Plans for a tram-train service to link Glasgow City Centre with the Airport are once again on the table with local councils set to discuss the plans further. Almost exactly a year since we last reported on the story the plans are now set to be discussed further before it is passed to Glasgow City Region cabinet in December.
The project would cost £144 million and would see services run on conventional railway lines between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street before transferring onto a purpose built light rail link through to Glasgow Airport. It is estimated that currently 80% of all staff and passengers travelling to the Airport do so by road adding to congestion on the M8 and it is hoped that this rail link would help to ease this congestion.
There had been plans for a Glasgow Rail Airport Link which would have cost £210 million but this was abandoned in 2009 due to fears over the escalating costs and it is only now that a feasible alternative seems to have been identified.
It is anticipated that journey times would be 16 and a half minutes and if all goes according to plan services would start in 2025 with construction commencing in 2022.
In truth this story has barely progressed since last year’s news story except that Renfrewshire and Glasgow city councils are now set to officially discuss the plans before they pass the final decision to the Glasgow City Region cabinet.