Connecting Woodside set to transform St George's Road

A two-way cycle lane linking Charing Cross and Garscube Road will be installed, whilst traffic signals will be upgraded, pedestrian crossing facilities improved and footways enhanced to encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys.

Streetlighting will be upgraded between Maryhill Road and Garscube Road, drainage improved, and street trees planted to green the area and complement new landscaping.

Work will initially focus on the area next to St George's Studios at Charing Cross where the new cycle lane will start to take shape. Marked parking bays will also be added and dedicated loading facilities created. Pedestrians can also expect to see the addition of new, step-free crossings and areas of widened footways.

Over the coming months, work will progress along St George's Road toward Garscube Road where the new cycleway will connect with existing active travel routes that link to the Forth and Clyde Canal and Glasgow city centre. Vehicle access points at Clarendon Place and Glenfarg Street will also be modified to improve road safety.

Ahead of work starting on St George's Road, the main junction at Charing Cross was redesigned to make it easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists to use. This work included linking up the cycle lane on Sauchiehall Street with St George's Road.

Cllr Angus Millar, Convener for Transport and Climate said: "Connecting Woodside is a key component of the city's emerging City Network of 270km of safe, segregated cycleways, and is helping people who want to walk, wheel and cycle feel safe and comfortable making their daily journeys.

"The work on St George's Road will see the creation of an active travel corridor that directly connects Sauchiehall Street at Charing Cross with Garscube Road in north Glasgow - with enhanced pedestrian crossings, improved footways, greening and drainage improvements, and upgraded streetlighting.

"Recent data from Cycling Scotland shows strong continued growth in the numbers of people using key corridors of segregated cycle infrastructure across Scotland, including a further 46% year-on-year increase on Glasgow's South City Way.

"It's clear that when we provide safe, segregated cycling infrastructure in Glasgow, we see a surge in the number of cycle journeys and the proportion of journeys made by bike, and this project provides a real opportunity to improve active travel connectivity for people across the city centre, west end and north of the city."

Transport Scotland's Places for Everyone programme, administered by Sustrans is a funder of Connecting Woodside. Carole Patrick, Portfolio Director at Sustrans said: "Connecting Woodside has improved the lives of those living and working in the north of Glasgow so much already.

"This latest phase of works to link Charing Cross with Garscube Road will have an immense impact, furthering our ambition to reduce transport poverty and helping to build a more sustainable future for everyone.

"Improved crossings and footways, a new cycle lane, as well as additional street lighting and landscaping initiatives will ensure walking, wheeling and cycling journeys to and from the city centre is more accessible and enjoyable than ever.

"We're delighted to see construction continuing and are grateful for all the support and engagement the project has received from communities in the area."

The St George's Road phase of Connecting Woodside has an estimated construction duration of 48 weeks. 

Further information on the project can be found by clicking on this link.

Connecting Woodside

 Connecting Woodside is creating a network of segregated cycle ways and quiet ways, with improvements to public spaces that provide alternative routes to busy main streets. The project complements other active travel initiatives in the area and helps connect local neighbourhoods with Sauchiehall Street, the Forth and Clyde Canal and regeneration areas in north Glasgow.

 The work on St George's Road will be undertaken in seven stages:

1.      Charing Cross (complete)

2.      St George's Road at St George's Studios (starts 17 March 2025)

3.      St George's Road at West Princes Street

4.      St George's Road at St George's Place

5.      St George's Road at Woodside Library

6.      St George's Road at St George's in the Fields

7.      Clarendon Place

Earlier work on the Connecting Woodside project delivered a two-way segregated cycle way on Garscube Road, between Dobbies Loan and Firhill Road - whilst a junction upgrade at North Woodside Road and Maryhill Road now means it is easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle in the vicinity.  

Connecting Woodside is funded by the Scottish Government, through Sustrans Scotland's, Places for Everyone programme and contributions from the council's active travel budget.

Further information on the Connecting Woodside project can be found by clicking this link.