A busy train station car park will have over 100 fewer spaces for over a year due to works. 

129 parking spaces at East Kilbride station will be used to house a site compound which is being put up for work to build a new station building. 

This is expected to be in place from March 4, 2024 until June 2025.

Glasgow Times:

The site compound is necessary for welfare and office facilities for staff working on the site, as well as creating space for materials being used.

It comes as part of a wider £139.8m investment into decarbonising the railway in Scotland, and we previously reported that the route between East Kilbride and Glasgow will be electrified and East Kilbride station is also being upgraded. 

Upgrades will also take place at other stations in the area, including Hairmyres which will be relocated and the existing loop extended by 1.4km. 

Glasgow Times:

In early January, a new access road was installed to the newly created site compound to allow works to begin on the new Hairmyres station building and platforms.

Bridges were demolished over Christmas and New Year - the footbridge next to the existing Hairmyres station, which is due to re-open in early March, and the road bridge at Thornton Road.

Laura McWilliams, Network Rail senior programme manager for East Kilbride station works, said: “Since boots hit the ground towards the end of last year, we’ve made great progress on the East Kilbride enhancement project.

“We appreciate that in delivering this vital engineering work to electrify the East Kilbride to Glasgow line, we rely on the patience of the communities along the railway corridor and are grateful for this.

“We know that using part of the East Kilbride station car park, although temporary, will be an inconvenience to commuters and we thank them for their understanding.

“As the works at the station progress, we will continuously monitor our programme to see if there is any possibility that we can hand back spaces when safe to do so and in advance of June 2025.”

Glasgow Times:

Once finished, the new East Kilbride station building, located within the existing station footprint between Torrance Road and West Mains Road, will be more modern and accessible, with improved passenger facilities, a new booking office, a waiting area and a small retail unit.

Part of the station work includes extending the existing platform by 51m to accommodate longer trains.

Electric services will be introduced on the East Kilbride line when the project is finished in December 2025 and will offer enhanced train performance and service flexibility on the route.