Two former Scottish city leaders are calling on Scotland's two largest cities to introduce elected mayors.
Former Edinburgh City Council leader Donald Anderson and former Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell say mayors for the central belt would help "realise their and Scotland's full potential".
The ex-leaders wrote in The Scotsman: "As former leaders of Scotland’s two principal cities and most important economies, we think the time has come for them to have directly elected mayors that work together formally to promote ‘Scotland’s Growth Corridor’ as a means of maximising jobs and wealth creation in Scotland."
The idea, while welcomed by many, has been criticised due to fears of a "central belt power grab".
But both Anderson and Purcell say issues beyond the central belt wouldn't be ignored.
They said: "The northern triangle of Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness is an equivalent and important economic area which should have its own strategy and resources.
"What we are suggesting simply formalises the fact that the area around and between our two great cities is in reality ‘Scotland’s Growth Corridor’, and public policy needs to reflect that to maximise growth and jobs for Scotland."
The calls come after the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh would have a "bigger voice" in both parliaments with a recognisable figurehead.