Glasgow's Public Transport: The Need for a Greener Alternative

As COP26 comes to an end, Danny Macpherson considers the suitability of Glasgow’s public transport systems and the prospect of greener alternatives.

Danny Macpherson cycling down the South City Way | Photo by Eoin Carey

By Danny Macpherson

Everyone I know is deeply concerned about climate change. We all want to reduce our footprint on the earth, but making sustainable choices often remains a big inconvenience in our society. All but the most ardent environmentalists among us will admit to having moments of weakness. It might be buying fruit and vegetables wrapped in single-use plastic because we can’t be bothered walking to the zero-waste shop. It might be taking a domestic flight because the train is too expensive. Or – and this is particularly true if you live in Glasgow – it might be driving somewhere because public transport or cycling prove too much hassle. 

As the eyes of the world turn to Glasgow for the all-important climate summit, there is a sad irony in the fact the city remains something of a cautionary example of how not to design a climate-friendly city. 

Read more: COP26: Transforming public transport to fight climate change

The city’s public transport system remains a jumbled-up mess. Privatisation means an array of different operators run different services. This leads to both confusion (there are two entirely different number 4 buses which run through the Southside) and extra cost (there is no unified ticket system like the Oyster card in London). Getting from my flat near Queens Park to anywhere but the city centre is usually complicated, time consuming and expensive. 

While the recent expansion of cycling infrastructure is a hugely welcome step, Glasgow still has a long way to go before it can be considered a cycling-friendly city.  New segregated paths, like the South City Way which runs down Victoria Road, have allowed cyclists to get from A to B without having to worry about motor traffic, but as anyone who has almost been knocked down by a car pulling out onto the path at the junction near Lidl will testify, the current set-up is far from perfect. It’s still hard to make a longer journey in the city without being forced to share the road with cars at some points, which discourages less confident cyclists.

Given the lack of appealing alternatives, it’s little surprise that many Glaswegians continue to choose the car as their preferred means of transport. Glasgow is still a city shaped by the car-centric vision of the urban planners of the 1960s, who took their inspiration from city freeways in the United States. Motorways continue to dominate large swathes of Glasgow, carving up some of its most iconic areas (for example in front of the grand Mitchell Library) and acting as huge physical barriers which cut off entire communities from the rest of the city.

Cars have long been a symbol of personal independence and consumerist aspiration, but there is an increasing awareness of the harmful impact they have on the urban environment, whether it be taking up space, polluting the air or releasing carbon emissions. The consensus among policy makers is now centred on reducing car journeys instead of encouraging them. 

However, despite this shift in opinion, there are more cars on the road in Scotland than ever before. In Glasgow, there has been a steady increase in traffic volume on the roads over the last ten years. Maybe more of us have a guilty conscience about it, but we are still driving just as much. 

For a long time I put off learning to drive. I liked to tell myself I was doing so for green reasons, but in reality it was probably just because I lacked motivation and had other things I’d rather spend my money on. I was happy enough using public transport and pedalling across town on my bike. However, approaching the end of my 20s, I eventually bowed to the pressures of adulthood – learning to drive is still seen as a rite of passage – by getting lessons. 

I passed my test around two years ago, and while I would love to say that being able to drive hasn’t improved my quality of life, that simply wouldn’t be true. I have a big passion for the outdoors, and driving has allowed me to explore remote parts of Scotland that it would have been impossible to get to with public transport. Paradoxically, indulging in an environmentally harmful practice has helped me feel closer to nature than ever before. 

I try to resist taking the car for all but the most necessary trips, but the convenience it affords can still creep up in insidious ways. Before getting my licence, I would always take the train to my hometown of Dundee. Since then, every single time I’ve gone for a visit has been by car. I used to be happy hopping on a train, but now that I have the choice, I prefer to save money and spare myself the extra journey to and from the station.  

While the imminent rise of electric cars will lead to a decrease in motor emissions, the most environmentally-friendly transport solution is to reduce the number of cars in circulation. If this is to happen in Glasgow and beyond, there needs to be ambitious investment in infrastructure to make public transport more convenient and affordable. This will inconvenience motorists in the short term, but for too long the car has been allowed to rule over the city. Transport policy should benefit everyone in the city; after all, less than half of Glasgow residents have access to a car. 

Creating an effective public transport system may seem like a big challenge, but history shows that it’s possible; after all, Glasgow once boasted one of the most extensive tram networks in the world. What is more, delegates attending COP have been given a smart travel card enabling them to use all methods of public transport, highlighting that solutions are possible if the political will is there. Hopefully the scheme will be extended to city residents moving forward. 

I recently went with my grandad to the tenement-lined area of Glasgow he grew up in in the 1930s – Thornwood – and asked him what had changed the most. Without hesitation he replied: “The streets seemed wider before. Now there are cars everywhere.” Perhaps we’ll have to go back to move forward.