Network Rail has announced that the first phase of works at Motherwell North has been successfully commissioned. The first phase of works regarded the signaling at Motherwell. The project cost £114 million and will be renewing the equipment on the side of the tracks. By renewing this equipment, the signaling will be moved from five panels located at the Motherwell Signaling Centre to three VDU workstations that will be placed at the West of Scotland Signaling Centre. The work will be completed in two separate phases and when completed, passengers will benefit form a safer and more reliable rail network.

The first phase of work covers the area between Newton, Hamilton and Uddingston. This work was commissioned for over the Easter weekend. The signal interlockings have been renewed as well as other trackside equipment renewals. The network has also had some enhancements added in order to improve the resilience of the signaling in this area.

By improving the signaling technology more reliable journeys can be made which will reduce the amount of delays. These improvements will mean that more trains can run and carry more passengers can use the service. Carrying out this work will modernise the service and will allow trains to run quicker and be greener and quieter.

Updating the signaling systems will help the to centralize the control of the signaling in the West of Scotland. This central point will be at Cowlairs, and will be one of the 12 regional centers that will be in operation around Britain.

Over the course of the weekend commissioning work was needed to move the signal controls from Motherwell Signaling Centre to the new and state of the art centre. When the project is complete, the capacity of the lines and signaling will be enhanced between Mossend, Whifflet, Motherwell, Holytown, Shotts and Law Junction. The rest of the work will be commissioned in 2018.