Glasgow and Renfrewshire councils are currently establishing a project team to begin work on a Glasgow Airport rail link under the £1.13bn long-term infrastructure investment bound for the region as a result of its 2014 City Deal.
Council officers confirmed that a rail link to the airport is one of the key projects that local authorities plan to fund using the cash, which includes £500m pledges from the UK and Scottish governments with the rest coming from Glasgow and seven other local councils.
Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael recently visited the airport with Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson and Renfrewshire Council leader Mark Macmillan to discuss the future plans.
A Glasgow City Council spokesman told Transport Network that the project is still at the very early stages and no physical or capital work has been carried out as yet, however a project team is being established.
Mr Matheson told Herald Scotland: ‘It is vital that we do all we can to ensure that Glasgow Airport retains its position as the gateway to Scotland, so I am delighted that, thanks to our £1.13bn City Deal, work will soon start on a new rail link between the airport and the city centre.
‘This improved connectivity will benefit passengers and businesses. But more than that, it will bring new jobs during construction and significant benefits to the economy of west central Scotland.’
While Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow Airport, told the paper improving transport access was essential for the airport as it seeks to increase the number of routes served direct from Glasgow building on the extra 20 new routes delivered last year.
