Contract awarded for new, ‘active travel’ routes

A PROJECT to provide safe, ‘active travel’ routes around the fringes of Glasgow city centre has taken a step closer with the awarding of a contract to design the necessary infrastructure.

The ‘Avenues Plus’ project differs from another Glasgow scheme, the ‘Avenues’ project, which is about city centre ‘active travel’ (such as cycling).

The ‘Plus’ project is about four locations outside the city centre: Between Duke Street (High Street – Bellgrove Street) and John Knox Street (Castle Street – Duke Street); on Dobbie’s Loan (North Hanover Street – Canal Street); on South Portland Street (Carlton Place – Norfolk Street); and Cowcaddens Road (Cambridge Street – North Hanover Street).

A £21.4m contract has been awarded to environmental consultants, Ironside Farrar, via sustainable transport charity, Sustrans.

Says an announcement from City of Glasgow Council, here: “The full construction of these avenues is expected to be completed by 2026, which will include the following:

• Safer, accessible and well-connected routes to and from the city centre to facilitate local journeys by foot, cycling and wheeling;

• High-quality urban realm including segregated cycle routes and wider pedestrian areas with an inclusive design;

• Provision of green infrastructure such as raingardens and urban trees;

• Community engagement programme with an inclusive design process;

• Behavioural change programme to address barriers to active travel and facilitate active travel; and

• Provide secure cycle storage facilities across the city centre and surrounding areas. Phase one (trial) will be delivered in 2022 and the lessons learned from this will be incorporated in the Phase two (full delivery) of secure cycle storage.”

Image: Sauchiehall Street. Glasgow, Picture credit: Place Design Scotland