THE upper Hope Street exit of Glasgow Central is to open from March 22, thanks to a collaborative effort from Network Rail and Glasgow City Council.
A temporary layout is in place at Scotland’s busiest railway station following the major fire on March 8 at the nearby Union Street. An exclusion zone was established across the main concourse, closing off the usual entry and exit points whilst demolition works take place outside.
As progress is made, the normal route out to Hope Street will reopen and operate as an exit only. For everyone’s safety, passengers arriving on platforms 7-10 will be guided by station staff along a managed corridor beside the exclusion zone and directed safely out to Hope Street.
The low-level station and Hope Street driveway will also continue to operate as they have been, while the Gordon Street and Union Street entrances remain closed. Train services will continue to arrive and depart from platforms 7-15 only, with platforms 1-6 remaining unavailable.
Retailers outside the exclusion zone have been supported to access their units for essential tasks such as stock management and cleaning. Those with premises within the restricted area are being kept updated and will receive further guidance as more detail becomes available about next steps.
Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail, said, “The station has been operating very differently this week, and I want to thank everyone for the patience and understanding they’ve shown. Railway staff have been working hard to guide people safely through the temporary arrangements, and passengers have been incredibly cooperative.
“Our retailers have also shown real patience throughout this disruption, and we’re working closely with them to help manage their stores as access improves.
“We continue to work closely with the Council and train operators as we deal with the aftermath of this incident. Reopening the Hope Street exit is a positive step forward, but there’s still vital work underway. We’re asking passengers to keep bearing with us while these safety measures are in place.”
Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken added, “I’m really grateful to the council teams and contractors who have worked around the clock with colleagues at Network Rail to make this possible.
“Public safety must remain our first priority; but we are all acutely aware of how many people, in Glasgow and right across the country, depend on Central Station day-to-day and everyone involved is working towards that goal.”
