August 4 2022

Glasgow City Council, supported by Sustrans, has launched plans to re-engineer the city centre from the Clyde to Cowcaddens to favour pedestrians.

The City Centre Transformation Plan (CCTP) will kick vehicles to the kerb by remodelling the public realm to encourage walking and cycling, limiting road access to emergency services, public transport and deliveries. Within the central zone, pedestrians will be able to cross narrowed and traffic-calmed streets, freeing up space for pocket parks, 'parklets' and cafes.

Councillor Susan Aitken said: "We can move away from an area which is car-dominated to one that is healthier for all who use it and which will contribute to our active travel and net-zero targets. Much less traffic, but better connectivity, would deliver real benefits for city businesses, as well as residents and visitors."

"This is a chance for Glaswegians to imagine a centre that is focused on the needs of people and is environmentally friendly. The city centre would become an urban heart people want to spend time in, rather than just pass through."

Key interventions include the formation of Mitchell Plaza, an extended bridge deck over the M8 at Charing Cross and a northern bus hub opposite the Royal Infirmary.

The draft CCTP strategy is now subject to six weeks of consultation before being presented for final approval by the end of the year. 

18 Comments

#1 Posted by The Heart of Saturday Night on 4 Aug 2022 at 09:37 AM

Is there anything to be said for another parklet?

#2 Posted by spike on 4 Aug 2022 at 10:02 AM

This will make a huge improvement in Glasgow, Manchester did this several years ago and it has hugely benefitted local trade etc and made the city centre very vibrant and lively

#3 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 4 Aug 2022 at 10:25 AM

Usual stuff to watch out for:

Middle class welfare -- excessive spending on consultants / non engineers / felt tip fairies / comms specialists.

The influence of Transport 1400 / The Anti Destination League / the neo feudalism of the Hame'll dae ye mob. They are itching to degrade the capacity and capability of the M8 -- forgetting that this is the reason why city centre traffic volumes in Glasgow are so low. Compare and contrast with the situation in Copenhagen and Barcelona -- multi lane arterial routes with flat junctions. Not good.

Parking capacity in the city centre -- people who will move to the city centre to live will need space to park their personal transportation apparatus which means in the majority cars. No parking infrastructure included then the demand for city centre living will be reduced. Families need cars which might be a reason why the developer boxes in the "suburbs" sell so well.

#4 Posted by James Hepburn on 4 Aug 2022 at 14:05 PM

Fantastic! People will be able to walk through all the rubbish Susan Aitken's council leaves lying in the streets. Visitors will be able to stop for a photo beside one on the many overflowing bins that hasn't been emptied for weeks. Meanwhile the Council increases parking charges. You wonder who's trousering that?

#5 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 4 Aug 2022 at 14:38 PM

#4
I'm not defending a politician but to blame the council for failing to clean up after litterers is a bit much. It's the easiest thing in the world to blame the council when it lets people and businesses with no sense of civic responsibility off the hook.

#6 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 4 Aug 2022 at 14:56 PM

Litter / street cleaning / upkeep of the civic environment -- these are the basics of local government.

If you can't handle these issues then what hope do you have for the more complex stuff?

#7 Posted by Peter on 4 Aug 2022 at 15:32 PM

#5 Who to blame then? Being a resident a charged a hefty price you can expect at least a decent service. Sadle, Glasgow is closer to Napoli or Marseille suburbse than, say, Edinburgh in this race. And it's just there you hear about another bin men strike brewing...

#8 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 4 Aug 2022 at 17:35 PM

#7
You blame the litterers. I know this is basic but, c'mon.

#9 Posted by Glasgow Bob on 5 Aug 2022 at 06:09 AM

#3 'park their personal transport apparatus' ah pit ma feet in ma baffies but then I'm part oh Glasgows huge car unowning masses.

#10 Posted by Lovely on 5 Aug 2022 at 13:48 PM

More measures to 'reduce' car use by making it impossible to park anywhere, get anywhere quickly and making sure that there are only expensive and badly run public transport alternatives to the car, thus increasing traffic and car use....Am all for a more bikes and pedestrians but you need the vision and infrastructure to back it up otherwise your just further killing the city centre with cold, hard, windswept wastelands with neither cars not people in them...

#11 Posted by Gordon on 5 Aug 2022 at 13:56 PM

We sold up the office and left the city centre at the end of last year. A large part o the decision was down to creeping inaccessibility. While we were happy on our bikes our plumber was not. Servicing the building was becoming increasingly difficult to the point of unworkable. Any one else share this experience?

#12 Posted by FHM on 5 Aug 2022 at 14:19 PM

Brilliant news. Glasgow has been destroyed by having a motorway completely shut off the city centre from it's immediate context. The sooner lazy drivers stop making non essential journeys by car, and blocking up the roads for those who need them (#11 like your plumber), the better. It's better for our health, for our pockets and for the environment. It's a win for all.

#13 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 5 Aug 2022 at 14:45 PM

Having to laugh at some of the comments -- the M8 is getting the blame for everything.

Bonkers mental and then some -- a Joni Mitchell song comes to mind.

A double irony I know but at the moment too many don't know what they / we have got in the M8 until it is gone / hobbled / boulevard'ed.

First came the river sorry rivers.
Then came the canal sorry canals.
Then came the railways and most of them stayed.
All shaping the city before motorways were invented and to a much greater extent.

The M8 came and it did a great job -- taking traffic away from city streets -- fleeflow progress through the city just a case that it couldn't do all the work all on its own.

Compare and contrast with Barcelona / Copenhagen / Valencia where you have wide / multi lane arterial routes through the city with flat junctions to slow progress -- not good.

Loving all the bike talk -- it has its place in the mix but we have this concept called rain plus horizontal rain in the winter to limit its popularity / usefulness.

#14 Posted by Bemused_Citizen on 5 Aug 2022 at 15:54 PM

#13 Fat Bloke on Tour

There is no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothing.

#15 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 5 Aug 2022 at 17:02 PM

Fair point but how does that affect Glesga -- should we all carry three outfits with us for any venture outdoors?

Four seasons in one day -- what you are wearing and three spares?

Might revitalise the high street in one fell swoop or put more delivery vans on the road to clog up the M8 -- could get messy.

#16 Posted by Joni Mitchell on 5 Aug 2022 at 18:51 PM

'...and go round and round and round in the circle game' in twenty years time, why do I know that hee haw will have been implemented? It has to be said that GCC consultations make FBOT look good and that IS sayin' something!

#17 Posted by Glasgow Bob on 7 Aug 2022 at 10:04 AM

#15 three outfits? Maybe give up hoping to wear your tutu - never did fit you!

#18 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 10 Aug 2022 at 18:40 PM

No matter the fancy pictures if you don't clean the streets then all this effort will be in vain.

The condition of the streets / pavements in the city centre shames the council -- worse with every passing year.

Doing the basics is too hard for our current politicians -- why manage a brush when you get more plaudits from dreaming and press releases.

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