THE number of train services departing from Motherwell station is set to more than double thanks to the approval of plans for a “major” timetable boost.
Avanti West Coast will begin operation a further 96 services per week from the station on its Anglo-Scottish route.
Weekend services will also be bolstered with more than six times the number of Sunday services and over three times as many of services on Saturday.
This will mean that around half the hourly Glasgow-London services and two-hourly Glasgow-Birmingham services can call at the North Lanarkshire town.
Gus Dunster, Executive Director of Operations at Avanti West Coast, said the company is excited, “to make Motherwell one of the best connected places in Scotland.”
Its hoped the changes will reshape Motherwell into a major calling point on the West Coast Main Line following investment by the Scottish Government and ScotRail to make the station a key transport hub.
Avanti West Coast also exploring options to introduce some of the additional stops from December 2020, with the remaining stops being added to the timetable next year.
UK Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, added: “It’s fantastic that Motherwell will be a major port of call for Avanti West Coast, with a significant increase in the number of services helping improve connectivity, boost the economy and encouraging people to use a greener, more sustainable form of travel between our two nations.
“As we build back better from the pandemic, boosting cross-border connections will be key to helping support, sustain and strengthen our communities as we level up the whole of the UK.”
