Bridge over River Clyde to get new lighting after women 'avoid it at night'

A historic bridge over the River Clyde is to be set up with new lighting due some women have been “avoiding it at night” over safety concerns.

A portion of £482,000 is to be spent replacing “redundant lighting” on the South Portland Street Suspension Bridge, which links the city centre to the Gorbals and Laurieston.

The Scottish Government funding will also be spent on carrying out work on the south bank of the river at Carlton Place to clear overgrown areas and improve the riverbank.

Councillor Angus Millar said lighting has been “out” on the bridge as local councillor Soryia Siddique raised concern about residents’ fears of crime in the area.

Speaking at the Glasgow council city administration committee, SNP Councillor Millar said: “This funding is intended to make minor improvements to the bridge where there is redundant feature lighting that has been out for quite some time as well as trying to tidy up the south bank of the river Clyde.”

Welcoming the investment in the bridge and riverbank landscaping, Labour councillor Siddique said: “Local residents, businesses and campaigners have raised concerns related to crime and fear of crime in the area. In particular it has been raised with me that some women have avoided this area and the suspension bridge at night.

“I will continue to campaign for investment to regenerate North Laurieston including enforcement to prevent the heritage buildings falling into further disrepair.”

The investment is part of a £2.24 million Scottish Government Place Fund to be spend on Glasgow regeneration and other improvements this financial year.

The allocation of the funding was approved by councillors sitting on the city administration committee.

Also benefiting from the funding is the pedestrianisation of the southside’s Letherby Triangle with Battlefield Rest also to be pedestrianised with a public realm makeover. The work is to start this year thanks to an £800,000 investment matchfunded by Active Travel Infrastructure Fund Tier 2.

Local councillor Paul Leinster, SNP, told the committee: “Allocating this funding to Battlefield Rest and Letherby Triangle along with Phase 2 of Connecting Battlefield will do such a great job of creating two new public spaces in the area.”

Another site getting a £400,000 boost is Govan’s Festival Park, which would receive a new entrance and path to improve safety.

Welcoming the investment at the meeting, councillor Ricky Bell, SNP, said: “This is something I have been campaigning for for some considerable time. The park has often felt unsafe for local residents in terms of structure of the park.”

An additional £100,000 will improve the public realm around Shawlands, Strathbungo and Dennistoun.

A £400,000 Place Fund investment will see a number of venues and facilities brought up to a satisfactory standard to allow community and third sector organisations to take on long-term leases to run them as part of the People Make Glasgow Communities (PMGC) programme.

A total of £260,000 will be poured into delivering community growing spaces on council-owned land.