‘Tram-train’ system chosen as link to airport and city

● System is the preferred option for long-awaited rail link in Glasgow

using both the existing railway network and a new light rail spur from Paisley to the airport.

It would offer a 16.5-minute direct journey between the city centre and the front door of the airport, developers say.

Plans for the £144 million link have been drawn up jointly by Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow City Council and would be funded from the £1.13 billionglasgowandclydevalley City Deal – an agreement between the UK government, the Scottish Government and eight local authorities across the region.

The proposals will now be discussed by councillors in Renfrewshire and Glasgow before they go for approval by the Glasgow City Region Cabinet – made up of the leaders of both councils – in December.

Construction work would start in 2022.

FRANK MCAVEETY

Glasgow City Council leader Frank Mcaveety said: “We’ve long argued that a new rail link between the airport and the city centre is essential for the thousands of tourists and business travellers who fly into and out of Glasgow every day.

“The airport already supports thousands of jobs but this new rail link, which is the single biggest element of our City Deal, will be the catalyst that takes us to a new level, vastly improving the customer experience and generating even more jobs and inward investment.”

Previous proposals for a rail link between the city and airport were scrapped in 2009 amid public spending cuts.

Renfrewshire Council leader Mark Macmillan said: “Glasgow Airport is key to the success of our local and regional economies.

“It supports more than 7,300 jobs, 4,300 of which are in Renfrewshire and this project will help increase annual passenger numbers.”

“We’ve long argued that a new rail link between the airport and the city centre is essential for the thousands of tourists and business travellers who fly into and out of Glasgow every day”