New East End cycle route being built past Celtic Park and Emirates

The East City Way is being extended with a new London Road section being built past the football stadium.

The segregated cycle lane will run from Fielden Street to the west of Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena, to Canmore Street to the east.

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Currently, the London Road segregated cycle route from Bridgeton Cross ends at Fielden Street and then becomes a bike lane with black and white ‘orcas’ separating the lane from the vehicle lane.

Work on the route will last around six months.

The council said the new section will create a link between many East End communities and Glasgow Green, ensuring a connection to the national cycle network and other sections of segregated cycleway that are being developed across the city.

The work is scheduled to be completed in time for the beginning of the UCI Cycling World Championships, in August and will see events hosted at the Emirates Arena.

It will also see improvements to junctions at Clyde Gateway Road and Springfield Road, designed to improve safety for pedestrians but also allow vehicles to disperse more quickly on match days at Celtic Park.

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Junctions on London Road at Fielden Street, McBeth Street and Canmore Street will also be upgraded.

Angus Millar, City Convener for Transport said it was another important milestone in the creation of a City Network for active travel that takes in all areas of Glasgow.

He said: "This latest phase of the East City Way is an exciting development for cycling in Glasgow. “Not only will the cycle way make it easier to get to two of Glasgow's major sports venues by bike, but the new route also shows the huge potential of our plans for a City Network for active travel.

"The East City Way strengthens the connection with other cycle routes in the city, such as the National Cycle Network and other City Ways, and that makes an increasing number of places in Glasgow accessible by safe, segregated cycle infrastructure from the city's East End.”

It is hoped that by providing more safe cycle routes then cycling will be a more attractive travel option for everyday journeys.

Overall, the plan for the East City Way will see almost five miles of safer, active travel infrastructure between the city centre and the North Lanarkshire boundary, taking in communities such Bridgeton, Barrowfield, Braidfauld, Tollcross and Mount Vernon.  

Glasgow hopes to have added around 160 miles of active travel routes to the existing 180 miles by 2030.