A new railway station is one of the options being investigated to deal with traffic problems at Faslane, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Changes to the ‘dangerous’ cycle path beside the A814 are also being considered, a meeting heard last week.
In December it was revealed here that the MoD had discussed an extra stop on the West Highland Line, which runs from upper Helensburgh, past the base to Garelochhead.
And now Craig Mearns, captain of the base at Faslane, has told Rhu and Shandon Community Council he is planning for a 30% increase in staff over the next three years.
Draft minutes of the meeting show Captain Mearns saying the expansion was causing traffic problems both inside and outside the base, with only 36 parking spaces available for more than 240 sailors due to arrive very soon.
A a new car sharing app is being planned, and there is also an attempt to improve coordination of bus and train times, and increasing the number of buses going to the base.
The extra rail stop would be close to the North Gate, the main entrance to Faslane, and it could be in action within five years of being approved, said Captain Mearns, who accepted that a further stop near the underpass at the top of Lineside Walk was worth considering and said the rail plans were being driven by Argyll and Bute Council.
He added that the Rural Growth Bid which the council had submitted to the Scottish Government including work on the cycle path to the South Gate, and the minutes say he ‘accepted that the existing cycle path is dangerous’.
It was also stated that there was a plan which takes the cycle path though the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club grounds.
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