WITH newly heightened restrictions and increasing coronavirus infection rates, it’s natural that we feel frustration and fear.

This year has been so difficult already, and it’s hard to live with so much uncertainty.

This can provoke a bit of a knee-jerk reaction where we close down our thinking without letting in new ideas.

However, there is still room to be radical in our responses to the virus.

We have to keep the heid; responding not by repeating the same old patterns which weren’t working for most of us, but with creative ways to build a new, fairer Glasgow.

One area this is really clear is in our need for safer streets.

The pandemic has made us live more of our lives outdoors, and that’s been a real lifeline for many people in terms of the mental health benefits of connecting with nature and noticing the changing seasons.

I’ve noticed my local park is especially busy at the end of the day, as more of us try to resist the blurring of work and home.

A brisk walk in the trees is a perfect way to clear your head.Meanwhile, cycling has exploded in popularity.

It’s not just a healthier, faster way to get around - more than half of Glaswegians don’t own a car, and as the financial impact of this pandemic becomes clearer, it’s essential that people have cheaper ways to get around the city.

Whatever level of restrictions we need each week going forward, we’re going to be walking, wheeling and cycling to meet our practical needs and for our wellbeing.

The task of city leaders is to take that seriously, and make it as easy as possible for us all to reclaim our streets from cars.

The current layout of Glasgow was built with people at the bottom of the priority queue for how we move around our city.

There are examples everywhere – like on Duke St, where local businesses are forced to jostle for space on pavements so crowded and uneven they’re a nightmare for anyone with a buggy or using a wheelchair. Cyclists have to navigate atrocious potholes big enough to throw you off your bike while buses loom behind them. These streets weren’t working for people, even before coronavirus.

What we need now is bold leadership. The new stretches of protected cycle lanes popping up all over the city are great – but we need more, urgently, and they need to be joined up in a network so you can plan a whole journey.

We should reclaim residential areas and areas round schools for people, by filtering streets to stop rat runs and through traffic. That would make these home zones quieter and safer for everyone walking, for kids playing, for parents doing school drop offs. Quieter streets are also proven to be great for small businesses, because people want to linger, and they have time to browse.

Change is hard. But there have never been more, or more compelling reasons to create safer streets for our city. It’s people that make Glasgow, not cars/