GLASGOW’S £21.3 million avenues plus programme is now fully underway as projects take place on the eastern, northern, and southern fringes of the city centre.
Part of what Glasgow City Council said is the biggest transformation of the city centre in 50 years, the programme will deliver more attractive streets with improved pavements and roads, new trees and cycle lanes, and rain gardens.
Work on this phase of the programme is being delivered at Duke Street and John Knox Street; Cowcaddens Road and Dobbie’s Loan; and South Portland Street.
To mark the work, councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery, transport, and climate at Glasgow City Council, was this week joined at the Duke Street and John Knox Street avenues plus project in by Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for transport, and Fiona MacLeod, director of Sustrans for Scotland, Cymru, and Northern Ireland.
The council said that the current work on Duke Street and John Knox Street will both improve the look and feel of an area that is currently undergoing a huge amount of regeneration and make it easier for people to travel through these streets and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
The Duke Street and John Knox Street Avenue will have 30 new trees to help reduce pollution; resurfaced roads; widened and resurfaced pavements; and new kerbing; as well as cycle paths.
A notable feature of the project is its rain gardens, which first slow and treat the rainwater runoff from streets and pavements to remove pollutants before the water is discharged to the historic Molendinar Burn – a process which helps keep surface water out of the combined sewer to reduce the risk of local flooding and improve local water quality.
Councillor Angus Millar said, “The avenues plus programme will help to transform areas on the fringes of Glasgow city centre, with the current work on Duke Street and John Knox Street complementing the tremendous amount of regeneration and homebuilding that is currently taking place there at sites such as Calton Village and the Meat Market.
“The programme is a key part of the regeneration of these areas, making them more attractive and vibrant places to live in and visit, improving the local environment and making it easier for everyone to travel in different ways to, through and from them.”
Fiona Hyslop added, “I’m pleased to see the ongoing work to deliver the avenues plus programme, which will make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle into and across the city centre.
“The Scottish Government is investing significantly in active travel. In addition to the over £26million that I announced in May for the active travel infrastructure fund, we are investing over £9.5million in this project, marking a significant investment in the transformation taking place right across Glasgow.
“To support the continued ambitions of our local authorities – and to keep making walking, wheeling and cycling easier for shorter everyday journeys – in 2025-26 the Scottish Government will invest over £188 million in active and sustainable transport. In doing so, we’ll help more people live healthier lives, save money and help reduce transport emissions for our air quality and our climate.”
Fiona MacLeod commented, “We are excited to see construction progress on Glasgow avenues plus, set to transform connections in and around the city centre. With nearly half of Glasgow households not having access to a car, these major improvements will give local people the confidence and choice to get around the city in ways that benefit their health and the local environment.
“By making walking, wheeling and cycling real options for getting to work, school, university, restaurants and shops, avenues plus is a big step towards giving Glaswegians fairer and safer choices for their everyday journeys.”
