Graham wins £80m Clyde bridge contract

Contractor Graham has won an £80m deal to build the first opening road bridge across the River Clyde.

The Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside, awarded to Graham by Renfrewshire Council, is jointly funded by the UK and Scottish governments through the £1.1bn Glasgow City Region City Deal.

The twin-leaf swing bridge for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from Renfrew to the boundary between Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire forms the centrepiece of the project.

All planning consent is in place and construction is scheduled to start in spring and take three years to complete, with the contract to be finalised later this month following conclusion of the procurement process.

There’s also riverside walking and cycling routes and a new road through Renfrew connecting the bridge to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) being developed by the council in collaboration with Scottish government and Scottish Enterprise.

Leo Martin, managing director of Graham’s civil engineering division, said: “We’re delighted to have been chosen to deliver the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project, including the River Clyde bridge, with our design partners Ramboll and Amey.

“The new bridge will provide a gateway to the area’s fast-growing manufacturing innovation district and help better connect communities with significant employment and development opportunities for what will be a transformational project for the Renfrewshire and Glasgow City regions.”

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.”