Contract award for Govan – Partick Bridge project approved

A Glasgow City Council committee today (25 November) awarded the contract for the Govan – Partick Bridge project to Farrans (Construction) Limited.  This a Glasgow City Region City Deal project, with funding from the Scottish and UK Governments.

The £29.5million project includes the construction of a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the River Clyde between Water Row in Govan and Pointhouse Quay in Partick, a connection that will re-establish the historic link between the two areas.

The bridge will be economically, environmentally and socially important as it will create a link between communities, visitor attractions and institutions of national economic importance, and is a key part of the active travel route between the University of Glasgow’s campus at Gilmorehill and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Works are expected to begin on-site in January 2022, with project completion towards the end of 2023.

In addition to the construction of the fabricated steel cable stayed opening swing bridge, the project will also see:

• Demolition of a section of masonry/concrete quay wall and access stairs at Water Row, Govan;
• Construction of a sheet piled quay wall and Infilling to finished ground level to extend Pointhouse Quay to form the north bridge landing, access ramp and public realm;
• Construction of a reinforced concrete abutment/quay wall and Infilling of the disused Govan Ferry Inlet at Water Row in Govan to form the south landing;
• Construction of bridge approach ramps, retaining walls, provision of drainage and public realm at the north and south bridge landings;
• Bridge and public realm statutory and feature lighting;
• Diversion of the Scottish Water Combined Sewer Outfall at Pointhouse Quay;
• Extension and modification of existing Cathodic Protection Scheme at Pointhouse Quay; and
• Installation of timber fenders and access for a layby berth at Merklands Quay on the Clyde.

10 contractors submitted bids for the contract, with the top five scoring of these invited to submit a tender – three did, with Farrans (Construction) Limited selected for the contract award as the highest scoring on criteria which included price, quality, design, construction impact, quality control and fair work practices.

143 construction jobs will be supported through this project, and significant community benefits will be delivered, including starts for 11 new employees; five new apprentices and a new graduate; school mentoring, work placement, volunteering and work experience opportunities; business mentoring opportunities and supply chain briefings; and community engagement from the contractors, with both financial and non-financial support for local projects.

The investment in the Govan – Partick Bridge is key to, and complements, public and private sector investments such as the £38million UK Government Strength In Places funding to help the University of Glasgow develop the Clyde Waterfront Innovation Campus next to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; the Water Row (housing and commercial) development; the proposed £100million Therme development at Glasgow Harbour, and proposals for more than 1,000 homes at Yorkhill Quay.

Following construction of the bridge, there will be 23% increase in jobs that are accessible within a 20-minute walk of Govan Cross and an 87% increase in the number of jobs within a 10-minute cycle of Govan Cross.

Councillor Susan Aitken, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said: “The award of this contract will mark a key stage in a project which will be transformative for the Clyde waterfront and the city region.  The Govan – Partick Bridge will not only provide an active travel connection between the West End and the South Side of the city, but will directly create new jobs, apprenticeships, training and other opportunities, as well as complementing a number of other ongoing or forthcoming major regeneration projects that stretch all the way from the University of Glasgow to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.”

Final approval of the contract will be considered at the Glasgow City Region Cabinet on 7 December.

The £29.5million Govan – Partick Bridge project in Glasgow city centre is a Glasgow City Region City Deal project, funded by the Scottish and UK Governments.  The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both governments provide £500million of funding for infrastructure projects.