Network Rail announced on 7 January a £16M signalling enhancement to "improve reliability and create additional capacity on the lines serving key commuter routes into Fife and beyond."

The existing 3-aspect signalling on the Fife lines between Haymarket and Dalmeny will be replaced by continuous 4-aspect signalling - decreasing signalling headways and increasing train speeds on this section of the route. Six new signals are also to be installed on the Forth Bridge by this summer.

While this improvement is most welcome, Inverness trains need to be disentangled from having to follow a stopping train in to Edinburgh as this costs an extra ten minutes running time. The 06:50 business train from Inverness had a further two minutes added to its schedule last month. Six years ago it left Kirkcaldy at 09:25 and got to Waverley at 09:59. Now, it still leaves Kirkcaldy at the same time but reaches Waverley at 10:06. This despite the strong messages from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce asking for an earlier arrival of the first train.