Almost 300km of cycle and foot paths unveiled for Glasgow

ALMOST 300km of new cycle and foot paths have been unveiled for Glasgow, the city council has announced.

The announcement is part of proposals to promote ‘active travel’ and the exact proposal, for 270km, is intended to support “a crucial shift to walking, wheeling and cycling as part of the wider effort to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and improve air quality”.

Says the council (here): “The new network will be designed to ensure easy access to safe, segregated routes from homes, schools, key amenities and cultural destinations throughout the city. 

“Based upon a vision that active travel becomes the first choice for everyday journeys, the network is to be created with the aim that schools are within 400m of the main active travel routes while no home is more than 800m from segregated cycling infrastructure.

“With key routes such as the South City Way in development and Garscube Road already in place in the city, and plans to develop further avenues throughout the city centre in line with the successful completion of the Sauchiehall Avenue (pictured), it is anticipated that the new active travel network will allow anyone who cycles to reach most of the city within 30 minutes and almost all of the city within an hour.”

The announcement goes on to say: “It is intended the active travel strategy will sit alongside the council’s recent Liveable Neighbourhood’s Plan, which also seeks to reduce dependency on private cars by improving access to local centres and the range of services people rely upon on a daily basis.

“Taken together, the two strategies will seek to identify opportunities for improved active travel by making better use of existing routes along canals, rivers and old railways.

“The active travel strategy also provides a focus on training and education within schools but also looking to target groups that are under-represented or disengaged from walking and cycling. 

“This will tackle the barriers that large numbers of older people, people at risk of deprivation and people from ethnic minority groups face to this cheap and healthy form of transport.

“It estimated the envisaged network would cost an estimated £470m and work to engage with the Scottish Government has begun on access financial support from the national active travel budget.”

Pictured: Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Picture credit: Place Design Scotland