Glasgow Accelerates Active Travel with £3.6m Investment.
Glasgow is set to revolutionize active travel as it receives a £3.6m financial boost, thanks to funding from Places for Everyone, a programme supported by the Scottish Government and managed by Sustrans. This investment will advance various projects promoting walking, wheeling, and cycling, in line with Glasgow’s Transport Strategy, which aims to reduce car usage by 30% and achieve a net-zero carbon city by 2030.
The funding will be allocated to several key projects, including £2.29m for the Govan City Network, £1.19m for three Liveable Neighbourhoods initiatives, and £136,504 for Flourishing Molendinar, a community-driven project focusing on pedestrian safety and active travel.
The Govan City Network, spanning 20km, will be developed into a detailed technical design, serving as the first area-based network in Glasgow’s broader active travel infrastructure plans. It will ensure safe, segregated routes for the residents of Govan and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital area, connecting them to the city centre via Paisley Road West. The network will also link to the Govan-Partick Bridge, currently under construction as part of the City Deal.
In addition, the funding will help transform Saracen Street’s historic town centre and develop a primary active travel route north of Hamiltonhill, where a former railway once stood. Cessnock will also see improved roadspace and public realm enhancements, which will be developed alongside the Govan City Network and Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership activity on Paisley Road West.
Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate and Transport, expressed his enthusiasm for the funding, emphasizing its role in promoting sustainable transport and enhancing neighbourhood livability in Glasgow. Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie added that the investment supports their vision of making active travel the most popular choice for shorter everyday trips, aiming to invest over £320 million in active travel by 2024-25.
Karen McGregor, Scotland Director for Sustrans, also expressed delight in awarding the Scottish Government funding to Glasgow City Council through their Places for Everyone programme, ensuring safer and more accessible active travel designs across the city.
Local communities will be consulted throughout the project development process, and future construction will be carried out as funding opportunities arise. The Sustrans funding package was approved by the council’s City Administration Committee on April 20, 2023.
