A new £144 million rail link is set to be built between Glasgow Airport, Paisley and Glasgow City Centre.

Plans for the scheme were unveiled by Council Leaders Mark Macmillan and Frank McAveety on Thursday, 24 November.

The Glasgow Airport Access Project is one of the flagship schemes under the £1.13 billion Glasgow City Region City deal.

Features include developing a modern system to carry passengers on specially designed tram-trains, using both the existing railway network and a new light rail spur from Paisley to the airport.

Up to four tram-trains would run per hour in each direction, taking passengers between Glasgow Central Station, Paisley Gilmour Street and the airport. Journeys across the length of the route would take 16.5 minutes, resulting in a dramatic improvement for people travelling to and from the airport by public transport.

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Councillor Mark Macmillan said: "This is a vital transport development that will bring huge benefits to Renfrewshire and the rest of the Glasgow City Region. 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 from 9 to 13 million by 2030.

"Improved transport connections will support the growth of the airport and open up the area to tourism and businesses, bringing inward investment and creating jobs for local people. It will also enhance the benefits of our other City Deal projects, which are designed to unlock our economic potential, creating a world class business and commercial location with excellent links across the Clyde and into our town and city centres."

(LM/MH)