Road and station opening signals improved public transport for Gleneagles

The Minister was speaking as he marked the completion of the £3.5 million Gleneagles Station refurbishment and the opening of the new £3.9 million link road connecting the station to the nearby A9.

This significant investment by partners Transport Scotland, Perth & Kinross Council, Tactran, First ScotRail and Network Rail includes an overhaul of the existing Gleneagles Railway Station buildings. This includes new lifts, new waiting rooms, toilet facilities and the installation of WIFI, bringing the station up to modern standards and improving passenger facilities.

The new link road gives safer access to the A9 north and south. The station car park has also been upgraded, providing around 100 spaces as well as cycle racks and a bus turning area.

Together, these upgrades will create improvements and deliver a transport hub for the local community, boosting future public transport use while also improving access to local roads.

Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP said:

“As we look forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of golf fans to Gleneagles in September - and with millions more watching on television – these road and rail enhancements will help deliver the best possible travel experience for those attending this renowned event.

“At the heart of this work has been our commitment to ensure that this partnership investment in Gleneagles road and rail will deliver a lasting transport legacy.

“That means improvements in road safety and investment in public transport designed to ensure long term benefits for the local community.

“As The 2014 Ryder Cup returns to Scotland, the Home of Golf, this is the latest demonstration that Scotland’s transport infrastructure is central to our planning for Year of Homecoming 2014 Signature events like The 2014 Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games”.

Councillor John Kellas, Convener of Enterprise & Infrastructure for Perth & Kinross Council said: “Perth & Kinross Council has supported improvements to road access to Gleneagles station for many years and we are delighted to see this long-held ambition become reality. The result will be safer, more accessible and better integrated transport for the local community in Gleneagles and Auchterarder. This is a worthwhile investment for the Council, developing a lasting infrastructure legacy for our residents.”

Councillor Will Dawson, Chair of Tactran said:

“We are delighted that the ambitious proposals to enhance Gleneagles station and provide good road and bus interchange facilities have now been accomplished. Tactran has worked closely in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council, Transport Scotland, First ScotRail and Network Rail to secure its delivery. Through ongoing work on our Tay Estuary Rail Strategy we will continue to work with our partners to build on these infrastructure improvements to ensure a lasting legacy for the local community and visitors to the region.”

Antonia Beggs, Operations Director at Ryder Cup Europe said:

“The creation of the improved road access to Gleneagles Station will provide a lasting legacy to local residents.

“We are delighted that these improvements have been put in place to help create a world-class event experience for ticket-holders. The 2014 Ryder Cup will bring 250,000 spectators to Gleneagles and this station access is a key component of our transport planning.”

Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail said:

“The real winners of this investment are the local people who will benefit from the improved access and station facilities for many years to come.”

Susan Anderson, Network Rail route commercial manager for Scotland, said:

“These improvements to Gleneagles will make the station easier for everyone to use, especially those with reduced mobility. The new lifts will help to open up rail travel to more potential passengers in the local community and provide a welcome improvement of facilities ahead of the Ryder Cup.”

Commenting on these road safety benefits, Inspector Ian Martin, Police Scotland said:

“The new road allows greater access to the railway station from the new junction. The closure of the existing junction and central reservation crossover will improve the safety and reduce the impact of slower moving vehicles emerging onto the trunk road. The improvements will be felt locally, as any disruption impacts on the nearby communities with the overall access, and the joined up rail, road and public transport links via the A823 junction will allow better connections to the trunk road network.”

Work commenced on the £3.5 million Gleneagles Station enhancements in September 2013 and £3.9m link road improvement in November 2013.

During The 2014 Ryder Cup, the station improvements will be further boosted by additional rail services for the event, with 7500 spaces for spectators daily.

A temporary footbridge will also be installed over the A9 to ensure safe pedestrian access to the course during The 2014 Ryder Cup.

The Council has had positive discussions with local bus operators to amend existing routes to include the station and create interchange options. From, Monday 30 June two journeys on Stagecoach Perth Service 17 will serve the station, and other services will be diverted to serve the station from July 2014. The bus timetable has been planned with a particular focus on local bus services connecting with westbound trains in the mornings and eastbound trains in the afternoons, complementing the existing rail usage pattern at the station.

Contact:
Transport Scotland Press Office: 0141 272 7195