Glasgow city centre is set for a fresh round of street changes designed to give pedestrians more space and priority—starting with a trial “People First Zone” on Queen Street and Ingram Street in early 2026. The plan combines a redesigned, step‑free junction, temporary pavement build‑outs, new parklets and street trees, plus timed “Bus and Authorised Vehicle Gates” aimed at cutting down what the council calls non‑essential traffic in a high‑footfall area. [1]
The trial matters because it lands at a moment when UK and Scottish transport policy is increasingly focused on making city centres easier to walk, wheel, and use by bus—while still keeping access for disabled parking, servicing and deliveries. Glasgow’s approach is deliberately framed as a test: changes can run under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) for up to 18 months, allowing the city to monitor impacts and adjust plans before committing to permanent works. [2]
What’s changing on Queen Street and Ingram Street—and when
The first construction activity is scheduled to start in February 2026, focused on the junction where Queen Street meets Ingram Street. The council says the junction will be redesigned to be “fully accessible” and step‑free, with a safer and more direct crossing in an area of heavy pedestrian use. [3]
From March 2026, the trial expands along both streets with temporary footway extensions made from “high‑quality, durable materials,” widening pavements to improve comfort and safety. The plan also includes new parklets and a greener streetscape. [4]
Parking and access are being rebalanced rather than removed outright. The council says some general on‑street parking will be removed, but commercial loading bays and disabled parking spaces will be retained, reflecting a “keep the city centre working” approach during the trial. [5]
Bus gates: the key traffic change (7am–7pm)
To reduce through‑traffic and make the walking environment calmer, Glasgow will trial Bus and Authorised Vehicle Gates operating from 7am to 7pm. Under the plan, only buses, taxis, pedal cycles, commercial vehicles and other authorised vehicles will be allowed to make right turns between Queen Street and Ingram Street during those hours. [6]
The political pitch is clear: create a more people‑centred city centre while still supporting essential trips and business access. Councillor Angus Millar, the council’s convener for City Centre Recovery, Transport and Climate, said the trial format gives Glasgow a way to “demonstrate new ideas” safely and see how they work for the thousands of people who use these streets daily. [7]
A greener streetscape: 13 new trees and “high‑quality” materials
Beyond traffic restrictions, the trial is also intended to change how this part of the city centre looks and feels. Plans include thirteen new street trees placed in stone planters, alongside more robust temporary build‑outs designed to stand up to heavy footfall and Glasgow weather. [8]
This “quick‑build but higher‑spec” approach is increasingly common in UK cities: test a street layout with temporary materials, learn from real‑world use, then decide whether to build a permanent version. Glasgow’s ETRO structure is designed to support that learn‑and‑adapt cycle. [9]
Why Glasgow is doing this now: People First Zone goals and a wider city-centre strategy
Glasgow’s “People First Zone” concept goes beyond a single junction. In earlier council planning documents, the preferred direction was to reduce “through” traffic while still allowing access for those who need it—summed up by a principle that “the car should feel like a guest” in a People First Zone rather than the default priority. [10]
That same council report also highlights the role of accessibility and perceived safety, noting work such as an accessibility audit informed by disabled people’s lived experience and referencing the involvement of groups including Living Streets through the city’s Accessible and Inclusive Design Forum process. [11]
How this ties into the Argyle Street East Avenue project (and why buses are part of the story)
A major reason these changes are happening in tandem is what’s coming next nearby: the Argyle Street East Avenue project, expected to start construction in Spring 2026. The council expects the People First Zone trial to support that scheme as it reshapes how buses and general traffic move through the city centre. [12]
Scottish Construction Now reports that once Argyle Street East is complete, a direct west‑to‑east bus lane will be reintroduced on Argyle Street, reducing the need for buses to run the current extended loop via Queen Street, Ingram Street and Glassford Street—changes that the council says should reduce traffic on those roads and improve journey times. [13]
There’s also a broader economic and placemaking context. In a Glasgow Chamber of Commerce update on the Avenues programme, Councillor Millar described the city’s street transformation work as creating a “cleaner and more attractive European‑style city centre” that is “better for people and better for businesses,” with the Avenues programme adding trees, improved lighting, rain gardens/greenery and new cycle infrastructure. [14]
