Falkirk commuters promised more seats and faster journeys

Winter will bring more than just cold weather to Falkirk as ScotRail announce another milestone in the creation of 'the best railway Scotland ever had'.

Timetable improvements to be introduced from December 9 will see ScotRail deliver even faster journeys, more seats and more services for Falkirk Grahamston customers – including four trains an hour travelling to Edinburgh.

The introduction of high-speed trains and brand-new class 385 electric trains coupled with major infrastructure improvements like the electrification of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa route, enabled the delivery of this enhanced timetable.

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Falkirk West MSP and Scottish transport secretary Michael Matheson said: “These changes mark the first significant phase of timetable improvements on Scotland’s railways with £475 million being invested in rolling stock during this franchise, introducing faster, longer, greener trains.

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“The amendments will see more of the existing refurbished fleets cascaded across the country, meaning better trains, more seats and more services, delivering an improved experience for passengers.”

ScotRail Alliance managing director Alex Hynes added: “The improvements we are making to our timetable from December mean ScotRail has reached another milestone as we build the best railway Scotland has ever had.

“This is just the first phase of the work we are doing to deliver for our customers over the next year. The investment the ScotRail Alliance is making to electrify more lines and the introduction of new and upgraded trains means we will deliver faster journeys, more seats, and more services for our customers.”

Come December the service between Falkirk Grahamston and Edinburgh will increase from two to four trains an hour for most of the day, providing a level of train service comparable to Falkirk High for commuting and leisure travel to Edinburgh, including Edinburgh Park.

This means there will be more than 11,000 additional seats available each day between Falkirk Grahamston and Edinburgh.

The service between Glasgow and Falkirk Grahamston, meanwhile, will increase from hourly to half hourly with a 45 minute journey time aboard modern class 385 electric trains, providing a quieter journey with greater comfort and making over 7000 additional seats available each day between Falkirk Grahamston and Glasgow.

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These improvements will support Falkirk town centre regeneration as Falkirk Grahamston is easier to access for Bainsford, Grangemouth, Middlefield areas, with plenty of car parking at the station.

Customers at Polmont Railway Station will also enjoy improved capacity for journeys to Edinburgh, while the Glasgow – Falkirk High – Edinburgh express service will see journey times reduced from 51 minutes to 47 minutes thanks to the introduction of the new class 385s.

Further timetable improvements will be delivered in May and December 2019.