logo
New image reveals major Argyle Street transformation plans

New image reveals major Argyle Street transformation plans

Glasgow City Council said the work, which will include widening pavements, new green areas and better public spaces, will make the stretch from Glasgow Cross to Central Station "more attractive to residents, visitors and investors".
The plans include creating a new bus route to improve public transport and link in with the ongoing work at the western end of Argyle Street.
When completed, it will help "transform the look and feel of the street from the M8 to the Gallowgate", the council added.
READ MORE:
Scottish Government intervene in Glasgow O2 ABC site plans
It will also create the conditions to take forward work to create more pedestrian-priority spaces and reduce traffic around Queen Street, Ingram Street and Candleriggs.
The council said it will undertake engagement with the local community and stakeholders around these streets in the coming weeks with a view to beginning to implement changes later this year.
In the meantime, it has begun gauging interest from contractors wishing to bid for what it says will be the biggest overhaul of the area since the 1970s.
The plans have been welcomed by business leaders, transport operators and passenger groups.
Cllr Angus Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery and Transport, said: 'The Argyle Street East Avenue is about readying these famous streets for the century ahead. Recent decades have been tough for this part of town but we're seeing new turnaround developments on Trongate, major new retail offerings on Argyle Street and global employers investing in new headquarters just further west. That's real confidence in our city centre.
'The Argyle Street East Avenue is about creating the conditions for more of that. But also, giving Glaswegians a greener, more attractive city centre with an international look and feel they can be proud of.'
How the pedestrian-friendly zone at the corner of Queen Street / Ingram Street will look (Image: Glasgow City Council) Funded by the Scottish and UK Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the Argyle Street East project is part of the wider £120million-plus Avenues programme underway across large parts of the city centre.
The work, which is scheduled to begin in early 2026, also links into the redevelopment of George Square, which is also progressing.
As part of the Argyle Street East Avenue, a new west-to-east bus route will pass through the pedestrianised section of the street, creating much shorter journey times and better public transport connections.
It will also create the conditions to accelerate work to create more pedestrian-priority spaces and reduce traffic around Queen Street, Ingram Street and Candleriggs. These areas will be developed by early 2026.
Dr George Hazel OBE, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership, said the changes would deliver faster, more reliable journey times, adding: 'This makes public transport a more attractive and convenient option, encouraging people to make fewer car journeys which reduces congestion and contributes toward a more equitable and sustainable transportation system for all. It also supports the economy of the city centre improving access for workers and the retail and leisure sectors.'
How the pedestrian-friendly zone at Ingram Street will look facing east (Image: Glasgow City Council)
Greig MacKay, Director for Scotland at Bus Users UK - a charity dedicated to promoting accessible public transport, added: "A new west-to-east bus route in the city centre will help reduce journey times and increase service reliability which is good news for those who rely on public transport, and for the wider environment. Interventions which make journeying by bus a more viable and appealing option can attract new bus passengers and encourage existing users to travel more frequently.'
Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "The move to significantly enhance both the functionality and appeal of a key part of Glasgow City Centre is a welcomed development. Creating a more attractive environment for businesses, residents and visitors, while improving connectivity between our transport hubs, is essential to Glasgow's long-term economic recovery.
'Although the Avenues programme is complex, using a combination of lessons learned from previous phases alongside continued engagement with business, it is hoped there will be limited impact on the trading environment. Infrastructure investments of this nature will support footfall, boost local trade and help make the city centre of Glasgow a more vibrant and accessible place for all."
The council has published a Prior Information Notice (PIN) for the Argyle Street East project, which will gauge the market interest from contractors who may wish to bid for the project contract.
PINs give the opportunity for potential bidders to research and prepare bids and so shorten the procurement process timescale.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Investors need certainty to build the homes Scotland needs
Investors need certainty to build the homes Scotland needs

Scotsman

time11 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Investors need certainty to build the homes Scotland needs

