A 70-metre road bridge in Renfrewshire has officially opened, connecting businesses between Paisley and Renfew and providing access to Glasgow Airport and a new advanced manufacturing area.
The Barnwell Street bridge across the White Cart river takes its name from aviation pioneers the Barnwell Brothers and has been built by Renfrewshire Council to link business centres either side of the river.
It forms part of a series of infrastructure improvements jointly funded by the Scottish and UK governments through the £1.13bn Glasgow City Region City Deal, which has enabled development of an Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS).
The council did not respond to an enquiry from Highways regarding the cost of the bridge but it is said to be part of the £39.1m Glasgow Airport Investment Area project, funded through the City Deal.
The £39.1m has also funded a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the nearby Black Cart river onto Greenock Road, which opened last year, and other highways improvements.
The crossing is located between Arran Avenue in Paisley and Wright Street in Renfrew and enables vehicles from Paisley to access commercial premises on the Renfrew side of the river and gives Renfrew companies a new connection into AMIDS, Glasgow Airport and the motorway network.
Right to left: Canmoor director Rob Large; Iain Nicolson; Bullet Express MD John McKail
Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson said: ’We're already seeing the benefits of this investment, with new developments choosing to locate next to the bridge, bringing new jobs and opportunities to Renfrewshire.
‘Local residents will also enjoy the benefits of the Barnwell Street bridge, making it much easier and quicker to choose to leave their car behind and walk, cycle or wheel across to AMIDS, Glasgow Airport and further afield.
‘It's fitting it's named after the brothers who built the first successful powered aircraft made in Scotland as AMIDS is fast emerging as Scotland's home of manufacturing innovation, where cutting edge research and technology is being applied to manufacture in a better way, in a cleaner, greener way.’
