PLANS for the creation of £475 million cycle network covering the entirety of Glasgow have been approved by the city’s council.
It will see the creation of 270km of ‘high-quality’ cycleways and improved footways across Glasgow, as the city looks to support a ‘crucial’ shift to walking, wheeling and cycling to reduce its carbon footprint and improve air quality.
Glasgow City Council added that the network is based upon a vision of active travel becoming the first choice for everyday journeys, with the network being designed to ensure easy access to safe, segregated routes from homes, schools, key amenities and cultural destinations – with all schools being within 400m of the main routes and no home being more than 800m away from segregated cycling infrastructure.
Councillor Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon reduction at Glasgow City Council, said, “This is a huge step forward for active travel in Glasgow. Active travel must be an integral part of the city’s efforts to reduce transport-related carbon emissions. We now have a very clear way forward to increase the number of people who regard walking, wheeling or cycling as their first choice for everyday journeys.
“Safety is the number one reason for people being discouraged from using active travel and in particular, cycling. By having an active travel network of safe, segregated infrastructure that is easily accessible to every home and school across the city, we can provide a viable alternative for the millions of car journeys that are less than three kilometres. Reducing our reliance on private vehicles and encouraging a shift to the most sustainable forms of transport can make a major contribution to Glasgow’s effort to tackle climate change.”
