An ambitious project to provide a major metro transport system in Glasgow is set to secure funding of more than £12 million to push forward the plans.

Glasgow City councillors will this week be asked to approve accepting the funding, set aside late last year by Glasgow City Region, to support the development of the Clyde Metro.

The Clyde Metro is a multi-billion investment over a 30-year period that aims to better connect more than 1.5 million people to employment, education, and health services in and around Glasgow. 

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This funding will be used to help progress the business case development work. A report being presented to members of the City Administration Committee this week states that of the funding available, up to £6.5 million will be made available to commission consultants to help deliver a CFI (case for investment). 

The CFI will set out the strategic business case for the project and the arrangements for the initial delivery phases. It will also take forward work to improve sustainable transport access to Glasgow Airport, and longer-term plans for future phases of the Metro.

Glasgow Times:

The remaining £5.6 million will be made available to support local authority resources.

As well as improving sustainable access to Glasgow Airport, the proposals would see a mass transit system bigger than Manchester’s current Metrolink with routes stretching as far as East Kilbride, Newton Mearns and Barrhead. Routes would see a mixture of light and heavy metro alongside converted railways.

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It looks to tackle social exclusion by improving access to education and employment opportunities, while encouraging fewer car journeys, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and freeing up rail capacity for longer-distance journeys.

This Thursday, members of Glasgow’s City Administration Committee (CAC) will be asked to accept the £12.1 million business case funds.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Shettleston councillor, Thomas Kerr, said: “If we are to attract people to live and work in Glasgow – and in neighbouring areas – then it is essential that our communities are better connected than they are right now.

“The proposals for the Clyde Metro are ambitious but I know many residents and businesses are keen to see more detail behind the proposals.

“That is particularly important at a time when our budgets continue to be under huge pressure due to savage cuts passed down from the SNP-Green government.

“While this investment is another positive step forward for the Clyde Metro, I will be carefully scrutinising the latest plan to ensure that this is delivering value for hard-pressed taxpayers.”