New hi-tech equipment offering interactive travel services and real-time advice has just gone live at Stirling Station.

The Smart Point terminal at Stirling has been funded by Transport Scotland and is the first to be installed in Scotland.

This is the latest element of a £650,000 investment package at Stirling Station funded by ScotRail and Transport Scotland.

Over the past three years, Stirling has benefited from the installation of ticket gates, three automatic ticket vending machines, variable height counters, automatic doors at the ticket office and a new shelter on platforms 9/10.

This is part of ScotRail's Station Investment Plan which will deliver over £10m of front line passenger improvements across the country by 2011.

Network Rail has also delivered a resurfaced car park with a revised layout and will complete the renewal of its Customer Information System by the end of this year.

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Dougie Andrews, Franchise Projects and Investments Manager at Transport Scotland said: "Transport Scotland is committed to working with its industry partners to make it easier for people to transfer to rail and enhancing the station environment plays a significant role in making rail travel a more attractive option.

"We have worked with ScotRail to improve the facilities at Stirling Station and are sure these enhancements will go down well with passengers."

George Allan, station manager for Stirling, said: "The Smart Point - including a built -in printer - is a really useful facility and will play a major role in helping customers plan their journeys in real time."

The installation of Smart Point at Stirling - and others at Aberdeen, Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley - follows in the wake of other enhancements across the ScotRail network, which have also seen customer help points introduced at every station.

Scottish Ministers' decided to extend the rail franchise contract with First Group in April last year.

As part of the extension, ScotRail has committed to delivering a £70m programme of improvements for rail passengers across Scotland. This investment is in addition to the £40 million programme of improvements to be delivered by October 2011 which the-then First ScotRail committed to upon winning the current franchise.

(GK/BMcc)