New rail link brings jobs

Sep 2 2010 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

A MAJOR jobs boost is on track for Bathgate when the town’s new rail link opens.

ScotRail has announced a major jobs boost for the county with the creation of 130 posts across the central belt with 74 of them based in the town.

The jobs look set to be a major bonus to the local economy, with salaries alone totalling more than £1.3 million a year.

The posts are a result of the new Glasgow to Edinburgh via Airdrie and Bathgate line which is due to open on December 12.

The Bathgate jobs will range from train drivers and train presentation staff to station and on-train staff.

The route, which will have new stations at Caldercruix, Blackridge and Armadale, has been funded by the Scottish Government at a cost of more than £300 million and is one of the biggest transport project undertaken in the country for decades.

The majority of jobs being created are frontline – including seven staff at the relocated Bathgate station which will open in mid-October, marking a significant milestone for the overall project.

The jobs also include 11 train drivers at the new maintenance depot at Bathgate and 31 on board ticket examiners who will also be based in Bathgate.

Steve Montgomery, ScotRail’s managing director, said the announcement of the new jobs is another major boost being provided by the new rail link.

He continued: “The new line is great news – creating jobs and travel opportunities.

“ It also demonstrates the commitment and strength of industry partnerships in achieving significant improvements to the railway in Scotland.

“I am confident it will be a great success.”

Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, said: “Recent trends showing increasing passenger numbers on our rail network are encouraging, but if we want that to continue, and if we want to encourage more people to use public transport, then the delivery of projects like the Airdrie - Bathgate is crucial.

“We can already see rewards for our economy through these jobs which will not only bring benefits to those gaining new employment.

“The services they will deliver mean tens of thousands of passengers across Scotland will have access to a high level of services on a new fleet of environmentally friendly trains.”

Ron McAulay, Network Rail director, Scotland, said: “These jobs are likely to be the first of many to be created as a direct or indirect result of the Airdrie-Bathgate rail link. As well as improving travel options, the line was built as a catalyst to help improve the lives and opportunities of thousands of people in West Lothian and North Lanarkshire and we’re please to see that coming to fruition.”

Bathgate’s MSP, Mary Mulligan, also welcomed the completion of the work.

She said: “I am very pleased to see yet more jobs being created due to the re-opening of the Airdrie Bathgate rail line.

“The announcement that 130 jobs will also be created for the opening of the new line is good news for those people and their families.

“The re-opening of the line will be good news for the communities along it, such as Bathgate, Armadale and Blackridge allowing local people to access job opportunities further afield but also bringing business to those communities. At a time when unemployment is high I very much welcome all 130 new jobs."

The recruitment drive is now underway, with all vacancies to be posted online at www.firstgroupcareers.com

They will be posted as and when appropriate under a rolling programme to take account of training needs before launching the services from Helensburgh/Milngavie through Glasgow Queen Street and onwards to Edinburgh Waverley via Airdrie and Bathgate.