GLASGOW City Council is to create ‘people-friendly’ streets in Dennistoun as part of its efforts to encourage safe active travel amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The area, just outside the city centre, was recently voted the eighth coolest place to live in the world based on its array of craft breweries, coffee shops and sustainable stores.
The local authority said that the temporary works in Dennistoun will make for a ‘quieter, calmer and more pleasant’ street space where active travel is appealing.
Road layouts will be adjusted, footways widened and contra-flow cycling facilities implemented. The council said it will allow children to play outside, lower air pollution, quieten down streets and create a culture of walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys.
The changes come as part of the spaces for people programme. The Scottish Government initiative has funding all local authorities in Scotland to implement temporary changes which allow for safe active travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Glasgow received £7.5 million in funding.
Convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, councillor Anna Richardson, said, “I’m delighted that through our spaces for people programme, work will start soon in Dennistoun to discourage the local streets being routinely used as a through route for motor traffic.
“Making some relatively minor road layout changes will help to create a more peaceful and calmer neighbourhood where residents and visitors can move around more freely, and walk, wheel and cycle with less traffic around. These positive changes do not affect local access and indicate our ambition and commitment to make active travel safer and more appealing within city neighbourhoods, particularly given the known benefits to health, wellbeing and the environment.”
