New rail jobs are being created on the Airdrie-Bathgate rail link, it has been confirmed.

Construction recruitment company SkyBlue will select 16 new employees to work on the £300 million rail project, which is being funded by Transport Scotland.

The initiative is being specifically targeted at the long-term unemployed, who will receive additional training before construction operations begin next month.

Two groups of eight will work on the project, with their training course to be funded by Skills Development Scotland.

In addition to general construction site training, the trainees will be taught basic health and safety practices.

Network Rail's Scotland director explained that the Airdrie-Bathgate link will deliver long-term benefits to the residents of West Lothian and North Lanarkshire.

"Working on this project will open up new opportunities to the chosen candidates," he said.

"Not only will they have a fantastic opportunity to help build a new railway, they will learn some valuable new skills along the way."

Network Rail announced earlier this month that it would be implementing upgrades to the Bathgate branch line over the course of the summer.