Glasgow cyclists welcome completion of safer bike route

The South City Way from Queens Park to the city centre is now fully open and is part of the plan for a future joined up network across Glasgow.

The route runs along Victoria Road and Pollokshaws Road to the Victoria Bridge joining the national cycle network route along the River Clyde.

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Cyclists said the route has helped people get on a bike and others feel safer when cycling.

Zoe Madek, is office manager at environmental charity South Seeds, which is based on the route in Victoria Road.

She said: “It has enabled me to get on a bike.

“I lived in London before Glasgow and cycling seemed dangerous. I’m not confident cycling beside cars.

“I use the route to cycle into town all the time.

“If it was not for the South City Way, I wouldn’t have the confidence to cycle.

“I would like to go further but I don’t think cycle routes are fully joined up yet.

“Glasgow is a small enough city that you should be able to cycle around it.”

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Lucy Gillie, general manager at South Seeds, agreed there is more to do.

She said: “It is really important that all the routes are joined up.

“People are not travelling from suburbs into the city, they are travelling from suburb to suburb.

“There is some fantastic infrastructure in Glasgow, like along the river, but it can be joined up better.

“A segregated route means people can feel safe. I have cycled on a segregated route with a seven year-old and felt confident it was safe.”

The council has plans for more cycle routes to connect with the ones already completed or under construction.

It said eventually no-one in Glasgow will lives more than half a mile from safer, segregated cycling infrastructure.

Angus Millar Glasgow City Council Convener for Transport, said: “There’s more to do, working with the Scottish Government who are keen to accelerate delivery of active travel routes.”

He identified routes from Pollok Park, the East City Way and work in the northeast of the city among others to create more safe space for cycling.

He added: “The focus until now has been on arterial routes but we need to have a comprehensive network.

“There are plans for all parts of the city.”

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Government minister for active travel, said next year the plan was for 10% of the transport budget to be spent on active travel.

He said: “We are already learning lessons from other cities in Europe who made the changes decades ago.”

He said images from Amsterdam in the past of “clogged up, polluted, congested streets are familiar to us in Glasgow.”

He said: “We have a long way to catch up with Amsterdam and Copenhagen” but said it was achievable with “local leadership, national ambition and community engagement”.