A £79.5million construction contract to build the first opening road bridge over the River Clyde been approved.

The project - jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Government - will support around 700 new jobs during its construction. 

The twin-leaf swing bridge will allow vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians to cross the boundary between Renfrew, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire. 

Construction is scheduled to start in Spring and take three years to complete - with the contract to be finalised later this month.

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Councillors from Renfrewshire Council’s Finance board agreed to award the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside contract to civil engineering specialists, GRAHAM.

Renfrewshire Council Leader, Iain Nicolson, said: “We are delighted to have approved the awarding of this contract and look forward to working with civil engineering specialists GRAHAM and its project partners on what is a hugely significant project for Renfrewshire, the Glasgow City Region and indeed Scotland.

“We are excited by its potential in creating a vibrant attractive waterfront and connecting communities to their work, to hospitals and to education.

"Short-term, it will accelerate economic recovery from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by creating jobs and boosting opportunities for suppliers and in the long-term, the new infrastructure opens up access to development opportunities on both sides of the Clyde and will ensure the success of AMIDS, cementing Renfrewshire’s position as the home of manufacturing innovation in Scotland.”