New lift and footbridge for Carstairs Station next year

Project to deliver a new footbridge and lift is in the design stage, which is expected to conclude in January.

The news came in a letter to Clydesdale MP David Mundell, who has been pressing both Scottish and UK Governments to take action on the lack of access at the station.

The letter from the Minister of State for Transport, Huw Merriman, confirms that the project is now in development with the design stage concluding in January 2024.

The footbridge with a lift will be available for passenger use later in 2024.

Platform improvements were made but no step-free access provided.

David said: “There was a lot of disappointment when the issue of step-free access was not addressed as part of the major remodelling project undertaken to Carstairs Junction earlier this year, and indeed many of us were led to understand it would be at that time.

“However, while that didn’t happen, we were told that Transport Scotland and Network Rail Scotland were reviewing arrangements for delivering accessibility improvements at Carstairs, so as to ensure that these improvements can be put in place as soon as possible.

“The letter I have received this week from the Department for Transport confirms that the project is now in development with design concluding in January 2024. The footbridge with a lift is expected to be available for passenger use later in 2024.

“It is unfair that disabled passengers should have less direct access to public transport such as railway stations than other people, and this has been the case for far too long at Carstairs, which is used by many of my constituents in rural Clydesdale.

“It is now vital that the design work being agreed by Transport Scotland and Network Rail Scotland is concluded and work to construct the footbridge and lift begins as quickly as possible, so local rail passengers can benefit from them. I will certainly be continuing to press for work to begin at the earliest opportunity.”

The station re-opend to passengers at the end of May, following the completion of engineering work at the junction and the station.

During a 12-week closure, Network Rail remodelled and upgraded the platforms but locals were disappointed the step-free access was not included in the work.