Rail passengers in Dumfries are one step closer to benefiting from a £35million investment in the region's railway - starting with a £13million project to upgrade the line between Gretna and Annan.

Network Rail announced on 29 May 2007 that it had awarded the contract to complete the upgrade - one of the single biggest improvements to the rail network in Dumfries for many years. The single line between Gretna and Annan station will be 'double-tracked', cutting delays and raising the possibility of shorter journey times and additional services in the future.

The work will also involve replacing four bridge decks, installing new signalling and telecommunications, and there will be a new platform at Gretna.

Ron McAulay, Director Scotland for Network Rail said: "We are committed to growing and improving the railway in Scotland. Gretna to Annan is an increasingly busy stretch of line in the Scottish rail network both for freight and passenger trains. Doubling the track will reduce delays and make passenger and freight trains faster and more efficient. Preparatory work has been progressing for the last 12 months and by summer 2007 we will have spent £35 million on improving the rail network in the area, with benefits being widely felt."

The eight mile stretch between Gretna and Annan is an important passenger route from Carlisle via Dumfries to Ayrshire and on to Glasgow Central. It is also the main route for the transportation of coal from the freight terminal at Hunterston in North Ayrshire and the opencast sites in South Ayrshire to power stations in England. Increased line capacity will allow peak time freight transport to be accommodated with greater ease.

In addition, the double-tracked line will provide a new diversionary route for trains on the Glasgow & South West route as well as Virgin pendolino trains traveling up West Coast Main Line.

The work, which will be carried out by contractor Balfour Beatty Rail Projects Limited will be complete by February 2008. The upgrade will include re-decking of several bridges along the length of the line - Stonehouse road bridge, Bellevue Road bridge, and Stonehouse farm access bridge.