The change is part of Glasgow’s Spaces for People scheme.
New pictures have been revealed of a lane of parking spaces in Glasgow’s Merchant City being transformed into wooden decking and seating. The development located on St Vincent Place is the first of a few street widening measures being built as part of the new Spaces for People programme.
Since the first lockdown, Spaces for People has been making temporary travel infrastructure changes across the city centre, city neighbourhood and active travel routes. The programme aims to widen pedestrian areas to make more space for people during the city’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
Most places in the Merchant City, including George Square, have been extended by flower planters to both green the space and restrict vehicle movement, however these new pictures give an idea as to what the new measures will look like.
Alongside the covering of these parking spaces on St Vincent Place, the council have also introduced temporary strategic cycling routes to help present active travel as a convenient and viable choice for journeys such as commuting, as well as for physical exercise.
Supported by funding from the Scottish Government administered by Sustrans Scotland, Spaces for People has widened footways to facilitate safer pedestrian movement such as Glasgow Central Station High and Low Level entrances to provide additional queuing space. These changes also make it easier for the people of Glasgow access to shops, businesses, community facilities and public transport hubs.
Schemes to create ‘people friendly streets’ have now been completed at Shawlands, Dennistoun and Pollokshields, in the aim of making neighbourhood streets calmer and create additional space. Changes were also made to the road layout on Kelvin Way to balance the provision of extra space for walkers, wheelers and cyclists whilst allowing access for vehicles into the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.