FINDINGS | Connections
develop art in the public domain programmes in partnership with existing cultural agencies in the city centre.
• Southside Circuit: This route celebrates the cluster of distinctive local town centres that form a circuit around Queen’s Park via Allison Street, Pollokshaws Road, Langside Avenue, Battlefield Road and Cathcart Road. A circuit has been considered particularly apt due to Hampden Park hosting the Games’ track and field events. The circuit is connected via 2 routes back to the city centre, both of which pass through some desolate stretches requiring re-imagining, repair and reconnection. The circuit provides Games’ visitors and spectators travel to Hampden from any local station on the circuit, with further connections to Cathkin Braes.
A Route Network VeloCity’s route network supports its 4 principal routes operating in and around the cluster areas of east, west and south. The starting point for the route network is the Games’ venues themselves which have also been organised by Glasgow 2014 into 3 clusters of east, west and south. VeloCity has modified Glasgow 2014’s cluster areas so as to include Ibrox in
with the west rather than the south. This strategy enables VeloCity to highlight existing connections between Ibrox, Govan and the river Clyde. The Games’ venues aim to be pedestrian and cycle friendly and well connected to the existing public transport network. This forms part of the City Council’s Games Legacy to improve local access in communities across the city.17 The map opposite (No. 014) demonstrates that the majority of venues are within convenient walking distance of the city centre. VeloCity suggests a route network based on quality walking and cycling opportunities, to provide a varied and authentic experience for the visitor, while enhancing the quality of neighbourhoods for local people. Giving emphasis to pedestrian movement through the city provides ripe potential for VeloCity to suggest art in the public domain programmes around points of arrival, departure and key sites on the route network. This has the potential to make journeys of all kinds more enjoyable and even quicker whilst contributing to the development of local life.
become less reliant on public transport particularly for short journeys. The East End on the Move campaign, part of Scotland’s Smarter Choices Smarter Places programme, stipulates that active travel keeps the body and mind healthier and puts the person in control of their journey.18 VeloCity has developed the principle of quality walking and cycling routes to and from Games’ venues to its route networks. This approach is intended to have the following added benefits: • health and environmental advantages • cost effectiveness: walking and cycling are cheaper alternatives to public transport • a positive impact at street level on the quality of the urban realm • knock on positive effect for pedestrian links to the city centre • opportunity to experience the variety of spaces and places that make Glasgow
From the demographic profiles, low car ownership in the east, for example, provides further argument for the implementation of high quality and effective walking and cycling routes. If those in areas of low car ownership have improved access to safe and appealing routes, there may be an opportunity to 41