Was it time for a space age shuttle?

A hi-tech monorail could be built to link central Paisley with Glasgow Airport, we reported in May 1989.

The space-age rail shuttle was one of a series of transport options for the nineties that were being investigated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive.

Now, a year-long feasibility study into the monorail plan was under way.

Another option being studied by the transport executive was extending the Glasgow underground to the airport.

Strathclyde’s transport boss Councillor Malcolm Waugh said: “We’ve commissioned these studies to get an idea of the costs involved and to find out what the public themselves want.”

He added: “Obviously, the extension to the underground system would be the most expensive as that would involve tunnelling.

“But I’ve already looked at monorail systems at Toronto and Montreal in Canada and at Gatwick Airport.

“A monorail would mean we could have a train running between the airport and Paisley every seven minutes.”

The transport study was taking two years.

It was now at the half-way stage.

“What we’ve done is identify several options which we want to investigate further,” said Councillor Waugh.

“It will take a further year to complete, perhaps longer in the case of the extension to the underground system.”

A rapid people-mover link between Paisley and Glasgow Airport was one of the proposals put forward by the Renfrew Development Company, the body set up to generate economic growth in the Paisley area.

The company wanted to exploit Paisley’s close ties with Glasgow Airport, renaming Paisley Gilmour Street station as Paisley International.

Also included in the plans for the future were developments in tourism and export.

Development chief executive Gwyn Kennedy welcomed the transport announcement.

He said: “Our flagship project is Paisley

International. And an integral part of the project is the linking of Paisley town centre with the airport which is seen as being of vital help to the economy.”