Metro Feasibility Study (Clyde Metro)

Overview

As a result of developments within the transport landscape at national, regional and local level, including the findings of Glasgow's Connectivity Commission which recommended that work should be taken forward to develop a Metro proposal, the Glasgow City Region City Deal Cabinet paused the City Deal funded Airport Access Project to develop a Feasibility Study on a wider regional Metro opportunity.

The Metro Feasibility Study was mobilised in 2020, and a multi-disciplinary team established by the council on behalf of the City Region. This strategic appraisal set out to tie-in with local, regional, and national work on transport planning, with work subsequently boosted by the inclusion of a Metro concept as part of the Scottish Government's second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) Phase 1. 

This development enabled the Metro Feasibility Study to become fully aligned, and able to support STPR2 Phase 2 with the following additional, complementary outputs:

1. Transport Governance / Operator Options
2. Regional Economic Narrative / Case
3. Assessment of Land Value Capture mechanism
4. Shared Regional ambition and vision - 'Guiding Principles'

The team also collaborated with Invest Glasgow to include within their Greenprint for Investment Prospectus details of how a Metro would attract inward investment and business growth.

The Feasibility Study took a holistic, multi-modal approach, with the project team working closely with key stakeholders to reflect on and develop a common definition and aspiration for what a Metro system is, what it can look like and what it can deliver for Glasgow City Region.

STPR2 Outcomes - 'Clyde Metro'

On 20 January 2022, the Scottish Government published STPR2 Phase 2 - a key document which outlined 45 long term transport investment recommendations that seek to make transport in Scotland more sustainable, and support people to make better, more informed choices on how they travel. 

One of the standout recommendations was the inclusion of Clyde Metro - described as a multi-billion investment which, when complete, could better connect over 1.5 million people to employment, education, and health services in and around the Glasgow City Region:

• A metro transport system that transforms connectivity in the Glasgow City Region up to around 15km from the city centre. It would target areas where connections are currently poor, including places where there is deprivation.
• Metro transport systems include one of or a combination of bus rapid transit, light rail and metro rail. These options would complement the service provided by traditional railways and may include the conversion from existing railways to light rail or metro rail.
• Improving access across the city region supports Scottish Government policies aimed at tackling deprivation and health issues. Connecting Clyde Metro with active travel and existing transport networks would remove shorter distance trips from the heavy rail network and free up additional rail capacity for longer journeys.
• The system would help to deliver environmental benefits and improve public transport journey times and journey time reliability, making sustainable travel options more attractive.

Next Steps:

The STPR2 draft recommendations which include Clyde Metro, were subject to a 12-week consultation which closed on 15 April 2022. Feedback received will help inform the final STPR2 Report, with any refinements/additions along with the development of a Delivery Plan forming the basis for strategic transport investment decisions by Scottish Ministers.

The final recommendations are expected to be confirmed later this year.  Meantime, STPR2 recommends that Transport Scotland continues to work with the council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and other regional partners on developing the business cases and delivery plan for Clyde Metro.

STPR2 Documents:

Transport Scotland: Summary Report – January 2022 – STPR2  

Transport Scotland: Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (STPR2)

Transport Scotland: Draft Technical Report - January 2022 - STPR2

 

Metro Feasibility Study Project Updates:

Metro Feasibility Study: Update to ESCR Committee (1 Feb 2022)

Glasgow City Region - Regional Economic Strategy (Dec 2021)

Invest Glasgow - Greenprint for Investment (Sept 2021)

Metro Feasibility Study: Update to Glasgow City Region Cabinet (6 April 2021)

Metro Feasibility Study: Update to Glasgow City Region Cabinet (6 October 2020)