RAIL passengers on both Inverclyde lines will begin the new year facing a month of disruption and replacement bus services.

Network Rail is advising passengers to expect changes to their services on each weekend in January as engineers undertake a range of works on the railway.

Buses will replace trains between Glasgow Central and Paisley on Saturdays.

On Sundays the normal service will be even more disrupted, with the bus replacement running between Port Glasgow and Glasgow.

No weekday services will be affected.

Work being carried out includes installation of rock netting to protect the railway from falling debris at Bishopton, renewal of track at Ibrox and Hillington and demolition and start of reconstruction on a footbridge at Arkleston, in Paisley.

Network Rail say all the work is designed to enhance safety, protect the infrastructure and improve performance and cannot be delivered safely without the need to close the railway.

Lindsay Saddler, Network Rail’s infrastructure director, said: “There is never a good time to close the railway, however, the lower volume of services and number of people travelling on weekends means that this is the least disruptive time to deliver the work required.

“The projects have been planned so that the track access we are taking next month maximises the amount of work that we can get done and minimises disruption for passengers.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience these works may cause and would advise people travelling from Inverclyde to plan their journeys in advance on each weekends in January.”

Passengers should leave extra time for travel, and plan journeys in advance. Further information is available at www.scotrail.co.uk as well as on the ScotRail app.