Council bosses back £144m Glasgow Airport direct rail link

Council leaders have taken another step forward in securing a direct rail link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre.

They have formally backed plans for the £144 million Glasgow Airport Access Project, a key scheme paid for by the £1.13 billion Glasgow city region city deal.

Council chiefs in Glasgow and Renfrewshire hope to strengthen the area’s link to the world, positioning it as an attractive place to do business and helping to create jobs within the area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The UK and Scottish governments will give Glasgow city region local authorities £500 million each in grant funding for the city deal and the local authorities will borrow a further £130 million to use for capital investment.

Plans unveiled last month showed journeys would carry passengers on specially-designed tram-trains using both the existing railway network and a new light rail spur from Paisley to the airport.

Glasgow City Council leader councillor Frank McAveety, who is also chairman of the Glasgow city region cabinet, said: “A direct rail link to Glasgow Airport has been an ambition for a long time but it’s now going to be a reality.

“It’s the single biggest project in our city deal and is of crucial importance to the economy of the whole Glasgow city region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It will help us deliver more jobs, bring in more inward investment and vastly improve the customer experience.”

Glasgow Airport supports more than 7,300 jobs and it is hoped improved transport connections will open up the city region to tourism and businesses, generate inward investment and create jobs for local people.

Related topics: