Constant chaos on the streets is the road to ruin

Councils should be encouraging motorists into the city, not driving them away.

The sight of yellow-jacketed labourers milling about our city roads, smoking, yapping, reading the paper, occasionally digging them up, sometimes filling them in must be one of Scotland’s most common spectacles.

It happens so often that we, the poor locals who live, work and have to commute, have almost become conditioned to it. Especially in Glasgow.

If one thing is a constant here it’s the sight, sound, smells and chaos that accompany the continual road digging.

There seems to be an infinite number of reasons for the diggers, tarmac layers, steam rollers, labourers and road drills to be called out and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of money to pay for the relentless carnage.

There never seems to be any logic behind it all, no proper planning, no consideration taken of the terminal effect these road closures or diversions may have on local business.

Objections are totally ignored and consultations become nothing more than a lip service hearing with a collective nodding of sympathetic heads followed by a shallow promise that your complaint will be looked into.

One such area, and there are many in Glasgow, is the one surrounding its world famous landmark George Square. You would be forgiven for thinking Dulux were in charge, it’s changed colour that many times.

The Merchant City has been turned into a confusing, cash-grabbing maze for drivers straying into its many bus lanes.

Glassford Street alone has raised a staggering £1.2 million in fines and now the highway robbers in charge have decided that West George Street, which has been dug up more times than The Valley of The Kings, is to be closed off to all private vehicles and its street parking removed.

Huge gates are being erected with only buses and taxis allowed through, despite there being two hotels in the area, world famous restaurant chains and a host of other smaller though equally vital businesses (including mine) that need parking and drop off zones throughout the day.

The chaos and frustration this will cause should not be understated, nor should the negative effect it will have on business.

And where will this traffic be diverted to? Onto streets like Hope Street, which is already the most polluted street in Europe.

Honest to God, you couldn’t make it up. The lunatics have finally taken over the asylum!

Last week I congratulated Glasgow for its forward thinking approach to bringing high class music and sporting events to the city. But its road management, transport and parking policies are a disgrace and do nothing to enhance the image of the city.

Like Edinburgh, where the city council has squandered squillions on a tram to nowhere and is now fattening its bank balance by sending traffic wardens out on Sundays, Glasgow City Council seems to have adopted an illogical hatred of the motor car.

They are saying: “My way or the highway take the bus, taxi, cycle or walk, the car is a no-no.”

Absolute crackers! They should be encouraging the motorist into the city, not driving them away. Bus lanes should be removed and the traffic allowed to flow, more parking should be made available, and the cost of parking should fall.

I guarantee if that were done visitor numbers would increase and the shoppers would return.

In the meantime, the shortsighted city planners responsible for turning a grand vision into a nightmare should be told to pack their bags and get on their bikes!