We must unlock the investment that would deliver new housing, says ​​Colin Brown Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In May 2024, the Scottish Parliament declared a national 'housing emergency' with some councils also declaring a housing emergency in their areas. The announcement of the emergency came two months after the Scottish Government laid the Housing (Scotland) Bill before the Scottish Parliament. The Bill continues to work its way through Holyrood and is expected to come into force later this year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Observers in the world of institutional investment and those working in the sector have been watching the progress of the Bill with interest. Of particular concern to investors are proposals around rent controls. ​Colin Brown is a Partner at TLT To give one example that has occurred recently – a London-based investment firm, was about to commit many millions of pounds to its first Scottish investment before discovering that a committee considering the Bill had voted to include purpose-built student accommodation as subject to statutory rent controls. All of the financial appraisals the firm had undertaken in making the decision to invest in Scotland were potentially being ripped up by MSPs and they had no power to do anything about this. In this situation, the Scottish Government moved quickly to make clear it would not support rent control for purpose-built student accommodation. Whilst the project is now starting to come out of the ground it remains to be seen whether they consider Scotland a safe haven for future investment. The rental income which institutional investors derive from their investments in bricks and mortar helps to fund many individuals' pensions. The investors need to understand that in exchange for making their money available they will get a return on their investment and this return has generally been left to market forces – the law of supply and demand. The housing emergency should make investment in new build housing in Scotland a win-win. The country gets much-needed new housing to alleviate the emergency, and the investment funds get to deploy their capital to deliver housing and make a return on their investment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the UK in the first quarter of this year £1.2 billion was invested in private rental accommodation with the potential for £6bn to be invested by the end of the year. 76 per cent of this investment is being directed outside London, with Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds leading the way. Every penny of this investment creates new housing and sustains and creates job opportunities. The fact that Scotland has not been able to open the investment tap when cities in England are seeing private rental accommodation expand, could be seen as a missed opportunity. In launching the latest consultation, the Social Justice Secretary acknowledges that rental properties are a crucial element of the efforts to tackle the housing emergency. Government policy has slowed investment into the sector in recent years and resulted in lower investor confidence in providing much-needed housing. Rent caps and controls are of course not universally despised and a balance must be struck between protecting tenants and unlocking the investment that delivers the new housing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latest consultation on exemptions for certain types of properties from rent control closed earlier this month. There will be investors with capital looking for a home waiting to see if the legislative and political environment in Scotland means they should be deploying more of this in Scotland or continuing to explore opportunities which guarantee a better return elsewhere.

Swinney: New work for bus maker Alexander Dennis being explored
Swinney: New work for bus maker Alexander Dennis being explored

Scotsman

time11 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Swinney: New work for bus maker Alexander Dennis being explored

The First Minister said details remain commercially sensitive Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government is actively exploring a package which could deliver new work to the troubled Alexander Dennis bus maker, John Swinney has said. The First Minister said he could not provide further details due to 'commercial sensitivity'. He has asked the company to consider an extension to its consultation period while the package is developed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad General view of the Alexander Dennis site at Camelon, near Falkirk | PA Last month, Alexander Dennis announced it was proposing to consolidate its UK operations at a single site in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The decision puts 400 jobs at risk at its facility in Falkirk in another blow to the Forth Valley, which has already seen more than 400 jobs go at the Grangemouth refinery this year. Mr Swinney said: 'Scottish ministers place the utmost importance on the presence of Alexander Dennis in Scotland and the retention of its highly skilled manufacturing workers. 'The Scottish Government has committed to exploring any and all viable options throughout the consultation period to allow the firm to retain its skilled employees and manufacturing and production facilities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'While I cannot provide details due to commercial sensitivity at this time, I hope this update provides the workforce and local community with further assurance that the Scottish Government remains wholly committed to supporting the future of bus manufacturing in Scotland. 'We will undertake this work in tandem with every other short, medium and long-term opportunity we continue to explore in close collaboration with the company, Unite, GMB, Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the UK Government.' Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes will meet with the unions GMB and Unite today to update them on the proposal. Labour previously accused Holyrood ministers of overlooking Scottish industry in favour of ordering buses from China. Mr Swinney argued state aid regulations – in the form of the UK-wide Subsidy Control Act – prevent the Government from directly procuring from a single supplier like Alexander Dennis. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking to The Scotsman last month, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: "They [the Scottish Government] have to look themselves in the mirror. But they should be leaving no stone unturned about how we can keep this bus company open."

Starmer told to demand Trump ends tariffs on Scotch whisky
Starmer told to demand Trump ends tariffs on Scotch whisky

The Herald Scotland

timean hour ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Starmer told to demand Trump ends tariffs on Scotch whisky

