A REPORT laying out plans to improve access to Glasgow Airport has been delayed to allow for detailed work on up to 15 shortlisted schemes.
Independent consultants were commissioned last year to look at what transport options were available to prevent passengers being held up in rush-hour traffic on the M8, with a completed report expected to be submitted by December.
Its findings are likely to prove controversial given the decision to axe the £210 million Glasgow Airport Rail Link in 2009 and a campaign by Labour to have the project reinstated.
A list of up to 50 options, including a ferry connection via the Clyde, has been reduced to 12 to 15 viable projects. A source said: "They've got rid of the nonsense and whittled it down to between 12 and 15 options. Each one will need to be appraised and the cost to benefit ratio assessed."
Its conclusions are likely to include long-term options such as a tram-train connecting with heavy rail services at Paisley Gilmour Street Station and cheaper proposals that could be implemented within the next five years, including a dedicated bus lane on the M8 to Glasgow.
Extending the Fastlink rapid bus service, which is due to be completed in 2015 and connect Glasgow to the Southern General, is another option.
The report has been commissioned by Glasgow Airport in partnership with Renfrewshire and Glasgow councils and Transport Scotland.
A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: "Convenient and reliable access by a range of modes of transport is of fundamental importance to the operation and success of any airport."
Renfrewshire Council leader Mark Macmillan added: "The council is fully committed to working with partners to maximise the role of Glasgow Airport as a driver for the local and regional economy."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article