Work on the Shieldhall Tunnel scheme has taken a step closer after cabinet secretary Roseanna Cunningham officially launched the 1,000-tonne tunnel boring machine (TBM) at a ceremony last week.

The project is to be completed by the end of 2017.

The Glasgow Tunnel Partnership will use the 180 metre-long machine to build a 3.1 mile route between Craigton and Queen’s Park. Once complete, it will provide 90,000 cubic metres of extra storm water storage, while increased capacity of the waste water network will provide better screening of overflows into rivers. In addition, it will reduce the risk of flooding in parts of the Mount Florida/Toryglen and Giffnock areas.

The German-built ‘Daisy the Driller’ will tunnel beneath south-west Glasgow, including Pollok and Bellahouston parks, and is expected to complete its journey and emerge at Queen’s Park after about 13 months when the new tunnel will be connected to the existing network.

Speaking at the launch, Ms Cunningham said: “I am delighted to have launched the tunnelling phase of the Shieldhall Tunnel project, which is the biggest project in Scottish Water’s on-going investment in the Greater Glasgow area’s waste water network. This, in turn, is the first step in a much larger investment programme to improve the area’s drainage and sewerage infrastructure which is essential to Glasgow’s economic prosperity.”

Douglas Millican, Scottish Water’s chief executive, said: “The environment and communities throughout Greater Glasgow will benefit significantly from the Shieldhall Tunnel and other investment by Scottish Water because it will protect the natural environment and meet the needs of growth, economic development and regeneration. It will also support jobs and employment opportunities, including a number of apprenticeships.”