£91m plan to spark a bright new future
New Clyde crossing is just one of a raft of projects
David Campbell
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Renfrewshire Council is reviewing applications to build a bridge linking Renfrew to Yoker and create an investment zone near Glasgow Airport.
The City Deal scheme will help create jobs and encourage travel to the region from across the River Clyde.
Bob Grant, chief executive of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, says the work will help drive employment across the district.
He said: “These projects offer tremendous benefits for local businesses and have the potential to change how we do business in Renfrewshire.
“These major infrastructure investments will make it much simpler for employers to do business, easier for employees to get to and from their places of work and open up the potential for future investment.”
Planners are considering the proposals, which include: ● A 184-metre two-lane opening bridge across the River Clyde ● A 750-metre road linking the crossing to Renfrew town centre ● New cycle lanes extending the network between the town and Yoker ● New roads and improvements to existing carriageways in the area ● Woodland planting to create wildlife habitats alongside roads and walkways
The Scottish and UK governments joined forces with eight local authorities to launch the £ 1billion City Deal scheme. It aims to improve infrastructure across the zone, attracting private investment and improving communities by creating work and homes.
Plans behind the £39 million Glasgow Airport Investment Area will see ongoing construction works to improve access.
Construction of a new bridge over the White Cart, realignment of Abbotsinch Road and new cycle routes will improve connections between the existing Westway, Inchinnan and terminal business parks.
It will help create a state-of-the-art hub connected by air, sea and land.
The Renfrew-Yoker bridge will link Meadowside Street to Dock Street for cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
It will ease traffic congestion and help speed up journeys on both sides of the river – helping reduce greenhouse gasses by more than 500 tonnes by 2020.
The project will help deliver 1,690 new homes, while the airport investment will add another 250.
Mr Grant added: “Around 1,400 new jobs are expected during the construction period.
“A further 11,000 permanent jobs could be created through existing business expansion and new businesses being attracted to the area as a result of the City Deal infrastructure investment.
“Improved connections will also benefit the public and local employers, with 59,000 jobs becoming more accessible to Renfrewshire residents.
“I am very excited at the potential of the Glasgow Airport investment area to bring highly-skilled jobs to the area.
“The signs are already there. The First Minister recently announced that an £8.9 million specialist centre to develop new manufacturing processes for lightweight materials for the aerospace and automotive industries will be established here in Renfrewshire.
“It has been encouraging to see the public is firmly behind these projects and I look forward to seeing the work get under way. These are key projects in the Glasgow City Region City Deal, which has the potential to unlock £3.3 billion in private sector investment, benefitting the whole region.”
Councils in Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow will consider the proposals before a decision is made.
If approved, work on both projects is expected to start on site in 2018, with construction completed in 2020.