March 8 2021

Civil engineering firm Graham has beaten off competition from consortiums led by Atkins and Balfour Beatty to secure a £75.9m construction contract to build the first opening road bridge over the Clyde.

The Renfrew Riverside Bridge employs a twin-leaf swing design masterminded by Kettle Collective, connecting new housing developments and a manufacturing district without disrupting through navigation.

As part of the work, GRAHAM will deliver new road links on both banks as well as twin bridge control buildings on the north and south banks.

Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson said: "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 Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland, cementing Renfrewshire’s position as the home of manufacturing innovation in Scotland.”

Leo Martin, managing director for GRAHAM’s Civil Engineering division, added: “GRAHAM are specialists in delivering complex civil engineering projects and our innovative construction solution will minimise the carbon impact, while we will utilise our knowledge and experience from previous landmark bridge construction and installations such as the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin and Carpenters Land Bridge in Stratford to ensure this key infrastructure scheme is completed to the highest standards, while ensuring we deliver a sustainable legacy and positive impact.”

Construction work is scheduled to get underway in the Spring for completion by 2024.  

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Hmm on 8 Mar 2021 at 10:52 AM

UR: is there any indication whether it will provide cycle infrastructure? Are there any more detailed drawings available?

#2 Posted by UR on 8 Mar 2021 at 11:05 AM

Yes, the bridge will act as an on-road cycle route connecting to traffic-free spurs along both north and south banks of the river.

https://pad.renfrewshire.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/00402026.pdf

#3 Posted by Dee Dee on 8 Mar 2021 at 11:34 AM

Yoker? Sounds like a pure mad egg yolk

#4 Posted by Cateran on 8 Mar 2021 at 14:15 PM

Meanwhile, the Rest and be Thankful keeps slip, slip, sliding away.

#5 Posted by Hmm on 8 Mar 2021 at 14:50 PM

Thanks, UR. An on-road cycle route (in other words, painted lanes or nothing at all) is pretty poor considering this is a brand new bridge and road route. Being right next to the Glasgow-Loch Lomond cycle route, this could provide an excellent link for cycle routes south to Renfrew/Paisley and beyond. A shame because the pedestrian infrastructure design looks fairly good and the bridge design is pretty nice.

#6 Posted by Betty Pilks on 8 Mar 2021 at 15:38 PM

#4 I think the only permanent solution to the rest and be thankful is to dig a road tunnel, get some Norwegian tunneling experts in to do it, they can build road tunnels for cheap.

The swing technology for this bridge seems a bit experimental, hopefully there aren't massive cost overruns, almost every infrastructure project the ScotGov puts its hand to ends up spiraling out of control like these two 'new' ferries rusting on Clyde.

#7 Posted by Jonathan on 22 Feb 2024 at 21:10 PM

not so bothered about the bridge not having a cycle lane as its costly to factor in, but the connecting roads on renfrew side should at least have painted lines as should the roads on yoker side leading to the path.

Post your comments