Transport Scotland holds key to £10bn plan
Transport Scotland holds the key to radical £10billion transport plan for Glasgow getting the green light
THE Scottish Government has been told it must take up the recommendations for a Glasgow Metro to transform the city’s public transport network.
The ambitious £10billion Connectivity commission plans were revealed in the Evening Times yesterday, including a Metro, with trams from the city centre to Easterhouse along Edinburgh road and to Drumchapel, via Great Western Road with a branch line north through Maryhill.
The first branch would be a line along the south west to the airport via Braehead and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Another line goes south east to Newton via Kings Park and Burnside and converting the Cathcart Circle to a rapid frequency Metro line is mooted.
Professor David Begg, Commission chair, said the overall £10bn cost over 20 years could be split three ways with the UK, Government, Scottish Government and Local Authorities all contributing.
But the key, he said, is Scotland’s national transport agency and he admitted the commission was looking to pre-empt a National Transport Strategy due out this year.
Prof Begg said: “The Scottish Government has been good at improving connectivity between cities but our pitch is for connectivity within cities.”
Noting cash spent on infrastructure projects elsewhere in Scotland he added: “It’s Glasgow’s turn.”
He said: “Every singe scheme we are recommending has been through an assessment by Transport Scotland in the past and has a positive case.
“There is a very good chance of this happening if there is the ambition.”
He said Scotland is due £6bn in Barnett consequentials from high speed rail spending in England.
Adding, there would be “uproar” if it was not spent on rail.
The proposals were warmly received by politicians in the city and transport campaigners.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, who set up the commission said the proposals were “bold and ambitious”.
She said: “We can’t spend another 40 years playing catch up with our competitors. It can’t be an aspiration, it must be a necessity.”
Prof Begg said the plans needed cross party support and will to succeed.
Frank McAveety, Glasgow Labour group leader, said: “The ball is now in the Scottish Government’s court.
“The majority of proposals have been vetted and approved by the Scottish Government.
“Twenty years on from the advent of devolution, this is a key test.
“Will the Scottish Government back these plans fully, or will they continue to act as a brake on Glasgow’s future?
“As the report shows, we will need to be bold, brave and radical to live up to the potential of all our people.”
Public transport campaign group, Get Glasgow Moving, backed the plans.
Ellie Harrison, chair, said: “We are over the moon at the Glasgow Metro proposal from the Connectivity Commission.
“Our grassroots campaign was founded in 2016 to reinstate some vision and ambition in Glasgow’s public transport network and to ensure communities left behind by the private bus companies’ route cuts and fare hikes are reconnected.
“Glasgow desperately needs this £10bn of investment to re-build the world-class public transport network our city deserves.”
A regional development corporation is proposed by the commission to look at buying land for infrastructure projects.
One MP said the loss of regional powers has affected Glasgow badly.
Paul Sweeney, Glasgow North East Labour MP, said: “After two decades of devolution and the dismantling of the Strathclyde Region, Glasgow has been starved of public transport investment.
“It’s now time for Glasgow to be given back full regional control of public transport investment planning and associated capital budgets by the Scottish Government, in order to truly realise the full potential of this vision for our great city.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson, said: “Scotland’s transport networks support our economy and day to day activities and it is encouraging to see our largest city giving full consideration to what a future system could offer its citizens.
“The Commission’s report is timely as Transport Scotland takes forward a nationwide assessment of transport requirements with work on an updated National Transport Strategy and the second Strategic Transport Projects Review underway.
“We will consider these recommendations as part of our appraisal, allowing us to balance the needs of communities around the country.”
‘‘ We are over the moon at the Glasgow Metro proposal