Shock waves were sent through the Scottish whisky industry in April when Mr Trump announced 10% tariffs - a rise from zero tariffs - on imports of the product into the US. America is the largest export market by value for Scotch whisky, with 2024 figures showing the market was worth £971m to the industry. Single malt whisky was previously hit with a 25% tariff in 2019, during the first Trump presidency - a decision later estimated to have cost the industry around £600m over a two-year period. That tariff, which expired in 2021, came about due to a battle between the US and the EU over subsidies for plane makers Airbus and its American rival Boeing. READ MORE: Mark Kent, chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said the US President's visit to Scotland "is a timely opportunity to highlight the enduringly positive relationship that has lasted between Scotland and the United States for centuries". He added: "It is underpinned by our diaspora who now call the United States home, and the cross-Atlantic trade which generates investment and creates jobs in communities across Scotland and in States across the US. "Scotch Whisky and US whiskey embody that close and abiding relationship. Our two great industries collaborate, invest and trade, and both have flourished under zero-tariff access to UK and US markets for over thirty years. The visit is a critical moment for the UK government to re-engage in discussions to remove the tariffs on Scotch Whisky in the industry's largest global market. 'We are urging the Prime Minister and ministers to push for tariff removal for Scotch [[Whisky]], and demonstrate the UK Government's commitment to ensuring a key UK export can thrive and grow.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will meet President Donald Trump on Monday (Image: PA) The Scottish Conservative's shadow cabinet secretary for business, economy, tourism and culture Murdo Fraser said: 'All tariffs are damaging, but when he meets President Trump, Keir Starmer must make the strongest possible case for protecting the whisky industry from additional taxes. 'Scotch whisky accounts for almost a quarter of the UK's entire food and drink exports and is worth more than £7billion to the economy, as well as supporting tens of thousands of jobs. 'The Prime Minister has a patchy record on negotiations, but this is a chance for him to stand up for Scotland's interests, and it's crucial he rises to the challenge.' Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: 'Securing tariff free access to American markets needs to be a top priority. The Scottish economy is already fragile from years of SNP neglect, it doesn't need any more upheaval. 'Scotch whisky producers will want to know with certainty what tariff rate they are likely to face going forward. 'Having rolled out the red carpet to Donald Trump, the pressure is now on to get a good deal for Scotland and the whole UK.' Scotch whisky accounts for three quarters of Scottish food and drink exports and about a quarter across the UK creating more than 40,000 jobs in Scotland. The industry is also a huge tourist attraction for domestic and international visitors. The US imported almost £1billion of Scotch last year and is a crucial international market for the industry but companies, including Diageo, Scotland's biggest whisky producer, have warned US tariffs could slash profits by hundreds of millions of pounds. More than 41,000 people are employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland and over 25,000 more jobs across the UK are supported by the industry In 2022, Scotch whisky accounted for 26% of all Scotland's international goods exports and 2% of all UK goods exports The Prime Minister is expected to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the war in Ukraine when he meets Mr Trump. On Monday, the leaders are expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal, hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and applying pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. They are also expected to talk one-on-one about advancing implementation of the landmark Economic Prosperity Deal so that citizens of both countries can benefit from boosted trade links between their two countries. The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the president's administration working with Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. The US President played golf on Saturday and Sunday at his Turnberry golf course, and on Sunday afternoon met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. After the meeting on Monday, Mr Starmer and Mr Trump will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen. Mr Trump is expected to meet First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday. The US President will visit the UK again in September for his second state visit. A spokesperson for Number 10 said it was expected they will discuss 'what more can be done to secure the ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly for so long'. The war in Ukraine will also be up for discussion with both politicians 'set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war' according to Number 10, and expected to 'reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table'. A spokesperson for the UK Government said: 'The UK and the US have one of the closest, most productive alliances the world has ever seen, working together to cooperate on defence, intelligence, technology and trade. 'The UK was the first country to agree a deal with the US that lowered tariffs on key sectors and has received one of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates in the world. 'Businesses in aerospace and autos are already benefiting from the strong relationship the UK has with the US and the deal agreed on May 8. 'The Government is working at pace with the US to go further to deliver benefits to working people on both sides of the Atlantic and to give UK industry the security it needs, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people's pockets through the Plan for Change.' Mr Trump teed off on Sunday morning, being welcomed by supporters who urged him "don't trust Starmer". The Republican leader arrived around 11am at the coastal course in Ayrshire and played golf with his son, Eric. Police were seen patrolling the golf course as associates played earlier in the morning before a huge motorcade of golf caddies arrived around 10.40am. Dressed in a white baseball cap branded 'USA', Mr Trump waved at journalists who shouted questions at him as he teed off. Supporters of the president carrying placards stood in the dunes urging him, "Don't trust Starmer", also shouting, "We love you Trump". Three people gathered to support the Republican leader, carrying a hand-painted placard which read: "President Trump don't trust Starmer". It branded the Prime Minister an explicit term, and was jointly held by a man dressed in black, who wore an Adidas baseball cap. A woman holding the sign wore a red baseball cap reading "Make America Great Again" with fake hair attached and appeared to laugh as she watched. Another female supporter dressed in a floral anorak, held an American flag and wore a baseball cap reading "Make England Great Again". She carried a smaller sign that also branded Starmer an explicit term. A female well-wisher could be heard repeatedly shouting "We love you Trump" and "thank you". Someone else shouted: "Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump". Meanwhile, a man was arrested at Prestwick Airport on Friday evening for allegedly carrying a placard calling [[Donald Trump]] an offensive word. The man, aged 20, was arrested next to the military airport in Ayrshire where Air Force One landed "for abusive behaviour and refusing to stop", according to Police Scotland. The force said on Saturday that no arrests had been made, although a 50-year-old woman was issued with a recorded police warning in connection with alleged threatening behaviour at a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US consulate in Edinburgh on Saturday. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 20-year-old man was arrested next to Prestwick Airport on Friday for abusive behaviour and refusing to stop. "He was given a recorded police warning." The UK Government was approached for comment.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store