The first opening road bridge across the River Clyde is a step closer to completion as the first section of the Renfrew Bridge has arrived in Renfrewshire.

Working on behalf of Renfrewshire Council, the £117 million Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project will see the new bridge connect Renfrew with Yoker and Clydebank and open up work, health, education, and leisure opportunities on both sides of the Clyde – bringing thousands of additional jobs, investment, and developments to the riverside.

The south section of the 184-metre cable-stayed twin-leaf bridge has arrived on the River Clyde after travelling for seven days on a barge across the North Sea, English Channel and Irish sea having been fabricated in the Netherlands. The team will install the first section on the Renfrew side of the river at Meadowside Street, ahead of the north section of the bridge arriving next month, where it will be fixed into place at Dock Street in Yoker.

Jim Armour, GRAHAM Contracts Manager said:

“The arrival of the first section of the bridge marks a significant milestone on the project- a fantastic achievement by the team.

Over the next few weeks, the team will be working hard to prepare for the north section of the bridge to arrive, where it will be fixed into place.

The new bridge is a vital piece of infrastructure that demonstrates civil engineering excellence, driving economic growth on either side of the Clyde”.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said:

“It’s fantastic to see the first section of the bridge arrive in Renfrew and the project take a significant step forward as this is going to be transformational for the local area, wider Renfrewshire, and the City Region.

“The opportunities that the new bridge, and its new connecting roads and active travel routes, will offer communities and businesses are exponential and the project as a whole will provide a substantial boost to the economy and attract more jobs to the area – in addition to more than 950 already created during the construction phase.

“With this project linking into the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) at Netherton next to Glasgow Airport, it is an exciting time for Renfrewshire and outlines the council’s continued ability to deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects successfully.”

In addition to the new bridge, the project will create additional connecting roads, cycling and walking routes which will link Inchinnan Road in Renfrew with Yoker Railway Station, using the new Renfrew North Development Road.

It will also see improved access for businesses and suppliers to Scotland's home of manufacturing innovation AMIDS, which is being developed by the Council in collaboration with Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

For more information on the project, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/citydeal