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Glasgow Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings
Councillor Robert Mooney, Labour representative, said disabled Glaswegians are treated as an 'afterthought' as many crossings don't have working rotating cones — a tactile device which lets visually impaired people know when it is safe to cross — or audible signals. He has warned that someone will be killed if action isn't taken to address the problem. The council's transport convener, Angus Millar, SNP, said the council is 'committed' to replacing or installing the cones across the city. 'That will be done on an ongoing basis as the funding is available,' he added. In late 2021, it was revealed that 403 of 890 signal-controlled junctions across the city did not have a tactile cone. By July 2022, the council said 150 did not have features like rotating cones. Councillor Mooney said crossing roads in the city is 'like playing Russian roulette' for visually impaired people. 'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings (Image: Newsquest) READ NEXT: I tried Glasgow's newest food and drink tour - my verdict He explained: 'I was up at Cathedral Street a few months ago, I couldn't see whether the green man was on. 'The tactile cone wasn't working. I'd waited for some amount of time, there was a bus stopped at the traffic lights. "I said to myself, 'the green man must be on', I walked out and a bus came in the next lane, stopped about an inch from me. 'If I'd walked out a bit later, I wouldn't be here today. Somebody is going to get killed if this isn't addressed.' He also said the council's accessible design forum has not met since October, but the redevelopment of the city's public realm is 'moving on at a massive pace'. Millar said the forum holds talks about 'general principles around design' and lessons are fed into the design of different projects, which are then subject to consultation. He added: 'Disabled people and others are engaged with on active travel projects. "We have, on active travel projects, a really robust process of engagement with the local community and all stakeholders, including disabled people and their representative groups.'
The Herald Scotland
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Another significant step forward' for city centre transformation
The project delivers 4000 square metres of new public realm to the Holland and Pitt Street area and compliments the huge private investment in the immediate vicinity, including hundreds of new-built homes. Part of the Scottish and UK Government-funded City Deal, the Avenues are being delivered across the city centre and mark the biggest physical transformation since the pedestrianisation of Buchanan Street in the 1970s. Councillor Angus Millar, Glasgow City Council's Convenor for City Centre Recovery, said: 'The completion of the first full Avenue is a real milestone in the ongoing transformation of the city centre. And Glaswegians will see more delivered very shortly. READ MORE: Contract awarded for £1.72m avenues project in Glasgow Latest Avenues work in Glasgow begins in 'key entrance point' 'Milestone' as George Square transformation contract awarded 'The Holland and Pitt Street Avenue also show how public and private investment is working together to unlock opportunities across the city centre, creating vibrant and attractive new districts. 'Right now, our city centre is going through its biggest transition in half a century. The population is increasing, new sectors are emerging, investment is flowing in and infrastructure put in place. With the Holland and Pitt Avenue, we're beginning to see how that's shaping up.' The project was delivered with both the Scottish and UK Governments contributing £2.4million, with additional funding provided from developer contributions and Transport Scotland. Amongst the complimentary investments adding to the transformation of the area is Moda's Holland Park apartment building. James Blakey, Moda Group Director of Planning and Engagement, said: "The completion of the Avenues project surrounding Moda, Holland Park is a significant milestone in a transformation that has created greener, more pedestrian-friendly spaces that benefit residents, businesses, and visitors alike. Moda is proud to have supported these improvements, reinforcing our commitment to investing in the city's future and working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and other stakeholders to ensure our neighbourhoods and surrounding areas continue to thrive for generations to come.' The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both governments provide £500 million of funding for infrastructure projects.
