NEW traffic arrangements for Sauchiehall Street and Garnethill area have been announced following the devastating Glasgow School of Art and O2 ABC fire.

The cordoned-off block around the badly-damaged buildings has now been substantially reduced since the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service passed on responsibility for the site to Glasgow City Council's Building Control service on Tuesday evening.

Several road closures remain in place, but local access to a number of streets around the site will now be possible with a new one-way street created in Garnethill to allow traffic to flow around the area.

The new arrangements means restricted access to local and service vehicles is now provided to Renfrew Street and Sauchiehall Street up to the east and west sides of the cordon at Dalhousie Street and Scott Street respectively.

Both Scott Street and Dalhousie Street are fully closed from just south of Sauchiehall Street until the unnamed lane that runs between the Reid Building at Glasgow School of Art building and St Aloysius College.

Local access to Holland Street, Pitt Street, Douglas Street, Rose Street and Sauchiehall Lane is now in place.

As part of the new arrangements, the one-way street on Buccleuch Street has been reversed, which will enable traffic to move around Garnethill again, and exit the area on to West Graham Street.

Garnethill residents can now access parking places that were previously blocked off by the wider cordon.

The diversion for motorists travelling east on Sauchiehall Street remains in place.

This takes drivers via Elmbank Street, St Vincent St, Pitt Street and West George Street before turning north into Hope Street.

Council leader Susan Aitken welcomed the new measures following the extensive disruption caused by blaze.

Ms Aitken described today’s changes as “a positive step.”

She added: “The buildings affected by the fire remain at risk and measures must remain in place at this time to protect public safety.

“We have been working extremely hard to get Sauchiehall Street and Garnethill moving again and this is the first step along that path.

“We will continue to review these arrangements on a street-by-street basis to ensure we are responding as far as we possibly can to the needs of residents and businesses in the area.”

A single information line (0141 287 0416) is now in place for anyone within the exclusion zone and requiring assistance, including help with temporary accommodation and support for businesses.

A recorded message on this line will give the latest available information on the status of the exclusion zone, although this is not expected to change in the immediate future.

Council business advisors and social workers are also based in the Dental Hospital on Sauchiehall Street to offer face-to-face advice to businesses and residents affected by the fire.

They will be available in the hospital from 10am to 4pm on weekdays.