What are the benefits of the new railway line?
The new rail link will reintroduce passenger services to Alloa for the first time since 1968 opening up employment and education opportunities. The creation of a new train station will allow direct hourly services to operate between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street stations. Changing trains at Stirling Station will allow passengers to travel onwards to Edinburgh Waverley station.
As well as reintroducing passenger services between Alloa and Stirling, the line will also carry coal from the West of Scotland to Longannet Power Station in Fife and possibly offer freight services to other customers along the line and in Fife. As more freight is transferred from road to rail, the benefits will include a reduction in road congestion and less rail congestion on the Forth Bridge. The reopening of the line will also result in an increase in Alloa’s accessibility and attractiveness to potential investors.
How often will the trains run?
We predict that hourly passenger services will operate between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street, between the hours of 6am and 11pm.
How long will the train journey take?
The estimated passenger journey time from Stirling to Alloa is 10 minutes.
How quickly will the trains travel?
Passenger trains will travel at a maximum speed of 112 km/hr (70 mph) between Alloa and Stirling. The maximum speed for freight trains will be 100km/hr (60mph) between Stirling and Alloa Station and 48 km/hr (30 mph) between Alloa Station and Longannet Power Station.
How much coal and how many wagons will the freight trains carry?
The exact amount of coal carried will be subject to discussions between the freight operator and ScottishPower. According to the current freight operator, English Welsh and Scottish Railway Ltd, it is likely use its fleet of HTA 102 tonne bogie wagons to transfer coal along the route. Each wagon can take up to 75 tonnes of coal. If all of ScottishPower’s daily coal supplies to Longannet were to be transferred by rail, the 15 trains per day could handle the coal.
What facilities will be available at Alloa Station, and will people with disabilities be able to use them?
Alloa Station will feature a modern sheltered waiting area constructed from glass and steel. It will be unmanned and fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, which requires full access for all users. For an artist's impression of the new station see the The Project.
What action is being taken to minimise the impacts of the construction work taking place?
Throughout the duration of the project we have been working very closely with residents of the areas affected to minimise any physical impacts of the new railway line. The environmental effects have also been a key consideration and professional advice has been sought regarding the most appropriate and effective ways to mitigate these impacts.
What is being done to prevent children playing on the railway?
The SAK project team has been proactive in taking steps to ensure the safety of children by briefing the local community on the dangers of trespassing onto a construction site. The entire route is fenced off to help prevent people, particularly children, from trespassing onto the line.
Before the line reopens the project team will also work closely with Network Rail and the British Transport Police to deliver a comprehensive safety programme to local schools and youth groups, educating children about the dangers of playing on or near a railway line.
Which train companies will operate on the route?
The route will have passenger trains running from Stirling to Alloa, with freight trains running on the entire route from Stirling to Kincardine. First ScotRail will operate the passenger services, and we believe English Welsh and Scottish Railway Ltd will continue to operate freight services to Longannet Power Station.
When is the route expected to reopen?
Construction work is expected to be finished in Spring 2008 with the first trains running following a period of commissioning and driver training. We anticipate passenger services running by Summer 2008.
Are there any plans for any further extension or renovation of the route?
No. This is not covered by the scope of the SAK Act, which deals only with the reconstruction of a rail line between Stirling, Alloa and Kincardine.
Who is involved in the project?
The project Promoter is Clackmannanshire Council and overall project management is being provided by Transport Scotland. The project construction work is being carried out by First Nuttall, a joint venture between two of the UK’s leading rail engineering firms First Engineering and Edmund Nuttall Ltd. Site supervision is provided by Jacobs Engineering.
The following parties comprised the steering group which agreed the remit and developed the project to the construction stage: the Scottish Government, Clackmannanshire Council, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, the Strategic Rail Authority, Fife Council and Stirling Council. Funding is being provided by the Scottish Government, Clackmannanshire Council, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, Network Rail and EWS Ltd.
