SEVEN companies are competing to deliver a new bridge – dubbed the ‘street in the sky’ – which will connect North Glasgow to the city centre.

Bids for the contract have been received by Glasgow City Council, with the successful applicant expected to be revealed in November.

Work on the pedestrian and cycle bridge over the M8, a key stage in the £250m regeneration of Sighthill, is set to begin in January and be completed by summer 2021.

The 58 metre structure, weighing 2420 tonnes, will replace the current bridge and will provide views across the city’s skyline.

It will be ‘far more attractive and fit for purpose’, the Council claim.

“This is a key stage in the delivery of a bridge that will transform and encourage the connections to and from Sighthill, the city centre and the north of Glasgow,” Council leader Susan Aitken said.

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“The bridge will very much be a symbol of the regeneration of Sighthill as a community – so close to the centre of Glasgow – at long last reconnected to the areas around it, with all the social and economic benefits that this will bring to the area and the wider city.”

The Council believe the connection is vital as almost 1,000 new homes are planned for Sighthill.

Funding for the project comes from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, a £1bn investment programme jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments.

The UK Government’s Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “It’s great to see the progress being made on the first and largest growth deal in Scotland.

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“I am glad that the UK Government is supporting these plans through its £500m infrastructure investment in the deal, which is delivering real benefits for people who live and work in the region.

“To date the UK Government has committed over £1.35 billion of City Region and Growth Deal investment to support sustainable growth in Scotland and create jobs and opportunities for the future.”

And Michael Matheson, the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Secretary, said: “I’m delighted to see the Scottish Government’s £500m investment in the Glasgow City Region Deal being used to deliver key infrastructure to connect communities and encourage active travel across the city.

“This investment will help drive inclusive economic growth not just for Glasgow and its wider region but ultimately for Scotland as a whole.”

The Sighthill regeneration project includes a new community campus school and a road bridge over the Glasgow-Edinburgh railway line, improving the connections between Sighthill and neighbouring communities.

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Plans also include improving parkland and greenspace and bringing new shops, businesses and a public square to the area.

Sighthill will be reconnected to the Forth and Clyde canal at the Pinkston basin.