Glasgow 2014 Unveils Details of Traffic Management Plans for Commonwealth Games

Organisers of Glasgow 2014 have revealed detailed plans for traffic management around venues in Glasgow during this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

Temporary traffic management measures being brought in for the Games are intended to protect residents and businesses around competition venues from informal spectator parking. They are also designed to ensure Games related transport, including that provided for athletes and officials, is able to get to venues in time.

The plans also manage the flow of spectators to and from venues, ensuring that they arrive and exit events as quickly and as safely as possible and have been designed to make sure that walking, cycling and public transport are the best ways to get to the Games encouraging spectators to leave their cars at home.

Within 10 minutes’ walk of a venue, parking restrictions are likely to be in force in order to protect residents and businesses. Some restrictions and diversions may also be in place within 20 minutes’ walk.

To help residents and businesses with their planning, a series of maps have been produced to provide a venue by venue guide of the traffic management and parking measures that will be in place in the run up to and during the Games.

George Vincent, Project Management and Design Manager, said, "Glasgow will be open for business throughout the Games, but it won't be business as usual. Now is the right time to plan ahead and find out how you might be affected. If you live or work near a venue, we are putting in place measures to keep your community moving and help make sure you can enjoy being at the very heart of Glasgow's biggest ever celebration. We're already working closely with businesses across the city to make sure they know what these changes mean for them - and we will be returning to venues next month to talk to local people, share the latest information and answer any questions they have as we approach the Games."

Glasgow is a city familiar with running large events and local residents and businesses around major venues like Hampden, Celtic Park and Ibrox will already be aware of the impact a large event has on the local area.

However, the Commonwealth Games will be unique - many of the venues will be used across the day and evening, more than one group of spectators may come and go from a venue in any one day and a large number of the venues will host sporting action every day for the full 11 days of the Games.

As a result, the traffic management plans required are, in many cases, different from the plans normally used around existing venues during other types of events.

Further detail on this is available through workshops already under way run for businesses. At these workshops, travel advisors will help businesses understand what this means for them.

A second series of community information events at or near venues are being held in May where residents and businesses will receive more information from Get Ready Glasgow on how they will be affected by the Games. This will include information on local parking arrangements and details on how to get parking permits.

The traffic management plans are the second major transport update to be shared through the Get Ready Glasgow campaign. It follows the publication of the Games Route Network (GRN) which was made available to residents and businesses earlier this month.

Glasgow City Council is investing £4.5million in the GRN, which includes upgrades to CCTV and traffic signals; investment in more variable message signs, and improvements to junctions, signing and lining – all of which will create a legacy for Glasgow’s network after the Games.

Glasgow residents and businesses can sign up at www.getreadyglasgow.com for the latest updates on travel and transport and businesses can also register for the Travel Advice for Business workshops.

John Fryer, Glasgow 2014 Transport Manager, said, "The success of the Games doesn’t start and end inside the Games venues - we want to make sure that everyone attending the Games is able to get around the city quickly, safely and easily. We are encouraging spectators to walk, cycle, use public transport or use a park-and-ride site to get to venues. The measures in the Traffic Management and Parking plans are integral to making this as easy as possible for spectators.  We are also committed to making sure that the people who live, work and operate businesses in this fantastic host city are able to go about their days with minimal impact. This is central to all our transport plans."