The coming weeks will see a significant increase in activity as Network Rail and recently appointed contractor AECOM carry out a £5 million package of work to assess a number of existing bridge structures including in Perth, Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Arbroath Angus, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
In the last year, Network Rail and Siemens engineers have carried out ground investigation work across 72 miles of railway as part of the Aberdeen to Central Belt enhancement project.
The enhancement project, funded by £200 million from the Scottish Government, is part of an ongoing investment in Scotland's Railway to reduce rail journey times from Aberdeen to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, and to improve connectivity and enhance capacity for both passenger and freight trains.
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As well as the Aberdeen to Central Belt enhancement, the ground investigation work is also informing future plans for the route, including enabling higher and wider freight traffic and for the future design of the infrastructure as part of the Scottish Government's programme to decarbonise Scotland's Railway for passenger services by 2035.
Iain McFarlane, Network Rail route delivery director, said: "Our lineside neighbours will see increased activity over the next few months at specific locations across the route, as our engineers undertake more detailed ground investigation work.
"We're pleased to welcome AECOM on board as we begin a comprehensive assessment of a number of bridges. This will provide valuable information that will inform our plans to decarbonise Scotland's Railway and will help shape what a decarbonised railway might look like in the future, including potential electrification.
"Ultimately, the work informing both the enhancement project and future opportunities will benefit passengers and freight customers by improving capacity, connectivity and journey times, as well as further developing a sustainable and greener railway environment."
