Campaigners want extra funding for street redesigns — including cycle lanes — to prevent Glasgow “falling further behind” other European cities if soaring construction costs restrict the Avenues programme.

The £115m Avenues scheme is under review as part of a wider look into City Deal plans — an infrastructure project funded by both the UK and Scottish Governments.

Work is ongoing, with improvements at Holland Street and Sauchiehall Street underway, but plans for other streets are currently “on hold”.

A spokesperson for GoBike, the Strathclyde Cycle Campaign, said they were “incredibly concerned” by reports that “a long list of streets” could be delayed.

They added, if extra funding is not provided, the council “must take pedestrian and cycle safety measures promptly using cheaper methods”.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said the “vast majority” of projects are unaffected by the review while options to reduce costs and access other funding are being explored.

The Avenues programme aims to roll out a “network of pedestrian and cycle priority” routes, and improve the attractiveness of city streets. Council officials reported this week that “current market conditions” in the construction sector are putting pressure on project budgets.

Over recent years, work has been “significantly impacted” by issues associated “with Brexit, Covid-19 and the crisis in Ukraine”, the report added. An official told councillors on Tuesday that high inflation is “continuing to impact the construction sector and thus the delivery of the Avenues”.

Areas where plans are currently under review include Cathedral Street, Elmbank Street/Elmbank Crescent, Glassford Street, on “the periphery of George Square”, Hope Street and in the International Financial Services District. Council officials are aiming to complete the review by spring next year.

“When this programme was established what you got for your pound was a lot more, in terms of inflation etc, so we are having to look at what we can deliver under the City Deal funding arm,” an official told councillors. “We might need to look at additional funds to deliver the full programme.”

He said the projects “on hold” are ones at “the back end of the programme” which “weren’t scheduled to be looked at yet”.

The Go Bike spokesperson said the programme is “essential to the city centre’s economic recovery and to the city’s plans for a cycle network, which were lauded at COP26”.

They added delays or cancellations “risk Glasgow falling further behind other European cities”. “The UK and Scottish Governments should step up with further funding.

“If they will not, the council must take pedestrian and cycle safety measures promptly using cheaper methods. With both Hope Street and Glassford Street on hold, there remains no active travel connection from north to south through the city centre.”

The council spokesman said councillors were informed in 2022 that, to respond to market conditions, guidance “produced by the UK and Scottish Governments encourages local authorities to regularly review and update their capital programme plans based on the parameters of affordability and deliverability”.

He added: “Local authorities also need to assess where value engineering is appropriate to reduce costs, or when additional funds might be required to enable projects to progress. The council is following this guidance.

“It should be noted that the vast majority of the Avenues projects are unaffected by the review — with a couple ongoing — and we are actively exploring options to reduce costs and access other funding streams to address any shortfall due to the unprecedented rise in construction costs.”

A progress report revealed the Argyle Street West Avenue project is currently out to tender to secure a contractor, with work due to start in late spring 2024, while Argyle Street East is in the detailed design stage, and a construction contractor will be sought early next year.

Designs for Dixon Street and St Enoch Square will be completed, but tendering “will likely be delayed”. North Hanover Street and Kyle Street are nearing the end of the design stage, and tendering is planned for early 2024.

The Holland Street/Pitt Street project should be completed by July next year while design work at Stockwell Street is underway. Concept layouts for Broomielaw/Clyde Street are set to go out to public consultation before the end of the year. High Street plans are “at an early stage”.

A planning application for work at George Square was recently submitted and a report will be produced on “the cost and scope of works required to the statues”.

Concept designs have been completed for the Avenues Plus programme, funded by charity Sustrans, which includes South Portland Street, Dobbie’s Loan, Duke Street, John Knox Street and Cowcaddens Road. Work on these projects will continue in 2024, with construction tender packages expected.