Network Rail has announced that it has awarded Siemens a £20m contract o complete re-signalling on sections of the Highland mainline in Scotland.
The contract to re-signal sections of the 118-mile long route between Inverness and Perth is part of a £57m Scottish Government-funded investment to link the Highland capital and the Central Belt.
The work will include significant re-signalling at both Aviemore and Pitlochry stations which will see heritage semaphore signals replaced with colour lights.
The project will also see three private level crossings near Pitlochry upgraded.
This phase of work on the Highland mainline is scheduled to be completed next March ahead of the introduction of the new timetable in May 2019.
What did the officials say?
Minister for Transport Humza Yousaf said:
“The awarding of a further contract for work on the Highland mainline is another important milestone in this Scottish Government funded project, which is on track to complete in spring 2019.
“The signalling works between Inverness and Perth enable far more efficient crossing of trains, which combined with infrastructure enhancements, will contribute to delivering faster and more frequent journeys between Inverness and the Central Belt.”
Matthew Spence, route delivery director for Network Rail, said:
“Upgrading the signalling on the Highland mainline is vital to deliver more and faster trains on the line, improving stopping patterns and providing better connectivity for customers.
“We will work throughout to deliver in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while minimising disruption for both lineside communities and passengers.”
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