TRAINS could be running between Glasgow Airport and the city centre within three years.

The multi-million project today cleared the final hurdle by being granted the Royal Assent..

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has already begun design and procurement work on the project which will provide rail services between Central Station and Scotland's busiest airport.

The scheme will cost between £170million and £210m and SPT chairman Alistair Watson said he was delighted it had been given the go-ahead, adding: "Now the real work begins.

"Every major international city has an airport rail link and we believe that Glasgow should be no different."

He said SPT was about to finalise the design and who would build it.

Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council hailed the news as "great news for Glasgow our citizens and visitors".

He said: "It recognises the city's airport as an important and expanding international transport link.

"It also, undoubtedly, strengthens our very strong bid for the Commonwealth Games."

The project is also expected to boost the city's growing status as a major location for conferences, which generate £115m annually.

The green light comes amid predictions by airport bosses that passengers could triple to 24m by 2030.

John Gordon at Transport Scotland said: "This project will bring real benefits to the people and businesses of West and Central Scotland."

The go-ahead will trigger a major upgrade of more than five miles of existing track between Shields Junction and Paisley Gilmour Street Station while more than a mile of new track will be laid between Paisley St James Station and the airport.

It will take train passengers across the busy M8 on a new viaduct to be built on existing football pitches in Paisley.

Later this week SPT will tender for a contract to create 11 temporary football pitches at seven different locations in the Renfrewshire area.

Trains will run every 15 minutes between the city centre and the airport.