Thousands of Renfrewshire commuters will see a return to more normal journeys this week as all platforms at Glasgow Central reopen following disruption caused by the Union Street fire.
Network Rail has confirmed that platforms 1 to 6 at the high-level station will fully reopen on Wednesday 25th March, restoring all train routes through Scotland’s busiest station.
The reopening comes after weeks of disruption which impacted services used daily by passengers travelling from Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew and across the wider Renfrewshire area into Glasgow.
An exclusion zone had been in place across much of the high-level concourse while Glasgow City Council carried out demolition work on the fire-damaged building next to the station.
That restricted access to platforms and key entrances, leading to delays and changes for commuters.
The council has now made significant progress on the demolition, allowing the restricted area to be reduced and all platforms to come back into use.
Services operated by ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Caledonian Sleeper will all return to normal routing through the station.
However, some disruption will remain in place.
The Gordon Street and Union Street entrances will stay closed while a smaller exclusion zone remains.
Passengers are being asked to use the upper Hope Street entrance, the Hope Street driveway and low-level entrances to access the station.
Railway staff will be on hand across the station to guide passengers.
The reopening follows inspections, cleaning, repairs and safety checks, with station facilities including toilets and retail units also set to reopen.
Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “Glasgow Central is at the heart of the city and is Scotland’s busiest station, and we’ve been fully focused on getting everyone back safely.
“The aftermath of the fire has been a significant challenge for everyone involved, but our teams have been working tirelessly to restore the station and support our passengers, train operators and retailers.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding. Their cooperation has made a difficult situation easier and we’re grateful for the support shown.
“Our priority now is to keep people moving safely and give everyone who relies on this station a smooth and welcoming experience on Wednesday.”
A small exclusion zone will remain in place while work continues on the damaged building.
Passengers are advised to check their journey with their train operator before travelling.