The Transport Minister visited the first new feeder station to be commissioned as part of multi-million plans to electrify the East Kilbride rail line.
The Ferguslie feeder station, which will connect to the network in October, supports the existing infrastructure as well as providing the additional electric power needed to support future decarbonisation of Scotland’s railway by 2035.
Investment will see six new feeder stations at strategic locations across the network and a further nine sites upgraded to increase the resilience and reliability of the infrastructure for the operation of electrically powered passenger and freight traffic.
The new station near Paisley will support the electrification of the East Kilbride and Barrhead lines - with works already underway.
However, the dualling of the line between East Kilbride and Busby was scrapped in October last year in a sudden U-turn - with Scottish Government ministers saying it wasn't "financially viable".
Local campaigners and politician slammed the move saying the electrification of the EK line doesn't go far enough.
But as well as increasing the resilience of the existing network, Network Rail say the new connections to the national grid via the feeder stations will increase the overall capability of the 25kV electrified network.
This will enable future passenger and freight growth and reduce the railway’s carbon footprint by supporting the removal of diesel passenger trains from the network.
With the feeder-station installation and rail-side elements of the project largely complete, work to commission the Ferguslie site will shortly see Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) install transformers to allow the feeder station to connect to the National Grid.
Lesley Pringle, project manager for traction power at Network Rail said: “The £120m investment from the Scottish Government for this programme is key to helping us meet our target to decarbonise Scotland’s railway by 2035.
“Ferguslie is the first of the new feeder stations to be commissioned and it will boost the electricity supply to the rail network enabling greener and more sustainable travel options when the electrification projects are complete."
Jenny Gilruth, Transport Minister said: “Upgrading the power supply network at this location will enable the introduction of electric trains on services to East Kilbride and Barrhead and this work will be replicated at five other locations across the central belt to support the Scottish Government’s railway decarbonisation programme.
“We want a rail infrastructure for Scotland that helps to cut emissions, to provide sustainable transport for people and for freight, and which provides fair work and highly skilled employment opportunities."
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