Tuesday the 20th of June has seen the official opening of the regional transport integration hub at Motherwell railway station.

Minister for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP officially opened the hub and was joined by Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, Councillor Paul Kelly, Deputy Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, and Valerie Davidson, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Chief Executive.

The complex project has seen a successful collaboration between ScotRail, North Lanarkshire Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport Scotland which has seen an integrated hub which provides passengers with easy access to multi-model transport.

Motherwell railway station has seen redevelopment work undertaken as part of the project alongside the public area outside the station in order to create ease of access for those travelling using bus and rail services which in turn will bring a reduction in traffic congestion as people make use of more environmentally friendly public transport options.

The redevelopment has seen over 140 glass panels installed at the station, which brings a contemporary appearance whilst allowing natural light into the station.

The project has also seen a new station concourse and forecourt built which will bring improvements for ticket retail alongside an enhanced retail environment which features both food and drink offerings. Customers will also be pleased to see that the platform-level waiting facilities have also undergone a makeover.

Outside of the station, North Lanarkshire Council has utilised funding from Glasgow City Region City Deal and has completed a full overhaul which has seen the creation of a new transport hub.

The hub has increased bus facilities alongside adding a new station access road, car drop-off point and blue badge parking. Improvements have also been made to taxi facilities as well as pedestrian and cycle access.

The project has seen funding via Transport for Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and ScotRail with North Lanarkshire Council and Glasgow City Region City Deal funding delivering the improvements on Muir Street. Balfour Beatty has completed the project using a phased approach, seeing redevelopment of the station get underway in June 2020 and work on transport integration during the early part of 2021.

The project has been welcomed by both official and community leaders.

Fiona Hyslop MSP, Minister for Transport, said:

“This £20 million Scottish Government investment in Motherwell Station is a great example of how partners can work together to deliver vastly improved transport hubs that truly encourage seamless and integrated end-end journeys.”

“Through these improved links, we will encourage more people out of their cars onto public transport and active travel means to get to and from Motherwell. This will open up more opportunities to access education, business and leisure.”

“It is our commitment to transformational projects such as this that will help deliver our ambitious net-zero targets.”

Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the redevelopment of Motherwell station officially complete and open to the public.”

“Our engineers, contractors, project, and station teams have done an excellent job in transforming the station into a contemporary and passenger-friendly space.”

“Making rail an attractive option is a key aspect of our recovery from the pandemic, and I believe that the improvements that have been made at Motherwell station will help to encourage more people back to the railway.”

“The improved integration of transport services and infrastructure transforms the relationship between the station and the town centre.”

“It opens up a wealth of possibilities for Motherwell, creating more options and better connections for our customers; for business and leisure travel, and encourages more people to travel in a low-carbon way. It creates a gateway to Glasgow and beyond.”

Councillor Paul Kelly, Deputy Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said:

“The new transport hub is a key development for Motherwell town centre and surrounding communities, making it easier to travel across North Lanarkshire and beyond for work and leisure.”

“It creates strong connections between public transport, walking and cycling and will be the centre of an increasing network of active travel links.”

“With £2 million of funding from the council and Glasgow City Region City Deal, we have delivered practical improvements which will benefit residents, commuters, businesses and visitors.”

Valerie Davidson, Chief Executive, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, said:

“SPT is delighted to have worked alongside partners to complete the redevelopment of Motherwell station and improvements to the public transport facilities on Muir Street.”

“This investment by all partners offers better interchange with bus services and wider improvements in high-quality active travel routes connecting Motherwell town centre with the surrounding area.”

“These improvements offer better transport options and connections, which will help encourage more people to travel in an environmentally friendly way and provides an attractive alternative to car use.”