Keep Buses out of the basement, and Save The City Steps!

Posted on November 17, 2009

What’s Happening?

In October 2008, Glasgow City Council granted outline planning permission for the owners of Buchanan Galleries to demolish their existing multi-storey car park and rebuild it across the road, on top of Glasgow’s main bus hub, Buchanan Street Bus Station. A bridge would cross Killermont Street to connect the new multi-storey carpark with the Galleries.

Buchanan Galleries plans to build a huge extension to the shopping centre where the car park is at present, as well as constructing an additional building in the space between the existing centre and Dundas House on Buchanan Street. This would increase the total retail space by up to 66% or 65,000 square metres and create an overall increase of 250 parking spaces. They would demolish the Royal Concert Hall steps and constructing a new “landmark” (!) entrance to the shopping centre.

Back before the global credit crunch, before the collapse of UK interest rates and house prices, before the banks were bailed out by indebting the taxpayer to the tune of hundreds of billions of pounds, before unemployment surged and before the UK economy entered a recession, some people might still have thought it was a good idea to further increase Glasgow’s dependence on attracting shoppers for economic growth.

However, the recent global economic catastrophe has clearly demonstrated that the cycle of boom and bust is far from over and that endless consumerism based on credit and debt is simply not sustainable.

It may be hard to believe, but despite this wake-up call, the ruling Labour councillors have every intention of ploughing on with this absurd development.

The popular, social public space of the Royal Concert Hall steps would be replaced by yet another private, commercial space.

Construction on top of Glasgow’s central bus station could result in its closure for up to two years, causing traffic chaos in an already jammed city centre. When construction is complete, Buchanan St Bus Station will be enclosed in a basement, no matter how well-designed – or not - the lighting and ventilation systems are.

Transport Scotland and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport have both objected to the plan to build on the Bus Station, as it will make it less attractive to use, make access and integration with other modes of transport more difficult and potentially create safety hazards. Glasgow’s three biggest bus operators, First, Arriva and Stagecoach have all expressed serious concerns about the potential for congestion chaos during construction, disruption to services and the long-term unsuitability of the new facility which would limit capacity for expected growth in bus travel. In an editorial entitled Chaos on the Buses The Herald newspaper says of the planned ‘integrated transport hub’,
“many believe the end result will be an inferior facility unlikely to attract extra passengers. The dubious objective of all this disruption is to double the size of the Buchanan Galleries, transforming it into one of the largest shopping complexes in Britain at the very moment when the nation’s shopping habits may be changing.”
As a Glasgow MSP, I couldn’t agree more with all these concerns. Fundamentally, Glasgow City Council should be making it more easier and more appealing to make greener choices, not harder. When is it going to stop putting cars first and give priority to climate-friendly bus and rail users, cyclists and pedestrians?

What can we do?

Although these proposals have been given outline planning approval, the Council has not gone out of its way to publicise the plans. Just two members of the public objected to the outline planning application – I’m quite sure a billboard advertising the plans in Buchanan St Bus Station might have generated a few more responses.

I want every single Glaswegian to become aware of what is intended for Buchanan Street Bus Station and the Royal Concert Hall. Detailed planning applications for each separate element of the plans are still to be submitted. There remains no definite timescale for this but it must be within three years of their receiving outline planning permission. In this case the devil isn’t in the detail, it’s in the very principle of what is being planned. But the next stage of the planning process will still provide an opportunity for people to make their voices heard.

Over the coming months, I’ll be doing everything I can to secure the future improvement of Buchanan St Bus Station as an open-air, welcoming public transport hub and of the City’s steps as a public space to meet, eat and people-watch in the heart of the town centre.

2 Comments

1. Hey Patrick; I read your posts, and though not always in agreement, have to support you in this endeavour.

   I recently moved to Ardrossan with my partner, in order to allow the sea air to ease the pressure of city fumes on his asthma. Until 31st August, we’d lived in a small flat directly facing Buchanan Bus Station, and possibly as a result of my own ignorance, had absolutely no idea that plans for the tiered construction of the bus station had reached such an advanced stage.

   I’m a nat at heart, and still follow Scots politics. Where your article is concerned, If you think it may be beneficial for me as an SNP member to direct my concerns at Glasgow City Council SNP councillors, then I’m happy to do so, providing my out of town status still counts as a relevant objection!

   I will pass your article link as ever to those I believe will be interested.

   All the best =)

   Comment by Martin McGill — November 17, 2009 @ 10:04 pm

2. This place is like a cancer in the way it has spread so far and continues to spread. What’s next to get swallowed up, and how far will it be allowed to extend? Queen Street? GCU campus? George Square? Will it end up one day fusing with the St. Enoch centre?

   Comment by Ryan — November 25, 2009 @ 6:23 pm