It’s nearly a year since the last time we checked progress around the city centre and beyond so time for an update.
In the past year or so, the city centre has had a lot more roadworks than usual. Many of the streets affected are in the Avenues project. These seem to all come at once after delays due to Covid-19, procurement issues and extra consultation.
However, other events have made the situation worse. Obviously, the Union St fire next to Glasgow Central station has closed the junction and Gordon St. The M8 viaduct works had already affected Garscube Rd and the Underline (New City Rd). Works on a collapsed sewer on Cathedral St and a burst water main on Cowcaddens Rd have just added to the pain.
Despite all that, new protected lanes are appearing. Glasgow City Council has an Avenues dashboard to update on progress. The following photos were taken in March/April as a snapshot of some of the current projects.
St George’s Road
Works started: 17 March 2025 (St George’s Rd article).
Progress: Part of Connecting Woodside programme. Works have been progressing north from Charing Cross with a mostly complete 2-way lane. Also, further work was underway around Clarendon Pl and Woodside Library heading north-east.
Connections: Charing Cross/Sauchiehall St at southern end. Northern end links to Garscube Rd.
Completion due: Was early 2026?
Cowcaddens Road/Dobbies Loan
Works started: 18 February 2025. (Cowcaddens Rd/Dobbies Loan article).
Progress: Avenues Plus project in ‘Block S’. Lane and planting beds mostly installed (complete with trees!). Each has had lane closures and 1-ways during works.
Connections: N Hanover St/Kyle St to east (and Sighthill Bridge beyond).
Completion due: Was meant to be April 2026 (but sinkhole repairs did delay work on Cowcaddens Rd). Revised to May 2026.
Argyle Street (West)
Works started: 13 May 2024 (Argyle St W article).
Progress: Last year I wrote: “Large parts of it are in place but unfinished, apart from the earlier phase in front of the JPMorgan Chase building.” Overall that’s still true but the western end, past Kentigern House, is much more complete. Work has moved a lot further east but there’s still a closed section of Argyle St around the Radisson Hotel. Apparently this is to do with water getting into the Low Level tunnels near Glasgow Central.
Connections: Crossings at western end to path under Kingston Bridge (link to Clyde Walkway/NCN7 and major developments near Daily Record building). Eastern end will link to Argyle St East (plans were in a recent TRO).
Completion due: It was December 2025 – revised to March and then May 2026.
George Square
Works started: May 2025 (was originally meant to be January – George Sq article).
Progress: Boards have closed off the square for a while. Statues were removed and the column has scaffolding. Road closures on the north side of the square for major roadworks (causing disruption for bus routes and access to Queen St station).
Connections: Avenue on N Hanover St. Protected lanes going in at north side should eventually link to George St Avenue (but it was put back by City Deal spending review).
Completion due: Still meant to be August 2026 (just after the Commonwealth Games).
North Hanover Street/Kyle Street
Works started: 26 May 2025 (N Hanover St/Kyle St article).
Progress: Most work seems to have been on pavements – not much on the road so far.
Connections: George Sq at south, Dobbie’s Loan/Cowcaddens Rd to west and Sighthill Bridge off Kyle St at northern end.
Completion due: November 2026.
South Portland Street
Works started: January 2025.
Progress: Lots of fencing and diversions but some lane kerbs visible and planting beds emerging (hopefully for trees to return).
Connections: At north onto suspension bridge to Clyde Walkway. South into Govanhill.
Completion due: Was May, now July 2026.
Duke Street/John Knox St/‘Barras North’
Works started: January 2025 (Duke St article).
Progress: Another Avenues Plus project. Large parts of Duke St northern pavement has been resurfaced but not completely finished. Duke St has been closed westbound at Bellgrove St for works to add cycle tracks and planting on southern side. Some work has started on John Knox St too. ‘Barras North’ works on Sydney St are mostly done except a few bits of snagging.
Connections: At east, path through future development of Meat Market sheds (off Duke St/Melbourne St). At the western end, future High St and George St Avenues.
Completion due: Was April 2026! However, now September 2026.
Dumbreck Road
Works started: December 2025 (following Shields Rd works, according to councillor).
Progress: A former Spaces for People cycle lane between Pollok Country Park and Bellahouston Park being made permanent. Areas fenced off at southern end with new crossing added. Looks like works will be moving north from there.
Connections: Southern end at the current South West City Way on St Andrews Dr. To north, the recently proposed Connecting Greater Govan Route 1.
Completion due: July 2026.
Completion
Shortly after last year’s update both George V bridge and Pitt St were completed with Sauchiehall Precinct mostly done a bit later. So, there has been new infrastructure to use.
Also, these photos were taken in March/April so there will have been some progress since then. They don’t even cover all works in the city (Byres Rd North and Yorkhill/Kelvingrove for example).
However, the overall theme is obviously a lot of delays and potential overruns. Duke St/John Knox St won’t be ready for the summer as originally planned. Probably not surprising based on recent experience and the scale of works overall (probably the most ambitious in Scotland).
However, the Commonwealth Games are only a few months away – there will need to be a big push to get the city into shape for hosting. If things go down to the wire the grumbling at the council is going to get an awful lot louder.
This frustration also increases the pressure for the new infra to deliver on what was promised; especially the Avenues project. Its price tag of £100+ million of City Deal investment also raises the stakes. So, usage figures could be under a lot of scrutiny. Many of us will want to have a look at the new lanes but it’s important we get more people to try cycling in the city centre.
One bright spot is the popularity of the Voi e-bikes. After the Union St fire, Voi had a surge of new customers using them as a stop gap for public transport. Let’s hope the Games can inspire similar usage levels to boost the city centre.