28 March 2008
Minister announces next stage for GARL
Scotland's transport minister has announced the next stage of delivering the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) project.
Following successful completion of the early stages by SPT, Stewart Stevenson said national transport agency Transport Scotland would now take the project to completion.
SPT guided the project through the Scottish Parliament and undertook the vital development stages of design, land acquisition and advanced works.
Chief Executive Ron Culley said SPT would continue to support the project through the transition.
In June last year, the transport minister announced the decision to combine the project with the Paisley Corridor resignalling work (PCR), funded and delivered by Network Rail.
The aim has been to remove potential passenger disruption and the possible increased costs of running two projects which would have been delivered separately.
Mr Stevenson said: “This represents the right way forward for GARL, a nationally significant project vital for the local and wider Scottish economy, especially in capturing the long term benefits which will flow from the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
“The hard work SPT has put in to get us to this stage should not be underestimated and I thank them for successfully carrying out the initial phases of this crucial project.
“As with all infrastructure projects funded from the public purse, the overriding objective must always be to deliver as effectively and as efficiently as possible.
“We have already taken steps to achieve this by combining the GARL work with Network Rail’s signalling project and I am delighted the project partners have agreed this important next step.
'Essential stages'
Mr Culley said: ”Getting the creation of a rail link to Glasgow Airport, from a concept to the detailed design stage of an approved project, is a significant achievement.
“It completes the essential first stages of a vision that SPT has had for a crucial airport rail link.
“GARL is now ready to be built, so the time is right for Scotland’s national transport agency to take it forward through the implementation stage.”
Glasgow Airport managing director, Gordon Dewar, said: “The airport rail link is one of the most important infrastructure projects of the new century and comes at a crucial time in the development of the city and wider region.
"We are grateful to SPT for the important role they have played in progressing this ambitious project.
"BAA is pleased to play its part in the delivery of this flagship development and looks forward to working with Transport Scotland and our other partners on the next phase of the rail link.”