ScotRail's new trains on track for 2011

Published on Friday 27 November 2009 08:40

NEW trains adding 9,000 seats to the Scottish rail network begin operating between Edinburgh and North Berwick from 2011.

ScotRail's Class 380 trains are set to be introduced in Ayrshire and Inverclyde next year before coming to the east coast.

And from December 2010, trains will once again run on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line, with stations created, others upgraded and existing single rail track double tracked and electrified.

The link means new services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, including direct services from Helensburgh/Milngavie to Edinburgh served by Class 334 trains.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said:"This vital investment in a new fleet of environmentally friendly trains will deliver not only benefits for passengers through improved facilities, more trains and more seats, but help us meet our ambitious climate change targets by encouraging people to leave the car at home."

Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, added: "The arrival of the Class 380s will trigger a cascade of different classes of trains across the network. Our priority is to deliver extra capacity where it is needed most and, of course, to release trains to serve on the new Airdrie-Bathgate line."