Parliamentary Under Secretary of State visits ‘gamechanger’ Clyde bridge – Scottish Business News

THE first opening road bridge across the River Clyde has been hailed as ‘a gamechanger’ as politicians visited the site in Renfrewshire today (3 May 2024).

GRAHAM and Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson welcomed UK Government Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lord Cameron to see the first section of the road bridge which was installed last week.

Working on behalf of our client Renfrewshire Council the new bridge is part of the £117million Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project, funded as part of the £1.13billion Glasgow City Region City Deal.

Since construction has commenced, GRAHAM has supported more than 950 jobs and generated hundreds of subcontract and supplier opportunities, many of which were taken up by local Renfrewshire businesses.

The new Renfrew Bridge will connect Renfrew with Clydebank and Yoker and open up work, health, education and leisure opportunities on both sides of the Clyde – with the potential for thousands of additional jobs, fresh investment and new developments brought to the riverside.

In addition to the new bridge, the project will create additional connecting roads, cycling and walking routes which will link Inchinnan Road in Renfrew with Yoker Railway Station, using the new Renfrew North Development Road.

It will also see improved access for businesses and suppliers to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), which is Scotland’s home of manufacturing innovation AMIDS and is being developed by the Council in collaboration with Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

The south section of the 184-metre cable-stayed twin-leaf bridge has been installed on the Renfrew side of the river at Meadowside Street with the second section of the bridge due to arrive later this month, to be fixed into place at Dock Street in Clydebank – bringing a direct link across the Clyde between the two towns for the first time.

Jim Armour, GRAHAM Contracts Manager said:

“The project brings many opportunities for Renfrewshire and the Glasgow City region – opening doors on both sides of the river with the construction of the new bridge, connecting roads and active travel routes.

The team have worked incredibly hard to reach this significant milestone and now focus on the second section of the bridge arriving later this month.”

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said:

“This project is going to be a gamechanger not only for the two towns, but for wider Renfrewshire and the Glasgow City Region.

“The investment of £117million into Renfrewshire through this project outlines this council’s continued ability to deliver nationally significant projects successfully – with the renovation of Paisley Town Hall into one of Scotland’s top entertainment venues, the creation of the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub, and the ongoing transformation of Paisley Museum into a world-class visitor destination further proof of positive capital investment we are bringing to the area.

“The new bridge, and its new connecting roads and active travel routes, will offer opportunities on both sides of the river – not only for connectivity and leisure, but for access to new homes, developments and highly skilled jobs within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) based at Netherton next to Glasgow Airport.”

The bridge is due to be completed ahead of schedule and be fully operational for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists in Autumn 2024.