Glasgow Times
07-06-2025
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow groups awarded share of £150k to promote cycling
The funding comes from the newly established Wheels in Motion Fund, aimed at encouraging physical activity through sports such as skateboarding, roller-skating, and scootering. This is part of an initiative by Glasgow City Council, which began in January, to support projects that get local residents, especially from underrepresented groups, involved in these sports. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Scotland's biggest motorcycle event set to roar back into action next month Funding amounts between £1,000 and £10,000 were made available to eligible projects. The initiative, administered by the charity Glasgow Life, aims to enhance health, social interaction, and environmentally friendly travel. Among the benefactors of the fund is CWAS (Cycling Without Age Scotland). The organisation plans to use the funds to purchase a trishaw and a storage facility, enabling more elderly and disabled people to enjoy outdoor activities. Ray Burr, CWAS' operations and development manager, said: "We're thrilled to have been chosen to receive support through the Wheels in Motion Fund. "Our free e-bike trishaw rides are exceptionally popular with both passengers and the volunteers who run the service. "This simple yet powerful experience helps to combat loneliness by giving passengers the chance to interact with others in a meaningful and enjoyable way. "Beyond reducing isolation, the initiative connects different generations, strengthens communities, and encourages people to get active – and many of our pilots are in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s. "We're also very proud of the influence we're having on people to switch to using bikes and e-bikes for shorter journeys." Other groups set to benefit from the Wheels in Motion Fund include the Church House family support centre in Bridgeton and the Central and West Integration Network. Church House will use its grant to introduce young people from deprived backgrounds to BMX biking and the design, build, and maintenance of skateboards. The Central and West Integration Network will use the funding to help asylum seekers and refugees sign up for free Nextbike memberships across Glasgow. The network described having access to a bike as "life-changing" for asylum seekers and refugees, who often have to spend their £7 daily asylum allowance on transport. The initiative is a part of Glasgow City Council's Cycling and Urban Sports Strategy, which aims to improve the health and well-being of Glasgow's residents by promoting active travel and a transformation in travel behaviour. Councillor Angus Millar, Glasgow City Council convener for climate and transport, said: "I'm delighted that so many organisations received Wheels in Motion funding, which will help more people get involved in cycling and wheeled urban sports. "By removing barriers to participation, these grants will help tackle health inequalities and support our environmental ambitions by making it easier to travel around the city sustainably." It comes ahead of Bike Week 2025, Running from June 9 to June 15, which is Cycling UK's annual celebration of the benefits of cycling. The fund also serves as a follow-up to the Go Cycle Glasgow Fund, a project that encouraged more than 1,450 city residents of all ages to take up cycling. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Meet the rugby veteran, 86, reflecting on a life shaped by sport and family Glasgow is the only UCI Bike City in Scotland and a world-leading cycling city, having staged the first-ever UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023, which had an economic impact of £129 million for the city. Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council convenor for culture, sport, and international relations, said: "Cycling has so many benefits, not least the positive effect it has on our mental and physical health, as well as the planet when we get on a bike. "Glasgow Life is committed to improving people's mental and physical well-being through culture and active living, and the scale of support the Wheels in Motion Fund will provide in communities throughout our city shows cycling is a force for good which has the power to change lives."
The Herald Scotland
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow city centre 'on path to recovery' as sales and footfall rise
March also saw an increase of 7.3% in footfall compared to March 2024, with Glasgow's main pedestrianised shopping area, Buchanan Street, experiencing a 10% rise in footfall. Additionally, night-time footfall (between 6pm and 6am) rose 9.8% in the first quarter of the year, showing an uptick in visitors to the city centre as summer approaches. Meanwhile, for the fourth consecutive month, Glasgow's city centre retail sales performance was ahead of Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester and the UK average. READ MORE: Major new projects raise hopes for Glasgow 'transformation' Boost for Sauchiehall Street as former showroom to become workspace Average Transaction Value (ATV) increased by 4.4% in March 2025 compared to March 2024, with the Average Revenue per Customer (ARPC) increasing by 3.4% in March 2025 compared to March 2024. Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "The latest footfall figures are an encouraging sign that Glasgow city centre is on the path to recovery. A solid year-on-year increase in the first four months of 2025 is a clear signal that people are returning in greater numbers and crucially, they are spending. The rise in general retail sales and strength in health and beauty also reflects growing consumer confidence. 