyce is being delivered as part of the Scottish Government-funded Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project to reduce journey times and increase capacity on the route between the two cities.
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