Three Towns rail travellers to and from Glasgow will have to change trains in Kilwinning for the duration of the Open Golf Championships in Troon this week.

For almost all four days of competition at the major sporting event, from July 18 to 21, people travelling between the Three Towns, West Kilbride and Glasgow, in both directions, will have to change at Kilwinning, with a four minute wait between connecting services.

The timetable change has been implemented by ScotRail so that it can provide extra capacity for the large number of people expected to travel by train to watch the golf tournament at Royal Troon.

But the Open is happening during an ongoing dispute between ScotRail and the train drivers union ASLEF, which has already led to a reduced service for Ayrshire.

Fewer train drivers than normal are currently available for overtime or rest day working, following confirmation that the union will recommend a ballot for industrial action over pay.

A formal pay offer in line with the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy was made on Friday, July 5, however, this was rejected by all four trade unions.

Almost all services to and from West Kilbride, Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston during the four days of competition at the Open will start and terminate at Kilwinning, where a regular 15-minute service will run to and from Glasgow.

Late night services between North Ayrshire and Glasgow, after 10pm, are expected to run as normal with no changes at Kilwinning.

Trains will return to their normal times on Monday July 22.