Glasgow Subway - Future Development

Future Development

The system is unusual compared to other metro systems, as it has never been expanded from its original route in more than 100 years, although ambitious plans were unveiled during 2005. Many schemes for extending the system have been proposed, but none has come to fruition, owing to the cost of providing additional custom made rolling stock, and technical problems — tunnelling beneath the city is difficult owing to its geology, which is composed of solid rock and abandoned mineshafts, making underground construction hazardous and expensive.

In early 2005, SPT announced that they would employ consultants to look into extending the system in the West End, East End, South Side and Glasgow Harbour areas of the city. The extension will take advantage of existing unused tunnels underneath the city, and there is a possibility that roads will be dug up to install tunnels before being replaced and resurfaced (cut-and-cover tunnelling). The plans are expected to take twelve years to come to fruition. In the meantime, there are plans to replace the fleet of trains. New electronic destination signs were installed in the stations in 2008.

The trains themselves are undergoing a minor refurbishment which is being carried out by Alstom (the successor company to Metro Cammell, the original manufacturer of the trains) at its St. Rollox railway works works in Springburn, although they will be expected to be life expired within the next 10–15 years.

As of 2007, the Partick station modernisation project is underway, which will result in a complete redevelopment at the station, which hosts a rail station, a subway station and a bus terminal on the outside.

Should the Crossrail Glasgow project be approved, then West Street station will be redeveloped as an interchange between the new surface railway and the Subway. This was projected to have been completed by 2010, but has yet to begin. This is probably due to funding not being made available.

On 14 March 2007, SPT announced the plans that the consultants have recommended. These include major refurbishment of the existing rolling stock and stations, at an overall cost of £270million. The expansion of the existing network is also considered at a cost of £2.3billion, including a new East End Circle, with seven new stations at St. Mungo's, Onslow, Duke Street, Celtic Park, Dalmarnock, Newhall and Gorbals. The aim is to improve transport links in an area of the city which is currently poorly served by rail, in the hope that this will aid regeneration, and the city's 2014 Commonwealth Games bid. This circle would interchange at Cowcaddens, Buchanan Street and St Enoch. Other proposals include extending the system southwards to Cathcart and further westwards to the SECC and Maryhill using an older railway line.