Scottish ministers have approved a new bridge over the Clyde from Clydebank to Renfrew, only months after it looked like the plan was dead.

The Scottish Government approved the plan for the £67million bridge late on Friday, with Renfrewshire Council breaking the news on Twitter. 

Concerns have previously been raised in Clydebank about traffic management off the bridge as well as opposition by Clyde Shopping Centre. The exact benefits to Clydebank haven’t been spelled out.

West Dunbartonshire Council's planning committee was the only group of councillors in any of the local authorities involved to vote on the bridge idea - and they turned it down.

And months ago, Renfrewshire said they wanted to focus their City Deal funds on airport region development, not the Clyde bridge. They had already submitted it to the Scottish Government to decide and left it up to them.

On Friday, they were quick to praise the bridge, which will connect to Dock Street and Glasgow Road. 

The Renfrewshire Council press statement mentions neither Clydebank, nor West Dunbartonshire.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “This is fantastic news for the entire city region and for Scotland.

”The completed project and subsequent regeneration has the potential to deliver a significant economic boost to the Glasgow City region.

"Current businesses will gain access to more customers and suppliers, while new companies and developers will be attracted to locate to the regenerated waterfront.

"Communities on both sides of the Clyde will benefit from greatly improved access to their work, to education and to hospitals through the new connections which will also help reduce congestion and improve journey times.

"It builds on the development of the new manufacturing district which will bring thousands of new high skilled jobs and training opportunities to Renfrewshire and the wider region and help secure the future of Scotland's vital manufacturing industry.

"We will continue to work closely with neighbouring councils to ensure the project delivers on its significant potential and the benefits reach all communities on both sides of the Clyde."

At West Dunbartonshire Council’s meeting at the end of August, council leader Jonathan McColl, speaking in a personal capacity, told councillors: “Planning does not agree with it. Personally, I’m not a fan of the bridge and it will cause traffic problems and there’s a risk, albeit not a huge risk, of causing detriment to the shopping centre.

“It’s a huge cost when all it does, according to the Renfrewshire team, is reduce travel time to the airport area by seven minutes. I don’t think that’s value for money.”