A plea to reduce congestion near a Hillhead community centre has been issued by a West End councillor despite concerns over poor public transport links.

During yesterday’s Hillhead Area Partnership meeting the issue of large volumes of traffic and cars parking near Woodside Halls on Glenfarg Street was raised by Green councillor Martha Wardrop.

Woodside Halls was taken over by the Glasgow Third Sector Interface Network earlier this year and since opening aims to provide additional space to provide wellbeing events and to assist residents through a hard winter as well as reducing loneliness and isolation.

It comes as the organisation predicts the cost of living crisis will be worse particularly for elderly residents facing pension fuel payment cuts as well as women on low incomes who still have to sort out childcare costs.

Councillor Wardrop is asking the group to encourage more people who benefit from the community centre to use more active travel methods to get there.

She said: “I am concerned about traffic management around Woodside Halls. 

“It seems to me that when there is an event on, it is absolute mayhem and the streets are chockablock with cars.

“I wonder what advice we are giving to people about taking transport arrangements.

“You need to be promoting other methods of travel other than cars like cycling, walking or even taking the underground.

“Perhaps we need to have further discussions about this.” 

Anna Dyer, of Glasgow Third Sector Interface Network, highlighted how the lack of public transport after 6pm made it difficult for people using the hall to access it unless they had their own car.

Ms Dyer said: “The people driving to Woodside Halls are taking advantage of the parking as parking restrictions stop at 6pm in that area of the city. 

“We don’t have much in the way of parking spaces, even for employees.

“This [promoting other forms of travel] has got to be carefully balanced as the buses stop at 6pm so people become virtually imprisoned unless they have another mode of transport.

“Women will not walk alone at night because it is dangerous.”

Stewart Leighton, Woodlands and Park Community Council, added: “We need a transport plan which highlights what is available. 

“I appreciate that elderly residents may not be as mobile but for those who are mobile, we should be encouraging active travel rather than driving and taking a parking space.”