At the end of this month, Network Rail engineers will carry out work to prevent rockfalls onto the main Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line.

The work to install specialist netting and rock anchors on the 100m-long rock cutting to the east of the old Ratho station will prevent stones from falling onto the line. Engineers will carry out the work from January 29 until February 2, and while the work takes place there will be significant disruption to services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Stirling and Inverness.

The disruption caused by the closure of the line will affect the following services;

• Glasgow to Edinburgh services via Falkirk High will terminate at Linlithgow, with no train services between Edinburgh Waverley and Linlithgow. A rail replacement bus will operate to Edinburgh Park with onward travel via tram to Edinburgh city centre, but journey times between Linlithgow and Bathgate and Edinburgh will take at least 40 minutes longer.
• Dunblane to Edinburgh services will terminate at Falkirk Grahamston with no train services between Edinburgh Waverley and Falkirk Grahamston.
• Edinburgh to Helensburgh/Milngavie services will terminate at Bathgate with no train services between Edinburgh Waverley and Bathgate.
• Inverness to Edinburgh ScotRail services will run via Fife and not call at Stirling and journey times may be longer.
• On the LNER route between Edinburgh and Stirling / Inverness, coaches will replace trains.

Passengers wishing to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow can use services via Shotts or Carstairs which depart and terminate at Glasgow Central, but they have limited additional capacity and journey times take about 30 to 50 minutes longer than via Falkirk High.

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: The work we are delivering is vital to the safe running of the railway and cannot be completed without a short closure of the line.

We understand the inconvenience this project will cause to our customers and have put plans in place that deliver these improvements as quickly as possible. We thank passengers for their patience while we complete this safety-critical work.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: “Due to these engineering works, there will be significant disruption to the services ScotRail can operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Inverness.

“We understand the disruption this will cause to customers’ journeys, but it is essential that Network Rail carries out these works.

“ScotRail’s advice to customers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High or via Bathgate, and between Edinburgh and Dunblane, is that you should only travel if your journey is essential.

“We are working hard to finalise plans to provide alternative travel and will communicate that to customers in the coming days.”

Warrick Dent, safety and operations director at LNER, said: “We appreciate this vital engineering work will affect customers’ journeys and we thank them for their understanding. We advise customers to plan ahead and check for the latest information before travelling.”