A £7.2 million programme of engineering work will be carried out across Scotland’s railway over the Easter weekend and throughout April, as Network Rail pushes forward with major infrastructure upgrades designed to improve reliability and support a more robust network for passengers.
Network Rail Scotland will take advantage of the quieter holiday period to deliver a strategic package of works — including targeted signalling upgrades, track renewals, overhead line improvements, and drainage enhancements across key parts of the network.
Much of this work is scheduled during hours when trains are not running, enabling engineers to operate safely and efficiently while minimising the impact on services. While the majority of Scotland’s network will remain open, several routes will face temporary service changes, prompting rail operators to encourage passengers to plan ahead.
What’s Happening and When?
🔧 Glasgow & Carstairs – £3.7m of Works (4–6 April)
A combined £2.2 million investment in essential infrastructure renewals around Glasgow, alongside the installation of a new £1.5 million bridge at Carstairs, will lead to amended timetables between Glasgow Central, Motherwell, Lanark, and Edinburgh.
🚄 West Coast Main Line – Reliability Projects (3–8 April & 11–20 April)
Work on the West Coast Main Line — in Scotland and further south — includes £3.5 million of reliability improvements across South Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway, affecting services between Glasgow and London Euston.
What Network Rail and ScotRail Are Saying
Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said:
“Easter gives us a valuable window to carry out work that’s difficult to deliver when the railway is at its busiest, and we’ve planned this programme carefully to make the most of that time.
“The majority of Scotland’s railway will be open as normal throughout this period. Where changes are needed, we want passengers to have information in advance so they can plan their journeys with confidence.
“We’re grateful to everyone for their patience while this work goes ahead. Our teams will be out day and night delivering essential improvements safely and efficiently, and helping to improve the railway for the busy summer months ahead.”**
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added: “While Network Rail delivers this £7.3 million programme of essential improvements, our focus is on making sure customers can continue to travel with confidence and get to where they want to be.
“There’s never an ideal time to carry out this type of engineering work, but the Easter weekend and holiday period provides a quieter window to complete upgrades that are much harder to deliver when the network is at its busiest.
“We know that some journeys will look a little different while the work takes place, and we’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding. We have robust plans in place, including rail replacement where required, and our teams will be working hard to keep people moving safely and as smoothly as possible.”
Image credit: Network Rail
