BISHOPBRIGGS railway station has shut for eight days but bosses aren't laying on buses for passengers - because they claim local bridges are too low.

However, they are spending thousands of pounds on temporary bus services at three other stations which are closed because of major maintenance work.

First ScotRail - the country's main train operator - is laying on buses for passengers who use railway stations at Lenzie, Croy and Falkirk High.

All four stations affected are on the main Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley line and will be closed until January 2.

Train bosses are providing buses to take passengers into Glasgow from Lenzie and Croy while others will travel from Falkirk High to Edinburgh.

But Bishopbriggs residents have been snubbed despite their station being shut for the same length of time.

A First ScotRail spokesman said: "It is not possible to provide buses because the station is at a main road junction. There are also low bridges in the area.

"However, Bishopbriggs has regular bus services and these have been utilised during previous engineering works affecting the station."

He refused to comment when asked why single decker buses could not be provided.

But residents of Bishopbriggs were furious that no alternative transport was being laid on.

Bernard Dougherty, 22, of Beech Place, uses the station most days to travel to and from work in Glasgow city centre.

The store manager said: "People rely on the train and this will mean an extra hour's travel."

Sharman Adams, 51, from Darnley Crescent, said: "People use the train to travel everywhere - it's a major line.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that they say they can't put on buses because of low bridges. There are alternative routes and I don't see why minibuses couldn't be laid on."

Watchdogs at the Rail Passengers Council also criticised the decision.

The body's Scottish spokesman Robert Samson said: "First Scotrail could have run its own buses from a nearby bus stop. All it had to do was put notices up at the stations in advance."

Train services are being rerouted through Cumbernauld and Falkirk Grahamston to allow engineers to replace eight sets of points at Cowlairs junction and for essential maintenance work on the Croy viaduct and the Falkirk High tunnel.

The diversion will add up to half an hour to journeys between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The £4million upgrades will be carried out by Network Rail which is responsible for track maintenance.

A spokesman said: "We make the most of a huge drop in passenger numbers during the festive holidays to carry out as much work as possible and reduce the need for disruption at peak travel times."