Govan-Partick Bridge set to officially open with free Glasgow festival in September

The formal opening date of a bridge linking Govan and Partick in Glasgow has been announced, with a free one-day festival set to mark the occasion.

A new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Clyde between Water Row in Govan and Pointhouse Quay in Partick will officially open to the public on Saturday, September 7.

The bridge will be opened formally by ministers from the Scottish and UK Governments, the leader of Glasgow City Council and local school children on Friday, September 6, while a free one-off festival on Saturday, September 7, will mark the new routes inauguration to the public.

Spanning 110-metres near the Riverside Museum, the bridge aims to be a key part of the active travel route between Glasgow University’s campus at Gilmorehill and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

The first tests of the moving bridge took place in July, after the main span arrived ten months ago.

The project, which began in April 2022, has been funded by the Scottish and UK Governments as part of the £500m Glasgow City Region Deal.

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “September will be a milestone in the modern history of these two great communities.

“It will also be a milestone for Glasgow and the wider city-region. Our riverside and the communities either side of it are home to the biggest economic opportunities in Europe, but also many of Scotland’s biggest social challenges.

“Reconnecting Govan and Partick can help unlock the potential along the Clyde, create more opportunities for the people who live and work there, and continue the transformation of these areas. Glaswegians often tell us how they would like to see the Clyde having a more prominent role in the life of the city.

“This new riverside landmark does just that.”

The Glasgow Barons will perform at the free festival. Innisandcampbell via Supplied

The Govan Footbridge Festival will take place between 10am and 8pm, and will see Govan Road closed off for the day while the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Horse McDonald, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon Five, Shooglenifty and Ben Walker perform across two outdoor stages.

Local rappers, Sunny G FM community DJs, and the Govan Community Pipe Band will also take to the plaza stage, while a Community Cèilidh is also being held on Govan Road.

Paul MacAlindin, organiser of the Govan Footbridge Festival, said: “The opening of the new Govan-Partick Bridge is a fantastic opportunity for the communities on either side of the Clyde to come together.

“Historically, you could wade across the Clyde at low tide, before the ship building industry widened and deepened the river. Now, folk from both sides can explore each other’s neighbourhoods once more.

“This is a great day for Govan, for Glasgow and for Scotland, and we’re delighted to mark the occasion with live music for everyone.

“We’ll have some incredible local grassroots musicians performing side by side with big name acts in the heart of Govan, showcasing everything the area has to offer which is now even more accessible to those in other parts of the city. “