Fife Electrification

Project Updates

• Thornton - Main Street bridge replacement

  Time: 9.00 | Date: 12-05-26

   

  Work on Thornton bridge to begin on 20 June 

  Temporary traffic lights and one lane closure, to allow Network Rail’s bridge replacement at Thornton, will begin on Saturday, 20 June 2026. 

  Work on the bridge, which was originally proposed to take 14 months and would involve a full closure of the bridge, will now be phased. The bridge will be fully closed for five and a half months and the rest of the work will be carried out under a one lane closure. 

  The work is part of a £311.5m investment to modernise the rail network in Fife and deliver new battery-electric trains, increased capacity, reliability and accessibility while reducing carbon emissions. 

  Network Rail submitted proposals to Fife Council in September 2025. Following community engagement, Network Rail paused the programme to listen and respond to concerns, developing a revised approach that better balanced reducing community impact whilst facilitating investment. 

  A revised programme keeps the road open longer through single-lane operations, shortens the period of full closure, and protects key local priorities including pedestrian and disabled access, public transport, safe routes to school and reducing businesses impact. 

  Following intense scrutiny by council officers and based on the costs supplied by Network Rail to install a temporary bridge, Fife Council have now accepted that the Temporary Traffic Restriction Order can go ahead.   

  We know this work will be disruptive and we apologise for the inconvenience. We remain committed to working with the local community across the period, and to keeping the programme under regular review, with a focus on reducing timelines and impacts further if at all possible. 

   

  The programme timeline is now as follows: 

  • 15 June 2026 – Network Rail compound established 

  • 20 June 2026 – Works commence with one lane open 

  • 19 October 2026 – Full road closure begins 

  • 24–28 October 2026 – Railway closure for bridge demolition and installation 

  • 31 March 2027 – One lane reopens as works continue 

  • 9 July 2027 – Works completes

     

  Reducing the impact of the road closure: 

  We will maximise the use of single lane operations to keep the road open longer, pushing back a full road closure until 19th October, reducing the full closure period to 5.5 months. 

  We remain committed to working with the local community across the period, and to keeping the programme under regular review, with a focus on reducing timelines and impacts further if at all possible.

   Local diversion route across full road closure period: 

  Whilst work on Thornton bridge will begin on 20 June, with temporary traffic lights and one lane closure, the full road closure will be limited to 19th October to 31st March 2027. 

  A diversion route will be available via the A92. We know this work will be disruptive and we apologise for the inconvenience. We remain committed to working with the local community across the period, and to keeping the programme under regular review, with a focus on reducing timelines and impacts further if at all possible. 

   

  

  Maintaining pedestrian and disabled access: 

  Pedestrian and disabled access will be maintained across full programme via a pedestrian bridge. 

  Maintaining public transport provision: 

  Fife Council has confirmed appropriate public transport provision will be in place prior to any full road closure.  

  Whilst subject to change, shuttle services will cover all bus stops on route. 

  

  

  

  Maintaining safe routes to school: 

  Fife Council has confirmed appropriate safe routes to school will be maintained across the works. 

  

  

  Emergency service engagement: 

  Fife Council has confirmed appropriate engagement with emergency services who have confirmed they have no additional requirements. 

  Small business liaison: 

  Fife Council Economic Development Team has agreed to facilitate a small business meeting to support those affected, with businesses encouraged to register interest via Network Rail here so that appropriate engagement and coordination can be arranged. 

   

  Community Update: 

  Network Rail and Fife Council will host a community update as follows: 

  • Wednesday 10th June 2026 : Thornton Public Hall 

  • 3-5pm : Informal Drop-In Event : For smaller group discussions 

  • 6-7pm : Community Update : Broader community update 

   

  

  For the latest information: 

  For the latest project information, check www.scotlandsrailway.com/projects/fife-electrification  

  Background

  As part of the project we'll be replacing the road bridge over the railway on Main Street in Thornton, next to Glenrothes with Thornton station, to create the room needed underneath to install new overhead wires.

  On Thursday 9 April, in response to community concern, Network Rail confirmed that we would defer our programme start date at Thornton, so we could listen carefully to the views of the local community, and make changes where we can.

  On Thursday 16 April, we hosted the first Thornton Liaison Group. Thornton Community Council, Thornton Primary School PTA, elected members and representatives from local businesses discussed the issues raised at the recent community meeting, including grouping these by themes.

  Since then, we've carried out investigative work to help us understand the number of utilities and their exact locations on the bridge, and met directly with Thornton Primary School to discuss access arrangement for pupils.

  We've held two further meetings with Fife Council, to discuss options to mitigate the impact on the community while we electrify the railway in Fife. These include options to restrict and/or reduce the duration of the road closure.

  We want to provide clear updates to the community and will arrange another meeting of the Thornton Liaison Group once Fife Council have provided further feedback on our updated proposal.

  

• Kirkcaldy - Bennochy Bridge replacement

  Time: 9.00 | Date: 12-05-26

  Bennochy Road bridge in Kirkcaldy is being rebuilt, to create the room needed underneath to install new overhead wires.

  Until July 2027, the road is closed to allow the bridge to be rebuilt safely. A road diversion is in place throughout which involves several months of diverting undeground utilities before the bridge can be demolished and rebuilt.

  

  

  All of this is part of our work to electrify the railway in Fife.