Great Glasgow bus gate debate for and against

The new measures which will prevent cars from accessing two of the busiest streets are designed to reduce congestion, help improve air quality and allow buses to flow more freely through the streets.

Bus operators and advocates of public transport welcome the new restrictions while some business owners are angry and motoring organisations have concerns about how they are policed and enforced.

The new bus gates will be at the bottom end of Renfield Street banning cars from Union Street heading south and another on Oswald street at Midland Street preventing cars from accessing Hope Street coming from the south.

Alternative routes will be available for cars via Wellington Street and Robertson Street going south and York Street and West Campbell Street going north.

FOR

Bus operators and public transport campaigners welcomed the  announcement of new bus gates to help public transport move through the city centre quicker.

The Confederation of Public Transport represents bus operators and is in favour of bus gates in the city as a measure to improve services for passengers.

Paul White, Director CPT Scotland said: “ We are hugely supportive . we se it as part of a wider commitment to improving air quality from the Low Emission Zone.

Part of it is technological standards but part of it is also restricting car access in the city centre and bus gates. Whilst bus is a contributor to emissions in certain corridors we can lower it by increasing the speed of the bus. That drastically reduces emissions. And Car is the main contributor to emissions in city centre its about 60% from cars and 5% from buses.

It is part of a range of measures that will improve journey times for buses. Not just quicker journeys but it will help improve reliability and punctuality which passengers want.”

Get Glasgow Moving is campaigning for publicly owned buses.

It is in favour of bus gates but as part of a much wider set of changes to improve public transport in the city.

Ellie Harrison of Get Glasgow Moving, said: “We want to see improvements in public transport and more people making journeys by public transport and fewer car journeys.

“The bus gates will improve the speed of buses which is good but it’s not enough on its own.

“Any measures like this need to be matched with other initiatives like the cost of public transport.

“We need to decarbonise public transport and it needs massive investment. It needs to happen urgently.”

AGAINST

Donald Macleod is owner of the Cathouse which is in Union Street and in the bus gate no car zone.

He said he is “blazing” about the new bus gates.

He said: “There has been no consultation with us. The first I knew about this was when I read it in the paper.

“This afe4ts business. A lot of musicians at our venue turn up in vans some in large cars with equipment. We need access during the day.

“This flies in the face of everything the nighttime economy committee is trying to do.

“It is driving people away but no-one is asking the busineses what impact it will have.

“There’s got to be balance. I understand the need to be cleaner and greener, Its admirable but three needs to be a process of getting there and not at the expense of businesses and jobs that depend on them.”

Mr MacLeod said he will be contacting the council about the bus gate and how will affect his business.

Motoring organisations are concerned about drivers being penalised and ensuring there is enough warnings and available escape routes for motorists.

A spokesman said: Thre was UK government guidance on a two week grace period (before fines are issued). The AA thinks that should be one month to ensure everybody is aware of the change and warning letters issued.

“Guidance also was first time offenders should be given warning letters, that’s being ignored.”

The motorizing group also said that visitors were more likely to fall foul of bus gate regulations than locals and signage and road layout had to ensure drivers definitely kne it was a bus gate and they must not enter.

The spokesman added: “If your enduring memory of your visit to Glasgow is you ended up with a bus gate fine it’s not good for tourism.”

Neil Greig, Institute of Advanced Motoring Director of Policy and Research, said “IAM RoadSmart has no problem with bus gates provided they are well signposted and make sense to car drivers used to being able to use a particular stretch of road. What we don’t want to see is a repeat of the Nelson Mandela Place debacle when hundreds of drivers were confused into thinking they could go past the signs because of all the urban clutter. We would also expect a short ‘enforcement holiday’ when a new bus gate is opened to allow things to settle down.”