'It's testament to the resilience of our city centre and to the coordinated efforts of businesses, public sector partners, and the Council. As we build momentum, it's vital we maintain this focus, ensuring the city centre remains vibrant, accessible and competitive for Glaswegians and visitors alike.' Councillor Angus Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery at Glasgow City Council, said: 'These figures are welcome news for Glasgow's city centre economy, showing an increase in the number of people visiting our city centre and continued growth in retail sales. "From the changes to how we shop and rise of online retail to the impact of the pandemic years and the cost-of-living crisis on incomes, recent years have been really challenging for the city centre. So it's hugely encouraging to see an emerging trend of growing footfall across key city centre streets in the early part of this year. Glasgow (Image: NQ/Colin Mearns) "Growth in city centre retail sales is currently outstripping our comparator cities - and the investment Glaswegians are seeing in our city centre, with new developments and new retailers, shows the confidence there is in our economic recovery and the city centre's future. Our job at the council is to work with our partners to help shape a city centre for the decades ahead.' News of the rise in retail sales and footfall in Glasgow city centre comes after the city ranked in the top 30 in a list of Europe's Best Cities in 2025. The report, compiled by Resonance Consultancy, which specialises in destination, economic, and urban development, analysed the principal cities of metropolitan statistical areas with populations of more than 500,000. The report noted that "creative celebration and a pursuit of affordable opportunity keep Glasgow real, even as its reputation soars". It added: "Glasgow powers to its Top 100 ranking on the strength of education, with the planet's #6 spot for educated citizenry and a world renowned university founded in 1451, the fourth oldest in the English-speaking world (ranked #14 in Europe). The University of Glasgow counts economist Adam Smith and U.S. Founding Father James Wilson as alumni. And the world is taking notice. "Tech start-ups hungry for cheap space and talent are drawn to the city's working-class authenticity over pricier European capitals, even though the business investment metrics have yet to reflect the influx. Glasgow ranks #42 in our Large Companies subcategory and a middling #94 for GPD Per Capita. "Still, the city is among the UK's fastest-rising property markets and new hotels are planned for the rest of the decade, with the recently opened The Address Glasgow now welcoming guests. "But it's not like Glasgow has gone corporate. This is the home of Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland, and Glasgow is still buzzing from its 2020 designation as the U.K.'s top cultural and creative city by the European Commission. Its Top 25 ranking in our Culture subcategory will rise in the coming years."
Glasgow Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Success of Battlefield's new cycle route to Glasgow revealed
The route, completed in November 2024, forms part of the Connecting Battlefield project and stretches along Queen's Drive and Langside Road. It provides improved access to Queen's Park and the New Victoria Hospital, while also linking to the South City Way at Victoria Road, offering a direct cycle route into the city centre. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Disney-inspired summer fete to feature teddy bear trails - all you need to know As part of the project, the area has also seen upgrades for pedestrians — including widened and resurfaced footpaths, step-free pedestrian crossings, enhanced street lighting, and low-level planting to improve local green spaces. Councillor Angus Millar, city convener for transport and climate, said: "The success of the first phase of the Connecting Battlefield project shows that where we provide safe, segregated active travel infrastructure, more Glaswegians will make use of it. "This project directly connects to the South City Way cycle route to the city centre and is a great example of how we are building up a connected network of routes that help people get about the city safely by bike and on foot." "Encouraging more people to travel actively can create a cleaner, more cost-effective, and healthier transport network that makes the best use of our limited road space and operates efficiently for everyone. "It is crucial that everyone has easy access to safer routes for active travel and I look forward to the project's second phase starting later this year which will deliver improvements in the Grange Road area.' John Clelland, a healthcare support worker with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "I use the route almost every day either going to or from work, or to get to other parts of the local area. "It's definitely an improvement and you can see it's being well used by people walking or cycling. "I know a lot of people who work in the hospital who use it as part of their journey to get here, and it seems to be encouraging more people to walk or cycle to work." "As a pedestrian it is good to see the improvements that have been made to prioritise the busy crossing for those of us on foot." The first phase of the Connecting Battlefield project was funded through Transport Scotland's Active Travel Transformation Fund. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Meet the heart transplant patient set to trek 100km across Sahara Desert Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for transport, said: "I am pleased to see the extensive use of the first phase of Connecting Battlefield. "The positive response to the new cycle way shows just how important active travel routes such as this one are to local communities across Scotland." 'Active travel routes like this one, enable more people to save money, live healthier lives and leave their car at home to reduce their emissions." The second phase of the project — covering Grange Road, the Battlefield Rest junction, and Battlefield Road at Mount Florida — is currently at the detailed design stage, with construction expected to begin in autumn.
