Construction of a new £18million railway station for Barrhead has been given the green light to start next year.

Building was originally due to begin in 2018, but has been beset my delays and increased costs.

However, work on the south side of Barrhead is now expected to start in spring 2024 and will take between a year and 18 months.

The station will be located off Balgraystone Road, between St Luke’s High School and the Dams to Darnley car park, on the existing Glasgow to Neilston line.

Council chiefs have said the new Barrhead South station will serve the population in that part of Barrhead, which has risen due to increased house building.

They also hope it will attract more visitors to the town.

An access road and bus-turning circle are already in place in Balgraystone Road for the new rail stop.

East Renfrewshire Council’s cabinet are due to be given details of the building plans tomorrow.

Funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal – a £1.13billion scheme funded by the UK and Scottish governments – will be used for the project and is expected to be released in August.

The new station was also given the green light by government body Transport Scotland in January and Network Rail provided the station design in November.

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “The delivery of a new railway station will support the new community at Barrhead South and enhance the sustainable travel options for existing and new residents.

“The new railway station will improve access to jobs, services and communities.

“It will also support increased visitor numbers to the Dams to Darnley Country Park from both East Renfrewshire and the wider City Region.”

It’s also hoped the new station will encourage local people to use public transport more and leave their cars at home.

It had initially been expected to cost less than £9 million but the price had risen to £18m by July 2021.

Inflation, Covid, and changes to the design, including the installation of lifts and an overhead bridge, have been blamed on the doubling in price.

The original £9m estimate was based on a 2018 start date. 

The existing Barrhead station in Carlibar Road will continue to operate as normal.

Retied police officer Carol Roxburgh, 55, who has lived in the town for the last 20 years, welcomed the station construction announcement.

She said: “It is long overdue and I am surprised they didn’t do it before the house building began.

“The new railway station should be be beneficial not only to Barrhead residents, but to the environment too. It should also hopefully improve Sunday services to the town which are abysmal at the moment.”