Glasgow set to become 20mph zone with £4.5m plan launched to slow down city drivers

Glasgow is set to become a default 20mph city as the city’s council prepare a £4.5m plan to slow down drivers on residential streets.

The roll-out of 20mph streets is due to come into force by 2024 to 2025 with the limit to be considered the normal speed across neighbourhoods.

It could be even sooner as discussions are underway with Transport Scotland about Glasgow becoming a pilot for the national delivery of 20mph areas.

SNP Councillor Angus Millar said: “I can confirm the council has secured funding to support our planned roll out of the default 20mph residential speed limits. The estimated cost of the city wide roll out is £4.5 million.”

The council has landed £2.6m from charity Sustrans for the project and the local authority is pouring additional cash into the scheme to cover costs.

A consultant is being hired to look at all roads in the city to decide what streets will become 20mph and to look at legal technical work.

Councillor Millar said he “is keen” to see the timescale for roll-out accelerated with officers investigating how it could be done quicker.

He said: “Glasgow’s ambition to become a default 20mph city has also been taken up at a national level.”

He said local authority staff are “currently in discussions with Transport Scotland for the potential for Glasgow to be a pilot for that wider national roll out with a view to seeing if the programme can be rolled out within 18 months.”

Details of the scheme came to light following a question from Green councillor John Molyneux at yesterday’s full council meeting about funding availability for the slower speed limits and timescales.

Green Councillor for Pollokshields, Jon Molyneux, said: “Earlier this year, with a Green amendment, we were able to secure funding in the city budget to begin the work of cutting speeds on our roads as soon as possible.

He said the funding is a “welcome step” and he is looking “forward to seeing these changes come into force as soon as possible.”

Councillor Molyneux added: “For too long we have designed our city to work for cars and not for the people who live here. It’s well past time that we start to shift that balance so our streets can be safe for people again.

He added: “This will make a huge difference not just for our greenhouse gas emissions but also to save lives from preventable conditions like asthma which are worsened by car pollution.”