NETWORK Rail engineers have confirmed they have not identified any significant structural issues at Glasgow Central high-level, following ‘limited, controlled’ access to the station.
The station was impacted by the devastating fire on Union Street on March 8. However, damage – mainly caused by water ingress – has been found to be contained to a small office on the Union Street side of the station and a small part of the glazed area directly above it.
(Image credit: KenSoftTH, Shutterstock)
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has now concluded firefighting and formally handed the site over to Glasgow City Council, with the local authority stating that the demolition of a building left ‘seriously compromised’ on Union Corner ‘must happen in the interests of public safety’.
The council has established a safe zone around the remaining façade of the affected building and introduced additional security measures to protect the public and those working nearby. These arrangements allow the local authority to safely carry out their assessment and demolition work required in the area.
The zone extends to Glasgow Central Station and the high‑level therefore remains closed and will remain closed for the remainder of the week, Network Rail said. In the meantime, all available options for safely reopening the station are being explored – including whether a partial or phased reopening of some platforms might be possible.
Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said, “We’re extremely grateful to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts over the past few days and to all partners involved in the response. Their work has been vital in helping move us closer to a return to normal operations at Glasgow Central.
“As soon as access is granted, our focus will be on getting the station ready to welcome passengers again. Our teams are prepared to carry out the detailed inspections, cleaning, repairs and operational checks that may be required, depending on the findings of the local authority’s assessment. We’re committed to completing this work as quickly and safely as possible once the station is returned to us.
“We recognise the disruption this closure is causing and appreciate the patience shown by passengers and the wider community. We’ll continue to work closely with partners and provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.”
Passengers are encouraged to follow advice from their train operator or nationalrail.co.uk and follow @NetworkRailSCOT on X for the latest updates.
