The ScotRail Alliance has announced that the first stage of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa electrification project will complete this month.

From Sunday 20 May train services will return to normal timetables following the completion of the first stage of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa electrification project.

Customers travelling between Glasgow / Edinburgh and Stirling / Dunblane / Alloa / Perth / Dundee have seen buses replace trains in the evening and at weekends since September 2016 while the major improvement works were carried out.

The first section to be electrified as part of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa electrification project covers 26 single track kilometres and includes Falkirk Grahamston and Camelon stations. The remaining work to electrify the route will take place at night, when no trains are running, meaning there will be no further disruption to customers’ journeys.

Once complete, in 2019, the electrification of Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa will mean:

• Many services operated by electric Class 385 trains, which will offer a better experience and reduce some journey times from Stirling to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
• More seats on services between Alloa, Dunblane, Bridge of Allan, Stirling and Edinburgh.
• Less noise and better air quality for those who live and work near the railway.

ScotRail Alliance Head of Customer Experience Graham Heald said: “This is an important milestone in the electrification of the route.

“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience over the past 19 months while we’ve progressed our plans to build the best railway Scotland’s ever had.

“Once complete, this work will deliver more seats, faster journeys and better services for our customers.”