Tram-Trains or a light rail line are on the table for Glasgow with both being considered to link Glasgow Airport to the City Centre it has been revealed. Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow City Council have been working together to look at proposals for Glasgow Airport to be linked by rail and have now produced a business case for both options.
The tram-train option would see services run on the current heavy rail network between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street and would then complete the journey to the airport terminal building on newly constructed tram lines. It is estimated that this option would cost £144.3 million and that construction would start in 2021 with the first passengers carried in 2025. Journey times are estimated at 16.5 minutes from end to end.
Option two would see the train part of the scheme abandoned with passengers from the city centre expected to travel by normal service trains as far as Paisley. From there they would be able to change onto the tram which would run directly to the Airport. This is expected to cost £102 million and would presumably be on the same timescales.
The plans are due to be discussed by both councils before they are presented to the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Cabinet next month. Further work would then be taken on both options before a final choice is made during 2016. The funding would come as part of the devolution deal for the Glasgow and Clyde Valley region (encompassing eight local authorities) and is said to be the flagship project of this deal.
Providing a rail link Glasgow to Airport is unfortunately not new as there have been many similar rail link proposals made over the past 25 years. IF it happens, great but we’ve heard this story many times before.
Assume Tram-Train UK tram projects would realistically not be allowed to proceed until the findings and of the tram-train pilot as part of the Super Tram Rotheram-Sheffield Link is completed and fully assessed.
Its a interesting project none the less.
Surely what is required is a direct city centre – airport link. Passengers especially those with luggage will not welcome a change. Ease of use is what will attract people onto public transport.