Projects that encourage walking, wheeling and cycling in Glasgow are to receive a £3.6m cash injection after the city’s council secured funding from Places for Everyone – an active travel infrastructure programme funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.
The funding will help progress a range of projects including the Govan City Network active travel route as well as several Liveable Neighbourhood projects that make it easier for people to access services, facilities, and amenities within a short walk, wheel, cycle, or public transport journey from home.
Glasgow’s Transport Strategy has set a target of reducing car vehicle kilometres by at least 30% in support of the city’s ambition to become a net zero carbon city by 2030, acknowledging that a widespread shift to active travel and public transport is essential for the fight against climate change.
The £3.6m package of funding will further the development of several projects, providing £2.29m for the Govan City Network, £1.19m for three Liveable Neighbourhoods projects and £136,504 for Flourishing Moledinar, a community inspired project focused on walking, wheeling and cycling, and pedestrian safety.
The Govan City Network will be developed to more detailed technical design. At 20km in length, it will be the first area-based network to be progressed as part of wider plans for active travel infrastructure across Glasgow that ensures easy access to safe, segregated routes.
Covering Govan and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital area, the network will serve several communities and provide a direct route into the city centre via Paisley Road West. The infrastructure will also link into the City Deal funded Govan-Partick Bridge which is currently under construction.
Several Liveable Neighbourhoods projects see money, including the transformation of Saracen Street’s historic town centre, and the development of a key active travel route north of Hamiltonhill on the site of a former railway.
The council says the money will also move forward plans for rebalanced roadspace and public realm improvements in Cessnock, which will be developed alongside the Govan City Network and Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership activity on Paisley Road West.
(Picture – Glasgow City Council)
