Parkhead is already one of the best-served areas in the city for public transport. For the scheme to make sense, it would have to attract new custom, otherwise it would just be robbing the bus Peter to pay the train Paul. This might be slightly worrying to people living further along the bus routes than Parkhead, since there is the risk that falling custom on the buses would result in cutting the frequency of some of the services, thus having a neutral effect on Parkhead but an actual negative one on the East End as a whole.
As Crusty says though, the article appears to suggest the use of the existing low-level line then utilising the abandoned London Rd tunnel to take it up to Parkhead. Most of this functionality is already in use - change at Partick - and it probably wouldn't be that expensive to reopen the Parkhead leg. I presume that there would continue to be a change of trains under the extension proposal; if not, there would be a lot of unhappy bunnies amongst existing users who would have twenty-odd minutes whacked on to their journey time depending on which circle was cancelled that day (yes, yes, I know - indulge me the odd bit of cynicism).
Trains - far more so than buses - attract the middle classes, and might be helpful in attracting said folks to the area and raising the local income profile in the process. This might also fit in with whatever is planned for White Elephant-ville after 2014.
As Onny says, re-opening the odd station in the area would be good - one next to the Forge, say (if the rail line across Duke St at the Forge is still open - I can't remember
).
It might be nice, too, if the Underground proposals resulted in the Sunday hours becoming late 20th Century compliant, never mind 21st - 6:30 is a bit of a joke. Particularly as this appears to be the time by which the drivers have to be home for their tea rather than the last boarding time. It's not the first time that I've been kicked out at Govan at 5:50 and had to walk the rest of the way home.
