It’s Network Fail as Bathgate to Airdrie rail event hits buffers

By Amanda MacMillan

TRAIN delays and cancellations signalled a disastrous start to the opening of a new station by Transport Secretary Stewart Stevenson today (mon) as scores of passengers had to be ferried by coach instead.

An overhead line fault at the new Bathgate Station in West Lothian meant that only one line was running on the busy Edinburgh route instead of two, leaving scores of people stranded.

A replacement bus service was eventually put on for passengers – but it was an inglorious start to the first major opening on the new £300m Airdrie to Bathgate project which is due to come on track on December 12.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson had talked of how the new station will soon allow passengers the chance to travel direct from Helensburgh and Milngavie, in the west, to Bathgate and Edinburgh in the east.

But no-one was going anywhere yesterday as trains to and from the station came to a standstill.

Guests flee as historic hotel destroyed in Linlithgow fire drama

By Christine Lavelle & Clare Carswell

The roof of the hotel collapsed shortly after 9am sending flame shooting into the morning air as the High Street was choked with thick smoke.

Initial reports suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault in a heater in the first floor laundry room.

But the blaze quickly took hold of the rest of the building, and local residents looked on as smoke billowed out of every window.

Hotel owner John Bartlett – is believed to be out of the country on holiday and it is not yet known if he has been made aware.

A sizeable crowd of onlookers gasped when the roof crashed in as fire-fighters tried to douse the inferno at the building adjacent to the town’s train station.

Others counted themselves lucky to have escaped in time.

Floods hit Scotland

By Cara Sulieman and Rory Reynolds

TORRENTIAL rain and flooding across parts of Scotland were feared to have claimed the life of at least one man today (thurs) – with forecasters warning of more bad weather to come over the weekend.

At least 20 rivers were last night subject to flood watches as heavy rainfall led to considerable train disruption and several key roads – including the A1 between Scotland and England – being closed to traffic.

In West Lothian police and RAF search and rescue teams spent several hours searching the swollen River Almond near Livingston after reports of a man falling into the fast-flowing waters.

A distraught member of the public called Lothian and Borders Police at 9am to say that they had seen the man fall into the river from a footbridge in the Kirkton area of the town.

New stats show Scots are ditching cars for trains

By Oliver Farrimond

NEW evidence has shown that Scots are starting to ditch their cars in favour of train travel.

Statistics released by the Scottish office for National Statistics yesterday has shown a dramatic fall in new car registrations, as well as a drop in numbers travelling to work by car.

In total, the number of new vehicles registered in 2008 fell by 14 per cent to 215,000 – a drop of more than 30,000.

In contrast, the number of ScotRail passengers increased by three per cent, which the group have credited to an “improved performance” and the opening of several new stations.

The data also reveals that Scots roads are safer than ever.

Some 271 people were killed on Scottish roads this year, the lowest figure for more than 50 years.