The next phase of preparatory work on the Glasgow Airport Rail Link is set to start at the end of August.

Overhead power lines will be transferred to new supports and redundant rail structures will be removed between Gower Street in Glasgow and the Arkleston area of Paisley.

The improvement work will be overseen by Network Rail on behalf of Transport Scotland and closures of the line between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street will take place every Sunday from 31 August to 19 October.

Network Rail is working closely with First ScotRail to minimise inconvenience for passengers on Ayr, Largs, Gourock and Wemyss Bay routes. The train operator will provide a bus replacement service between Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central on Sundays 31 August, 7, 14, 21 and 28 September and 5, 12 and 19 October.

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The activity - which will take place within railway property - will help with subsequent work to install new railway infrastructure crucial to the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project. The first phase of the work took place between 1 July and 16 November 2007, when Network Rail installed portal frames for the overhead line electrification.

Transport Scotland's Glasgow Airport Rail Link senior project manager John Gordon said: "This is an essential part of Transport Scotland's Glasgow Airport Rail Link project and takes us another step closer towards the main construction of this vital new link for Glasgow and the west of Scotland."

David Simpson, Network Rail route director for Scotland, said: "These works are pivotal to the future development of the line between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street and the plans to provide a link to the airport. We are conscious of the impact they will have on some rail users and line-side neighbours and we are working hard to complete this project as quickly and efficiently as possible."

Steve Montgomery, First ScotRail's Operations and Safety Director, added: "We have done everything possible to keep inconvenience to an absolute minimum. Some journeys will take longer than normal and passengers should allow more time for travel."

Local residents bordering the existing railway line will receive notification of work starting near their homes.

(GK/JM)