r/Glasgow Tools

TitleThe Good (and Bad) of Glasgow in 2022?
Authorfreescotland14
Body
Wanted to start a discussion on the good things about Glasgow at this moment in time to counter all the rage on this subreddit... but when I started writing out a few good points, it was near impossible not to think of a bad counterpoint. I guess the juxtaposition between the glorious and gloomy sides of Glasgow is part of what makes our city tick...

But anyhow, wanted to hear people's thoughts on what's going right for our city and, equally I guess, what could be improved?

**The Good**

* More electric buses, improving air quality long term (although still run by First - get them council run)
* More cycle routes (although even those they have built are nowhere near the standard of such infrastructure in the Netherlands etc)
* Plenty houses are being built: for example in Merchant City, Gorbals, Sighthill and, hopefully soon, those rotten carparks at St Enoch. More houses in the city centre = redevelopment (a lot of these will end up being unaffordable though, of course)
* George Square redevelopment should actually happen soon, (although more greenery and trees in the city centre are needed)
* We’re consistently being ranked as one of the ‘cities to visit’ by influential media outlets, and despite the claims on this subreddit, more hotels being built reflects the fact that Glasgow is a desirable place to visit
* We have amazing higher education institutions and will continue attracting students from around the world
* Absolutely class selections of restaurants that seem to improve year on year (tied to visitor numbers, I guess)

**The Bad**

* There’s still a fucking motorway running through our city centre. Other cities that had similar legacies from the mid-century city planners have shown that change is possible
* Likewise, the Clyde expressway cuts much of the city off from the river
* We still have a tendency for knocking down old, historic buildings, or for those buildings to mysteriously catch fire. The replacements are often bland boxes that could be in any city in the world.
* We’re genuinely the most litter-strewn, dirty major city I’ve ever come across in a wealthy country. Seems to be no appetite for actually investing in proper solutions, indeed there is outright denial from the current leader of the council. This isn't an issue of personal responsibility, but infrastructure and city planning.
* Terrible nationwide (as in the UK) drug policy means that addicts cause a lot of issues in the city centre, and basically make Union Street, part of argyle street and central station no-go areas
* There seem to be no plans for more/improved public transport? Whether trams, trains or the subway - no long-term planning to improve things as far as I can see?
* Like almost all other towns and cities, Glasgow is tied to a decaying and defunct vision of the high-street, meaning much of the city centre, particularly Sauchiehall street + argyll street, feels in deep decline - contributing to the feeling of decline for the city of a whole.

**What are your thoughts? Give us some examples of the good n bad of Glasgow in 2022.**
Reddit Linkhttps://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/wlmsvc/the_good_and_bad_of_glasgow_in_2022/
CreatedThu 11th Aug 2022 9:06am
Statusnormal (Removed by [])

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