Demolition Work Delays Reopening of Glasgow Central High-Level Platforms

Glasgow Central Station’s high-level platforms are set to remain closed until at least Wednesday 18 March as work continues to deal with the aftermath of a major fire in a neighbouring city centre building.

The upper platforms have been shut since Sunday 8 March after a significant blaze caused extensive damage to the nearby Union Corner building on Union Street. While train services using the station’s low-level platforms resumed earlier in the week, the high-level section of the station remains out of use.

Following the incident, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service handed the scene over to Glasgow City Council. The council has since established a safety exclusion zone to protect both the public and those carrying out the recovery work while demolition and stabilisation of the damaged structure takes place.

The cordon currently extends across the high-level section of Glasgow Central, including the station entrances on Union Street, Gordon Street and Hope Street.

Because of the restrictions, Network Rail engineers have been unable to access the high-level platforms while the council’s teams continue their work on the fire-damaged building.

Planning is underway for a potential phased reopening once access to the station can be safely restored. Network Rail says further updates will be provided when more information about timescales becomes available.

Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said:

“We understand how disruptive this extended closure is for passengers and the wider city centre, and we’re extremely grateful for the continued patience and understanding people have shown. The damage to the building beside the station is clearly significant and any phased reopening will depend on demolition work progressing to a stage that allows our engineers to safely return. We’ll continue working closely with Glasgow City Council to support the response however we can.”

Image: Network Rail