Glasgow Connectivity Commission recently published Connecting Glasgow - Creating an Inclusive, Thriving, Liveable City, which is the first of two reports it is scheduled to publish. The Commission has made several recommendations in the report including the completion of a network of safe, high quality, segregated cycling arterial routes connecting the city centre to suburbs and peripheral neighbourhoods.

The independent Glasgow Connectivity Commission was established in November 2017 by Glasgow City Council Leader Susan Aitken. The Commission is chaired by Professor David Begg and it has been challenged to generate bold, fresh ideas to transform Scotland's biggest city; making it a more liveable and breathable place which is even more attractive to visitors, businesses and citizens.

This is the first of two reports and covers proposals which fall within the jurisdiction of the City Council: land use, roads hierarchy and bus policy. In the second report, which shall be published early in 2019, the Commission will consider policies which are crucial to connectivity within the city, but which are primarily the responsibility of agencies operating at the regional and national levels, including the city region Cabinet, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport Scotland.

In this initial report the focus has been on Glasgow’s city centre, the beating heart of the city region, as any improvements to connectivity must start here, reaching out through the arteries into the regional economy.

Glasgow Chamber Chief Executive Stuart Patrick said: “We welcome the report as a thoughtful contribution to the policy and investment required to improve the city centre, drive footfall and increase job opportunities.  We recognise the emphasis on the improvement of the bus offering as, at a time of skills shortages, it is important that people can get to work in an efficient and dignified manner.

Some of the Commission's recommendations are

As a matter of policy principle the Commission recommends that Glasgow City Council adopts and adheres to the recognised transport hierarchy for street space prioritising the movement of people, cyclists, public transport use and private vehicles, in that order.

• The acceleration of the Avenues project and its extension into other parts of the city centre such as George Square, Argyle Street, Cathedral Street and High Street
• A strategic repurposing of the road network to prioritise people-friendly public spaces and the transport hierarchy and repurposing the inefficient grid system to a smart grid
• Glasgow City Council actively engages with the Vacant and Derelict Land Commission to bring back dead spaces back into productive use.
• The repurposing of Glasgow’s roads grid to prioritise pedestrians, active travel and public transport should be aligned with and support the council’s policy to repopulate the city centre
• The completion of a network of safe, high quality, segregated cycling arterial routes connecting the city centre to suburbs and peripheral neighbourhoods
• The creation of safe, high quality, segregated cycling corridors through the city centre which connect to these arterial routes, undertaken as part of the repurposing of Glasgow’s road grid
• And several recommendations for the new partnership between Glasgow City Council and bus operators

Sources: Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and GoBike