TRAIN services in Dumbarton and the Vale will be slashed again from Monday, February 1 as ScotRail makes further cuts amid plummeting passenger demand.
Services are being cancelled across the company’s network after the transport firm said the number of people using its trains was down by almost 90 per cent on January 2020.
Trains between Dumbarton Central and Springburn were axed in December, and earlier this month ScotRail announced it would be reducing the capacity of most trains on the Balloch and Helensburgh lines from six carriages to three.
Under the latest service revisions, the daytime 30-minute frequency on the Balloch-Airdrie and Helensburgh Central-Edinburgh routes will not change.
But several late evening trains will be cancelled.
LATEST HEADLINES: Vulnerable people 'forced to queue in rain and cold' for vaccine in Alexandria
The last trains via Dumbarton Central from Monday, February 1 will be as follows:
2013 Balloch-Springburn (calls at Dumbarton Central at 2026)
2024 Springburn-Balloch (calls at Glasgow Queen Street at 2038, Dalmuir at 2108, and Dumbarton Central at 2120)
2055 Edinburgh-Helensburgh (calls at Glasgow Queen Street low level at 2216, Dalmuir at 2244, and Dumbarton Central at 2258)
1932 Helensburgh-Edinburgh
2001, 2031 and 2102 Helensburgh-Bathgate
Scotland’s current coronavirus laws allow only essential journeys on public transport.
People who do have to travel by train should follow the five rules for safer travel, including wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance in stations and on-board trains.
People should only be travelling if they meet the criteria set out by the Scottish Government guidelines.
READ MORE: ScotRail cuts capacity on Dumbarton and Balloch trains as demand falls in latest lockdown
Customers who do need to travel should also check their journey before they set out on February 1, as online systems will still be in the process of being updated.
David Simpson, ScotRail’s operations director, said: “We have constantly adapted our timetable throughout the pandemic to reflect restrictions in place at any given time, allowing those travelling to be able to rely on ScotRail, and these alterations will again ensure that we deliver that critical service.
“There will also be minimal change for those currently using our services, as we have matched changes with the current demand.
“Like any business during the pandemic, we need to continue to make sensible financial decisions, and reducing the number of services means a reduction in costs for the taxpayer, while continuing to deliver a safe and reliable rail service.”
Full details of service changes across the ScotRail network from February 1 can be found at https://www.scotrail.co.uk/february-2021-timetable-change
READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest headlines across Dumbarton and the Vale by clicking here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here