Glasgow Business . 17 www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com Glasgow Chamber has


training to help you trade internationally 18


Infrastucture investment


City Deal to deliver rail link to airport and more


A long-awaited direct rail link from the city centre to Glasgow Airport is to be one of the key projects funded by the City Deal. The City Deal involves a £1.13 billion infrastructure fund made


up of £500 million each from the UK government and the Scottish government with the balance from Glasgow City Council and the other seven Clyde Valley councils. Speaking about the City Deal at the University of Glasgow, Council


Transport


Abellio secures opportunity to run Scotland’s rail network


Abellio, a subsidiary of the Dutch national passenger operator NS, has been awarded the next ScotRail franchise and will take over in April 2015. Te franchise, which Abellio


takes over from First Group, covers nearly all the major passenger rail services in Scotland and will run for seven years. Under the franchise agreement,


Abellio has said it will supply 80 new trains for the Glasgow-Edinburgh corridor to arrive by December 2017. Te operator has also said it will


supply enhanced catering and free Wi-Fi on all trains. It will also offer more through


ticketing for rail, bus, sea and air, reduced fares for job seekers and starting price advance fares between any two Scotish cities of £5 for


Expansion Capita to create 200 jobs


Capita is expanding its operations in Glasgow in a move that will create 200 jobs in the city. The business processes group


plans to invest £5 million its Capita Customer Management business and £6 million in its IT services division, both of which are based at Skypark. The jobs boost announcement


was made as former First Minister Alex Salmond met the company’s Market Development Director for Scotland, Gordon Lee.


Mr Salmond: “Capita, as one of our largest employers, already employs


thousands of people across Scotland and I welcome its commitment to create an additional 200 jobs in Glasgow and the number of other ventures planned in coming years.” Mr Lee said: “Our presence in


Scotland has grown significantly in the last few years and this investment shows our continued focus in the country. We look forward to building on this, helping our customers transform their business delivery, creating even more jobs in the future and supporting local communities over the coming years.”


Standard and £7.50 for First Class. Abellio has also promised a “new


approach to cycling” that will see a £1.6 million investment in 500 bike parking spaces staffed Cyclepoints at city hubs and a £3.80/day Bike&Go cycle hire scheme at 10 stations. Given a background of


sometimes difficult relations between train operators and rail infrastructure companies, Abellio pledged to have a “true deep alliance” with infrastructure manager Network Rail. Jeff Hoogesteger, CEO of Abellio


Group, said: “Abellio is delighted and incredibly excited to have been given this opportunity to manage Scotland’s national rail network.” Tim O’Toole, First Group CEO


said the company was disappointed not to win the new contract.


Leader Gordon Matheson said the fund would lever three times its value in private sector investment and create 29,000 permanent jobs and 15,000 construction jobs. Councillor Matheson said: “Enhanced transport, including public transport, will be designed to ensure that the jobs that these developments create can be accessed by all, including those who live in poorer parts of our region.” The second strand of the Deal, he said, was increased funding for


the Stratified Medicine Imaging Centre of Excellence, a network of incubation centres for new small and medium-sized businesses, and the MediCity life-sciences hub. The third strand, he said, is a programme to reduce youth


unemployment and support career progression among people on lower incomes, in part by integrating the various programmes that are currently provided by councils and DWP.


Football Glasgow scores with bid


Glasgow has scored another sporting success with its selection as a host city for the European Championships 60th anniversary competition in 2020.


The UEFA Executive


Committee picked Glasgow and Hampden Park to be one of 13 cities that will host three group-stage matches and one knockout stage match.


Those involved in the bid


were Scottish FA, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Scottish Government EventScotland and Hampden Park Ltd. Stuart Regan, Chief


Executive of the Scottish FA, said: “I believe Glasgow and Hampden Park will throw a fitting birthday party for the European Championships.”


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