First steps taken to design ‘active travel’ plans for Glasgow

PLANS to make walking, cycling and wheeling easier in Glasgow have been heard by a key committee of the city’s local authority, with projects shortlisted for a handful of neighbourhoods to be developed further to the ‘concept design’ stage.

Yesterday, the city council’s Environment Committee was presented with the details of early engagement with local people as part of an ambition to reduce car dependency – by a minimum 30 per cent by the year 2030 (in other words, the so-called ’20-minute neighbourhood’, where most of life’s essentials are within a 20-minute walk or cycle away).

The ‘Liveable Neighbourhoods’ project is part of Glasgow City’s Council’s recently-published, most up-to-date transport strategy, here.

Already having taken place are discussion workshops involving local people – funded by the walking and cycling charity, Sustrans.

At the beginning of February, the Environment Committee heard plans for travel corridors, Ruchill to Cowlairs and Langside to Toryglen. Yesterday, it was the tun of plans for Dennistoun to Carntyne, Govan to Kingston and Yorkhill to Anderston.

Says the council, in an announcement, here: “At the heart of programme development are residents who have been participating in activities to identify an array of neighbourhood improvements that reflect the needs of their communities, some of which will progress to construction, subject to future funding availability.”

Other neighbourhoods being readied for a similar exercise are: Pollokshaws, Mansewood, Pollokshields West, Shawlands and Strathbungo; Greater Gorbals, Govanhill and Pollokshields East; Sighthill, Roystonhill, Germiston, Blackhill and Hogganfield; and Yoker, Scotstoun, Jordanhill and Whiteinch.

Picture credit: Glasgow City Council