Scotland’s Rail Control Centre launches first cross-border operations team

Scotland’s Railway has strengthened collaboration this week with the launch of its first Cross-Border Operations Team, as train operator colleagues began working inside Network Rail Scotland’s rail operating centre in Glasgow.

Train service managers from LNER, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express and CrossCountry are co-locating in the state-of-the-art control room for the first time to oversee the live running of Anglo-Scottish services.

Eight train service managers will operate on a 24/7 basis from the £200m rail operating centre in the north of the city, which manages more than 2,000 trains every day. The change takes effect ahead of the December 2025 timetable, launching on Sunday 14 December, and aims to improve performance on the East and West Coast Main Lines between Scotland and England.

The new arrangement builds on existing collaboration at the control centre, where Network Rail, ScotRail, Caledonian Sleeper and the British Transport Police already work side by side. By embedding a dedicated cross-border control team, the industry aims to strengthen communication between control rooms in Glasgow, York, Birmingham and Manchester, enabling faster decision-making during disruption and improving overall network resilience.

Simon Constable, Network Rail Scotland’s operations director, said: “This is another step forward for Scotland’s Railway, with the rail industry working together to further improve services for our passengers and freight customers. Having dedicated Anglo-Scot train service managers within Scotland’s rail operating centre is a significant step, enabling real-time coordination and faster decision-making when disruption occurs.

“By embedding these specialist roles, we’re creating stronger links between train operators and ourselves as the infrastructure managers, ensuring that Anglo-Scottish services receive focused attention whilst maintaining the high standards expected across Scotland's Railway.”

Damian Briody, Transport Scotland’s Head of Rail Delivery, said: “Scotland’s Railway plays a vital role in our national life. Every day, passengers, businesses and communities rely on us to provide a railway that is safe, reliable, and resilient. This important development in bringing cross-border operators together in one control room, in Scotland, represents a step change in how we manage the network. It strengthens communication, supports faster decision-making and helps us keep services moving when disruption occurs.

“No single operator can deliver performance improvements alone -it depends on shared insight, trust and a willingness to tackle problems collectively. The cross-border team embodies that approach and demonstrates what can be achieved when the industry works as one.”