A CYCLE scheme that will transform one of Glasgow's most deprived neighbourhoods has won £3,250,000 in funding.

As first told in the Evening Times last November, the South City Way is an ambitious street improvement project to create a 3km cycle route starting at Victoria Road.

It has now won the Community Links PLUS (CLP), a ‘streetscape’ design competition hosted by Sustrans Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands, made the announcement.

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He said: “The quality of all five final bids was extremely high in this new and exciting infrastructure competition and I am delighted to see the winner announced.

"Glasgow City Council has shown real ambition and vision towards improving conditions for people who choose to walk or cycle along a major commuter belt, while also connecting a densely populated area with the city centre.

“The Scottish Government is committed to encouraging healthier and greener travel and we are investing more than £1 billion per annum to encourage people out of their cars.

"Transport Scotland supports projects which take active travel to the next level and this project will certainly do that by encouraging more people to make every day journeys by foot or by bike.”

The route, which bosses said would become an exemplar in designing streets for people, will stretch from Victoria Road to Stockwell Street junction.

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Glasgow City Council (GCC) is now set to begin work on the project, which is expected to be completed around Summer 2018.

The new route will provide people with a safe, vehicle-free route, to walk or cycle from the south side into the city centre.

Glasgow City Council’s winning design was praised for helping to deliver Transport Scotland’s long-term strategic vision for more active travel in Scotland.

The project, estimated to be worth a total of around £6.5m aims to contribute to health and economic regeneration in Govanhill and Laurieston.

Five finalists for CLP were announced in July 2016.

The other designs were: East Dunbartonshire Council’s Burnbrae Roundabout and Connections; Highland Council’s Inverness City Active Travel Network; City of Edinburgh Council’s City Centre West East Cycle Link and Street Improvements; and City of Glasgow Council’s Woodside Mini-Holland.

Matthew MacDonald, CLP Manager at Sustrans Scotland, said: “Our hope is that Community Links PLUS will inspire communities and councils in Scotland to continue to design places around people, now and into the future.

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"We’re hopeful that Scotland will become a leading example of why places that integrate people moving by foot, bike or public transport are more attractive, places to spend time and money, and this leads to stronger local economies and healthier people than places designed around vehicles.

“The South City Way will improve travel choices and accessibility for residents and visitors.

"Simultaneously, it will reduce congestion, improve air quality, enable easier use of public transport, and create places where people want to socialise, shop, and linger in.”

Glasgow City Council has already undertaken preliminary consultation with residents, businesses and potential users of the proposed development.

The council will match the funding with another £3.25m.

Elaine McDougall, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Transport, Environment and Sustainability, said: "Building the South City Way will be a significant step towards realising our ambition of creating a fully integrated cycling network in Glasgow.

“This new route will see better infrastructure for public transport; will link healthcare, academic, social and leisure venues and will also deliver significant improvements on Victoria Road, making it less traffic dominated and a more pleasant environment for pedestrians.

“There has been a sharp rise in the popularity of active travel in Glasgow and we want to encourage even more people to do so regularly due to the obvious benefits this creates for health and the environment.

“Winning an additional £3.25m of funding for the South City Way is a major boost for Glasgow.”

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MAY - SOUTH Side residents are called on to give their views on a £5million new cycle plan modelled on Holland.

Glasgow City Council is developing the South City Way, which will run from Queen's Park to the Merchant City.

As first reported in the Evening Times in November last year, the route will make cycling safer and encourage locals to leave their cars.

Glasgow City Council has already undertaken preliminary consultation with residents, businesses and potential users of this proposed development concerning the Govanhill section of the route.

But consultation has yet to take place regarding the Victoria Bridge to Eglinton Toll section.

Locals are invited to attend a consultation workshop at City of Glasgow College's Riverside Campus on Ballater Street.

The public drop-in session will run from 3.30pm to 7pm tomorrow where staff will be available to take comments and answer questions.

Information will be given on zebra crossings, bus stops, cycle parking, car parking and segregated lanes.

Figures show levels of cycling in Glasgow have risen by 135 per cent since 2010.

As well as the South City Way, council bosses are also looking to implement Woodside Mini Holland.

Woodside Mini Holland is estimated to cost £12m and both schemes will form part of Cycling Actions Plans vision of having 10 per cent of everyday trips being taken by bike by 2020.

Visit www.glasgow.gov.uk/cycling