A major investment programme totalling £1.13 billion was set in train today, 3rd July 2014, by the UK Government and will be a real boost for Scotland’s largest and liveliest city – Glasgow – and its hinterland.
Glasgow is the fourth UK city, after Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds [where schemes are now in operation], to be given UK City Deal status.
The UK government announced the addition of Glasgow today, with an investment of £500 million, inviting the Scottish Government to match it – which they quickly agreed to do, with another £500 million.
Local authorities in the Clyde valley are contributing a further £130 million between them, bringing the overall investment total to £1.13 billion.
This will allow the long necessary major infrastructural shaping of a city for the 21st century – with the GARL [Glasgow Airport Rail Link project widely expected to be reinstated. This was scheduled to be built earlier but was scrapped by Finance Secretary, John Swinney, as one of his successful austerity measure following the financial collapse of 2008.
The planning of the projects within the scheme will need to be strategically integrated and imaginative. This sort of big bang investment is unusual and must not be wasted as an opportunity to reinvent this important city and return it to its natural role as the engine of the country.
This is a welcome and exciting partnership in the regeneration of a city of enduring note.