A SPECIAL timetable is to be drawn up to help passengers hit by the five month closure of a tunnel on the Glasgow to Edinburgh railway line.

ScotRail and Network Rail have launched a consultation with SPT and transport user watchdog Transport Focus in advance of work starting next year.

It will also be talking to local councils, business organisations, politicians, interest groups and passengers.

Following the consultation, a detailed timetable will be prepared in a bid to minimise the impact of the tunnel closure.

The high level Queen Street Tunnel will be out of action from Sunday March 20 until Monday August 8 to allow more than a mile of concrete slabs which carry the rail tracks to be replaced.

They were installed in the 1970s but have deteriorated as a result of continuous wear and the effect of water.

Glasgow to Edinburgh trains will not be able to use the tunnel during the 20 weeks the work will take.

But services to Edinburgh via Airdrie and Bathgate will continue to operate through Queen Street low level station.

In advance of the tunnel closing, work will take place on the line between Anniesland and Kelvindale to create a new linking section of track.

This will reduce disruption by allowing more trains to run to Glasgow Queen Street low level from the north and east.

Regular trains to Edinburgh will continue operate from Glasgow Central Station.

A ScotRail spokesman said: "We are now consulting on a temporary timetable and working hard with industry partners to ensure minimal disruption.

"The works to replace more than a mile of concrete slabs which carry the rails at the Glasgow Queen Street high level tunnel are unavoidable because the infrastructure is at least 40 years old.

"There is no doubt there will be service alterations, including diverting trains and using replacement buses.

"The works are a long term solution, with the new slabs having a design life of around 60 years without future major intervention required."

A spokesman for Network Rail, which will be carrying out the work, said: "We appreciate this work is disruptive for a large number of people who use our network but the long term solution we are delivering in the tunnel is ultimately the most efficient and least disruptive intervention for the travelling public.

"We apologise for any inconvenience the tunnel closure may cause but we are working with Abellio ScotRail to do everything we can to minimise disruption and maintain as many train services as possible during the work."

Scotrail say the work is unavoidable as short or medium term options would have resulted in significant levels of ongoing maintenance as well as major engineering works within years.

Meanwhile, this summer, commuters face 44 days of disruption as a result of work needed for the electrification of the rail line.

Winchburgh tunnel,  in West Lothian, will shut from Saturday June 13 until Monday July 27.