Driverless trains will be introduced on Glasgow's Subway from 2020 as part of a £288m modernisation.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) announced on Friday that a £200m contract had been awarded to the Stadler Bussnang AG / Ansaldo STS Consortium for the supply of new trains and signalling across the network.

The trains will be the same size as current rolling stock but will run as four-car sets rather than the present three-car setup.

Open gangways will maximise the space available and allow for wheelchair access at St Enoch and Govan.

The system will include new platform screen doors, which SPT said will be "half height" to preserve space and openness within the stations while improving passenger safety.

While the current fleet is partially automatic, once the new full system is in place the Subway will move to fully-driverless operation.

SPT chief executive Gordon Maclennan said: "This contract is a key part of our plan to modernise the Subway for generations to come.

"We are all aware of the proud rail history of the Subway as the third oldest in the world and our plans for modernisation will ensure that the Subway continues to be an essential component in the transport network of the future."

The Scottish Government is providing £246m of the upgrade costs, and transport minister Derek Mackay said the contract represented an "important milestone" in the modernisation plans.

He added: "New rolling stock and signalling will help ensure that this historic metro system continues to serve passengers for many years to come."

This is the third upgrade for the Subway in its lifetime and the first since 1980. The new trains will be introduced in a staged approach and the public should start to see the first new trains introduced to the system in 2020.