What transport experts say about bus priority and pedestrian-first streets
Glasgow’s bus gates sit within a larger shift in UK transport guidance toward prioritising the passenger experience and reducing delay. The UK Department for Transport’s Local Transport Note 1/24 (Bus User Priority) argues that bus priority should be designed around the end‑to‑end passenger journey, combining infrastructure (like lanes or priority measures) with the walking environment and safety at stops and crossings. [15]
Transport Scotland similarly notes that bus priority measures are intended to reduce journey times and variability, citing evidence that fully enforced bus lanes on a congested route can meaningfully cut travel time, while signal priority can also reduce delay and variability. [16]
On the “people first” side of the equation, there is a growing evidence base around low‑traffic and pedestrian‑priority interventions. Transport researchers Rachel Aldred and Anna Goodman have reported that low‑traffic neighbourhood interventions can be associated with increases in active travel and a tendency for car use to decrease (based on longitudinal survey evidence). [17]
A more recent open‑access meta‑analysis by Asa Thomas and Rachel Aldred reviewing monitoring data from 46 London LTNs found substantial falls in motor traffic within scheme areas, with little average change on boundary roads—a key point in debates about whether traffic is simply displaced. [18]
And for city‑centre trade, the walking charity Living Streets argues in its “Pedestrian Pound” research that people who walk or wheel to shop can spend more overall, and that pedestrianised high streets can see higher sales—evidence frequently cited in UK high‑street regeneration discussions. [19]
How to have your say: consultation and an in‑person information event
Because the Queen Street–Ingram Street changes are a trial, the council says it will monitor pedestrian activity, traffic behaviour and overall impacts, and will use feedback to help shape final designs and future bids for permanent works. [20]
Glasgow City Council has also signalled a formal consultation window: a survey is expected to open in the New Year, and an open‑invitation information event is scheduled for Thursday 15 January 2026 (2pm–7pm) in the Satinwood Suite of the City Chambers. [21]
What drivers, businesses, and visitors should watch for during the trial
If you drive into Glasgow city centre, the practical takeaway is that access rules are becoming more time‑specific and movement‑specific. In this trial, the centrepiece restriction is the 7am–7pm bus/authorised vehicle gate controlling right‑turn movements between Queen Street and Ingram Street—so signage, routing apps and local awareness will matter more than usual. [22]
For businesses, the council is explicitly trying to avoid cutting off core operations: commercial loading bays are retained, and the plan also keeps disabled parking spaces in place even as general parking is reduced. [23]
And for anyone concerned about how restrictions are applied, it’s worth understanding how bus-only rules typically work in Scotland. Citizens Advice notes that councils with the relevant powers often enforce bus lane rules using cameras and issue civil “charge notices” rather than criminal penalties—though the exact enforcement approach depends on the specific restriction and local setup. [24]
What happens next: a potential template for more city-centre streets
Glasgow’s council leadership has framed Queen Street and Ingram Street as “first phase” territory. If the trial is considered successful, the People First Zone approach has also been discussed as a potential extension to other nearby streets such as Candleriggs and Wilson Street, linking with wider city‑centre projects including the George Square redevelopment and the Avenues programme. [25]
For residents and visitors, the next few months will be the test of whether this model—bigger pavements, timed traffic restrictions, retained servicing access, and a clear feedback process—can deliver the calmer, safer walking environment the council is promising, without undermining the practical access a busy city centre still needs. [26]
References
1. news.stv.tv, 2. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 3. news.stv.tv, 4. news.stv.tv, 5. news.stv.tv, 6. news.stv.tv, 7. news.stv.tv, 8. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 9. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 10. onlineservices.glasgow.gov.uk, 11. onlineservices.glasgow.gov.uk, 12. news.stv.tv, 13. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 14. www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com, 15. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk, 16. www.transport.gov.scot, 17. findingspress.org, 18. www.sciencedirect.com, 19. www.livingstreets.org.uk, 20. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 21. www.linkedin.com, 22. news.stv.tv, 23. news.stv.tv, 24. www.citizensadvice.org.uk, 25. www.scottishconstructionnow.com, 26. news.stv.tv
