ROADS bosses plan to impose a 20mph speed limit in Glasgow city centre ...

seven years after they first put forward the plan.

As part of the attempt to cut traffic a series of avenues will be created, which will include widening pavements and reducing on-street parking, making it easier for shoppers to reach the area by foot, bike or public transport.

The speed restriction and avenues are part of a new transport plan that is going out to public consultation.

Specific streets affected by the speed limit have not been named in the report.

However, it is planned to introduce bus gates in Renfield Street and Oswald Street to restrict non-essential traffic.

Improvements will also be carried out to main pedestrian areas and key access routes.

Bus hubs could be created in Union Street and Dunlop Street, behind the St Enoch Centre, and in the South Side to cut the number of buses running through the city centre.

Plans to cut the number of buses using Renfield Street and Union Street have also been proposed.

By limiting on-street parking and widening pavements the council hopes to create bikes lanes and bus corridors.

The council has already revealed plans to split the city centre into nine zones, each with its own theme.

Original plans to impose 20mph restrictions in the city centre were put forward in 2007 with enforcement proposed by 2010.

At that time the plan was to be the first council in Scotland to restrict speed.

Council chiefs wanted to introduce a special go-slow zone by forcing drivers to drop their speeds throughout the entire city centre.

The zone would blanket the heart of Glasgow and stretch from the High Street in the east to the M8 motorway in the west and from Dobbies Lane in the north to the River Clyde in the south.

Today a council spokesman said they have been rolling out these 20mph zones over the past four to five years, but could not do them all at once.

Alistair Watson, council spokesman for land and environmental services, said: "This strategy is of great importance to residents, businesses and visitors.

"It will make it easier for shoppers to reach the city centre's main shopping areas and for retailers to attract customers.

"Meetings have already taken place to explore and identify potential options."

Adverts will also be placed in newspapers advising the public the consultation is taking place.