Plan to reopen old Gers station
RANGERS fans will be able to catch a train directly to Ibrox if a proposal to reopen an old station goes ahead.
Glasgow councillor Stephen Dornan has set up a meeting with the club’s managing director Stewart Robertson to talk about the plan.
Ibrox railway station shut in 1967 but the line remains in use by trains from Glasgow Central.
Dornan said: “The idea is to reinstate the former Ibrox railway station because with the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the BBC and STV buildings, traffic conditions in Govan are at breaking point.
“If we reopened that station, on matchdays we could take, I estimate, about 20,000 fans from the roads onto the rail.
“Rangers are very supportive of it. It’s very easy to do. The tracks are there, it’s just a matter of the train stopping. How easy is that? “I’m hoping that this will happen within the next year.” Rangers fans’ group Club 1872 hinted that their members would back the proposal.
Director Laura Fawkes said: “The reopening of Ibrox railway station could certainly help to improve transport links to the stadium on match days.
“This is particularly relevant given the parking restrictions which have been proposed and which our members voted to oppose in 2017.
“We’d hope that everything possible would be done to ensure safe and convenient travel alternatives if these restrictions are passed and the reopening of the railway station could be one such alternative.”
Plans are in the early stages but, if they are progressed, support could be sought from the Scottish Stations Investment Fund.
Network Rail said: “We are not currently investigating the potential to open a station at Ibrox. But we’re always available to discuss proposals to expand Scotland’s railway where they are supported by a viable business case and meet a clear customer need.”