Glasgow has an opportunity to be bolder and more ambitious about its city centre than any other city in the UK.

With the redesign of George Square and surrounding streets already underway it can plan for a future city centre that people will want to spend time in.

We can see some early indications of what the streets could be like.

George Square is at present car free, with the east and west ends closed to all traffic and bus gates stopping cars from entering at West George Street and Cochrane Street.

The other recent bus gates at Oswald Street and Union Street have reduced cars further in the area around Central Station.

Glasgow can create a city centre free of cars.

From Charing Cross to Glasgow Cross. From Cowcaddens to the Clyde.

We have had pedestrianised Buchanan Street and a fraction of Sauchiehall Street and Argyle Street for decades now.

Given the success of Buchanan Street it is difficult to understand why many more have not been added.

A car free West George Street would be a stunning avenue running down from Blythswood Square to George Square.

St Vincent Street would be revitalized as a wide city centre boulevard and the fortunes of Trongate could be transformed as a pedestrian zone linking to the Merchant City and with the pedestrian precinct at Argyle Street.

Glasgow Times:

Queen Street is crying out to be a quality pedestrian street from Argyle Street up into Royal Exchange Square and a newly designed George Square and revamped Queen Street station.

The city centre is architecturally wonderful and deserves to be enjoyed by people safely on foot.

The facilities already in place are amazing. There are already train stations at Charing Cross, Anderston, Central, Queen Street and High Street to get people in and out from all over the city and the west of Scotland as well as Buchanan bus station.

The restaurants, cafes, bars, cinemas, theatres, galleries and public spaces make it a destination that is much more than just a shopping trip.

More pedestrianized streets, and the rest for buses, taxis and bicycles only, with access for service and deliveries, emergency vehicles and for disabled people will help it become even better and adapt to the changing world.

The argument against, as it has been for decades now, will be that we are forcing people to use out of town malls like Braehead and Silverburn.

But what we have is the opportunity to create a city centre space, with shops and restaurants and cafes that these sterile, dull, identikit shopping malls can only dream about.

When people go to Silverburn they walk for ever to get from the huge car park to the shops. No one says that is anti-car.

The cars queue up on the approach roads from the M8 to wait to get into a car park when it is busy.

But then once the car is parked and locked up it is forgotten about and people then enjoy car free spaces to wander from shop to shop, leisurely criss-crossing the mall without the noise of traffic or fear of being squashed by a bus or lorry or hit by a car running a red light.

No waiting at lights to get from Boots to Burtons. No dash across the interrupted pedestrian zone like there is twice at Buchanan Street.

Silverburn and Braehead both have around 100,000 square metres of retail space with no cars to worry about. People walk around.

Glasgow city centre can be the same, if we give it over to pedestrians, otherwise known as people.

Leave the car at an out of town park and ride and head in to the city using one of the stations mentioned above.

Satellite car parks on the city centre edges can also be available and they could even be free, paid for by the retail giants and traders who would benefit from the custom.

Other than deliveries and servicing for the shops and hospitality trade there is no real need for other vehicles to be in the city centre.

Shuttle buses can run from the edges to key points, let's make them free as well.

The streets can genuinely be for people. There will be more space for outside seating for cafes and bars, like we are already seeing, but without the ugly temporary road barriers.

There has been much debate about the slow death of the city centre which is being accelerated with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

But these claims are grossly exaggerated.

Glasgow city centre has so much to offer once people are able to move around going about their business.

Even if there are fewer office staff and fewer offices, that creates the perfect opportunity to substantially increase the number of people who live and work from home in the city centre.

The alternative is unthinkable and would see the decline of one of the UK’s finest city centres.

People make Glasgow and it is time the Glasgow city centre was made for people.

Make it happen.