Duke St/John Knox St

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Connecting the East End to the City Centre (Duke Street - Castle Street)

The construction to Duke Street and John Knox Street will see the introduction of high-quality public realm to improve connectivity and accessibility for pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists in the area. The introduction of segregated cycle infrastructure street trees and new public realm will improve the built environment and highlights the council's aspirations for a vibrant, sustainable city.

The Avenues programme forms part of the City Centre Strategy. The priority of this programme is about creating inclusive and sustainable space for people through quality public realm, green infrastructure and innovative technology.

Design Principles
Enhanced, continuous and widened footways	Rain gardens and Street trees	Biodiverse Planting
Segregated cycling lanes separated from other road users	Road carriageways reduced in width	Improved Public Realm
Rationalised and improved street furniture	Architectural lighting features	Road priorities adjusted with clear routes

Consultations

The design process for the Avenues has been shaped by extensive stakeholder engagement. These consultations included workshops, on-street engagement, and online questionnaires. The feedback gathered from these type of activities aim to shape the new placemaking approach to street design.

► Duke Street

Duke Street is part of Glasgow's "Avenues Plus" initiative, aimed at improving active travel connectivity to the city centre, enhancing local heritage, and creating more accessible spaces for residents and visitors.

Project Details
Key Dates	Diagrams and proposals are dated 11 January 2022.
Street Dimensions	Overall width: Typically 18m, expanding to 18.4m in some areas. Footways: Mostly just over 3m wide, slightly wider to the south.
Cycle Provisions	A 4m bi-directional cycle route with 0.5m separation is proposed. Constraints prevent full accommodation of other features (e.g., trees, green infrastructure).
Challenges	Limited space for street trees and green infrastructure. Conflicts around bus stop designs and loading areas
Preferred Cycle Route	A south-located bi-directional cycle route is favoured due to better alignment with proposed networks and inimal road crossings.
Public Opinion	Public engagement revealed strong support for improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, including traffic calming measures and greener streetscapes Concerns were raised about potential congestion and pollution due to road closures.
Consultation Methods	Participants included local residents, commuters, and higher education students.
	Online Engagement Questionnaire available for 4 weeks, gathering 210 online responses. Online animations viewed over 2,800 times.
	In-Person Engagement Events included mobile sessions, exhibitions, and drop-ins, with 170+ conversations and 66 completed questionnaires. Focus Groups were attended by political representatives and community organizations, including cycling and design groups.

► John Knox Street

John Knox Street is envisioned as a street that balances historic character, public transport use, and active travel, while making the area more vibrant and liveable.

Project Details
Key Dates:	Diagrams and proposals are dated 11 January 2022.
Carriageway Options	Northern Section Two-way: 6.5m wide with a 3m bi-directional cycle route. One-way: 4.8m wide, allowing for a 4m bi-directional cycle route. Footways: Reduced width, usually under 3m, to accommodate plans.
	Southern Section 6.5m wide with a 3m bi-directional cycle route and potential for tree planting. Overall width: Typically 16.7m, expanding to 18.5m near Duke Street
Challenges	Limited opportunities for tree planting due to underground services. Ensuring sufficient space for bus stops and pedestrian access
Preferred Cycle Route	A west-located bi-directional cycle route is recommended for cohesion and better pedestrian access.
Public Opinion	Community engagement emphasized strong support for safer streetscapes and cycle routes, particularly around student accommodations. Concerns focused on traffic congestion and bus circulation routes
Consultation Methods	Online Engagement Animations shared across platforms and a four-week questionnaire gathered insights into resident priorities.
	In-Person Engagement Stakeholder meetings included representatives from Glasgow City Council and community cycling groups Events focused on discussing draft concept plans.

Link: Duke Street/John Knox Street Communication Plan (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)

Design Team and Construction Contractors

The Design Team is led by Ironside Farrar
Glasgow Office: 5th Floor, 135 Buchanan Street, Glasgow G1 2JA
Design Contract Awarded

The Contractors are led by Rainton Construction Limited
2 Brewland Street, Galston, East Ayrshire, KA4 8AQ
Phone: Phone: 01563 262 110 | Mobile: 07885 835 877
Email: Gary Bell
Construction Contract Awarded

Funding

The programme is funded by the Glasgow City Region City Deal, which includes contributions from both the Scottish and UK Governments, additional funding from Sustrans was also obtained for the project.