A new express rail service linking Glasgow and Edinburgh could be operational by the end of next year.

A new express rail service linking Glasgow and Edinburgh could be operational by the end of next year.

The Caledonian Express would make the journey in just over an hour, stopping at Uddingston, Shotts, West Calder, Livingston and Haymarket, and taking pressure off the Glasgow to Edinburgh main line via Falkirk High.

A service already exists on the Shotts line but includes 17 towns and villages and takes 94 minutes to complete. The new hourly service would take just 67 minutes.

The proposal, by SEStrans, the regional transport authority for the south-east of Scotland, and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, which covers the west of the country, has already been earmarked by Transport Scotland, the executive's agency for building new infrastructure, as a potential future project.

Network Rail has also identified improvements on the line as a way of maximising the network, while the current Holyrood administration has promised an express service between Glasgow and Edinburgh if re-elected.

According to SPT, even taking into account new rolling stock and the need to recruit extra drivers, the service should be operational by the end of next year.

In theory, by 2010 when a proposed new link is completed, it would be possible to take a train directly from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh in 83 minutes.

The report by the two transport agencies has now been sent to Transport Scotland and adds weight to the proposal's viability as a future project.

Other improvements recommended by the study include the continuation of existing services with slightly quicker journey times, enhanced park-and-ride facilities at locations along the route and upgraded stations.

Russell Imrie, SEStrans chairman, said yesterday: "These proposals would significantly enhance existing services on the Shotts line while taking into account existing operational and infrastructure constraints.

"They are a positive first step towards cutting journey times for travellers and improving overall services between Scotland's two largest cities."

Alistair Watson, SPT chairman, added: "The Shotts line is one of the key transport corridors between Scotland's two major cities.

"These proposals would create a big improvement in journey times and provide more choice for the ever-growing number of passengers.

"The improvement of this line is a key part of SPT's regional transport strategy. It also very much ties in with our park and ride strategy which involves proposals for improvements in facilities at both Shotts and Uddingston," he said.