‘Eyesores' set to be removed from streets as Scots council splashes £20m on major revamp
The dodgy decking will soon be ripped up and replaced with new features
'PUBLIC HAZARD' 'Eyesores' set to be removed from streets as Scots council splashes £20m on major revamp
COUNCIL chiefs in Glasgow are set to remove rotting 'benches and eyesore decking' as part of a £20m refurb plan.
The seating, situated on the city's Queen Street, was installed during the Covid pandemic and has been neglected ever since.
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The works are currently underway
Credit: Alamy
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George Square and the surrounding areas are set to be transformed as part of a £20m revamp
Critics have blasted Glasgow City Council's failure to act sooner, now branding the benches a 'public hazard'.
Councillor Paul Carey BEM claims the local authority should have conducted frequent inspections to prevent it from falling into such a sorry state.
He told the Glasgow Times: 'The council have simply failed to look after them properly and the wood is now so rotten that if you sit on them, they just start to break apart.
'They were put in place as part of a positive initiative to give people somewhere to sit to get a breath of fresh air during lockdown, but they are now in such a sorry state that the only real option is to lose them."
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The issue was brought to the attention of the Drumchapel and Anniesland councillor after one of his constituents was injured by a splinter.
He continued: 'The man told me he sat one of them and ended up with a large skelf sticking into him. It's taken a councillor to raise this and the question is why they were not properly and regularly inspected after being installed? They are a hazard now and should be cordoned off to the public until they are removed.'
Now, as part of a £20m revamp of George Square and surrounding areas, the dodgy decking is set to be ripped up and replaced with new features.
The project, funded by the council, Scottish and UK governments, will see new seating, sensory gardens, play areas, feature lighting, and "high-quality" paving installed at George Square.
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The works will also extend to North Hanover Street, George Street, West George Street, Cochrane Street and St Vincent Place.
It will be done in two phases, with George Square, St Vincent Place and West George Street due for completion in August 2026.
Memorial benches removed ahead of Europa League final
The rest are to be finished by Spring 2027.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'The benches and decking on the east side of Queen Street were introduced on a temporary basis. These features will be removed as part of the work that's getting underway in George Square and the space will become a loading area.
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'There are similar features on the west side of the street and these will also be removed, but the pavement will be widened permanently at this location, which will allow tables and chairs to continue to be used.'
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