THEY might look like slightly out of place against some of the nearby historic buildings, but these wooden decking and benches in Glasgow are all part of a way of helping to improve safe movement around the city.
As part of the Spaces for All programme, introduced last year in a response helping to make the city more covid safe, these are the latest measures which have been installed in St Vincent Place.
Glasgow City Council introduced a variety of changes on roads and footways across the city through the Scottish Government's Spaces for People Programme, which aimed to support public health by providing additional space for physical distancing while undertaking essential journeys or exercise during the pandemic.
Read more: Covid memorial: How I Remember theme can reach out to help culture of recuperation
Now a city-wide survey is under way with residents and business being asked what measures they would like to see made permanent. They are being urged to take part in the online survey and offer their views.
Among the temporary changes are larger style planters and trees are now in place around George Square to green the space as well as restrict vehicle movement.
Decking and wooden seating built along St Vincent Place in Glasgow as part of Spaces for People. Photo by Gordon Terris.
Changes were also made to the road layout on Kelvin Way to balance the provision of extra space for walkers, wheelers and cyclists whilst enabling vehicular access into the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Environmental charity Friends of the Earth Scotland said the measures will improve air quality in the city and were pleased to see the local authority retain some of the measures as we emerge out of lockdown.
Gavin Thomson, Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Air Pollution Campaigner, said: “Prioritising people over cars in the long term, through measures such as widening pavements, limiting traffic and creating a joined-up cycle network, will improve the air quality in Glasgow - and this has a big impact on people’s health. It will benefit our local shops, make it easier for people to walk or cycle and stay fit, and reduce our climate emissions.
“Spaces for People allowed councils to create much-needed public space to help people physically distance and reduce the need for public transport among key workers and shoppers. There’s been a 47% increase in cycling in the last year, so there was clearly a need for such measures.”
He says with lockdown easing and commuter numbers increasing again changes are needed.
Mr Thomson added: “Traffic is now back up to pre-pandemic levels. The air we’re breathing today is just as harmful as it was before the pandemic. That’s why we need to change our transport system and improve the air we breathe.
“It’s great to see Glasgow City Council retain some of the Spaces for People measures. As we’re trying to move out of lockdown and look to the future, we need to think about what kinds of places we want to live in. We need to end the ‘car is king’ mindset, particularly in our built-up areas.
New measures in St Vincent Place are part of the Spaces for People initiative. Photo by Gordon Terris.
Supported by funding from the Scottish Government administered by Sustrans Scotland, Glasgow's Spaces for People programme has seen measures introduced in the city centre, city neighbourhoods and active travel routes.
Through Spaces for People footways have been widened at pinch points to allow safer pedestrian movement and easier access to shops, businesses, community facilities and public transport hubs.
Temporary strategic cycling routes have also been implemented to help present active travel as a convenient and viable choice for journeys such as commuting, as well as for physical exercise.
To take part in the consultation go to https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/36b5dbb0de6e4ecca7e74606c8b9f835
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