Residents in Glasgow’s Southside turned out in the pouring rain to see what changes had been made to a street that shut more than 18 months ago for a major transformation.
People from in and around the Gorbals were invited to visit the Hope Hub on September 2 to celebrate the completion of the South Portland Street Avenue Plus Project.
Attendees were able to walk the full length of the street next to the River Clyde, which had been closed since January 2025, to take a closer look at the variety of changes that are now in place.
These include the introduction of dropped kerbs, tactile pavements, a reduced speed limit of 20mph down from 30mph for vehicles, a segregated cycle lane with ‘generous’ space, six new benches, 13 new trees, new CCTV cameras by the A-listed suspension bridge and rain gardens to strengthen the city’s sewer system’s resilience during storms.
Speaking at the event, the project manager noted how pleased he was that the street had finally reopened.
It is hoped the works will have improved the carriageway, which was previously ‘uneven’, increased the number of crossing points, and improved safety on the street by adding new lighting and CCTV.
The new lighting is also said to increase visibility, making the area a more ‘attractive and aesthetically pleasing’ space that provides a vital connection from the Southside to the city centre.
A council officer added: “There are 21 avenues across the city where investment is being made to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility.
“Segregated cycle lanes mean pedestrians don’t have to compete with vehicles and vice versa. The rain gardens help manage surface water and provide extra space for rainwater to go into during storms.
“The city’s Victorian sewer system is not able to cope with the population and demands put on it. One option would have been to lift the entire city centre up or provide opportunities through rain gardens.
“These absorb water coming from pedestrian areas and retain the water, giving space for the sewer system to cope during flooding.
“There are also now seating spaces which the street didn’t have before. There hasn’t been investment in this area for a while.”
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During the development, local residents and community groups were consulted on what they would like to see improved.
This included the introduction of additional lighting and CCTV cameras, which became ‘added-on elements’ of the project to ‘future-proof’ the area.
Additionally, the use of cargo bikes, which are stored at the Hope Hub and used by local organisations, is said to be reducing carbon miles.
Among those excited for the reopening was Cycling Without Age Scotland (CWAS), a charity that provides free, specially adapted trishaw rides for people of all ages with limited mobility or who are struggling with loneliness.
John, a regional development officer at CWAS, commented: “I think the benefits are fantastic for Glasgow. It provides amazing access for people coming into the city and out of the city.
“It really does provide a lovely, segregated, safe place for people to ride. The benefit is that we can get out and get more people involved [in CWAS’s work].
“We can move site to site and have access now to go up and down the river to provide trips for people who can't actually ride their bikes themselves, which is fantastic.
“It’s great to get other people out and active. Whether or not they're physically capable of getting out and moving on these things by themselves, we can certainly take them and have a good time and be a bit more active than they would be sitting at home.”
For more information on the Avenues Plus Project, visit Glasgow City Council’s website HERE.
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