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The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
How Spider-Man made me late for work in Glasgow
The Marvel (or, um, Sony) production took over the streets on July 31, and it has since been revealed that the shoot has been extended. Previously due to wrap up on August 15, Glasgow will now keep its Big Apple costume on until August 26. Bothwell Street, Blythswood Street, and West Campbell Street are among the roads closed for Spider-Man 4, or Spiderman: Brand New Day. Further filming is set to take place around the Merchant City area, with road restrictions in place there as well. 'It's the first time you can say Spiderman made you late for work,' one of my colleagues joked. But it's true. Quite a few stragglers have grumbled about the traffic, the endless tailbacks and rerouted buses. As if driving into Glasgow city centre could get any worse. Nearly a month of disruption! The chaos! If you are stuck in your car, crawling along Ingram Street on your way into the office this month, something to consider is why you are even driving into the city centre to begin with. The 11-day shoot extension is a great opportunity to think about where your nearest park and ride is. You could spend the weekend dusting the cobwebs off your old bicycle and zip into town on one of the new cycle lanes. Not everyone can ditch their car. Some people require them for accessibility reasons; others require them specifically for work. But if you do not actually need to drive into the city centre, you shouldn't. Every driver is someone else's delay. The plethora of road closures is as good an excuse as any to kick-start a habit shift. Now is also a great time to remind you that ScotRail will be dropping its deranged and asinine peak fares on September 1 so it might finally be cheaper to take public transport than drive (I can't speak for the buses). Those people who kiss their cars goodnight bemoan the council's car-free agenda. But it is a bit rich. The city centre is still completely dominated by cars. There is only around 700m of pedestrianised space in Glasgow City Centre (Buchanan Street, Sauchiehall Street, Argyle Street, Royal Exchange and St Enoch Square). Compare this with your average European city, where people-friendly space usually ranges from more than a kilometre to multiple hectares, and it's hard to argue that Glasgow hates cars. Fans watching Spider-Man 4 filming. (Image: Colin Mearns) The Spider-Man set makes clear that Glasgow really does look a lot like New York. Glasgow was one of the first cities to have a gridiron street plan, which partially inspired New York's layout. But Glasgow's streets have long stopped being a model for anyone to mimic. The Avenues Programme and the City Centre Transformation Plan (2022-32) are ambitious and forward-thinking, but the planet will already have gone up in flames before either is realised. The rollout of the Avenues Programme is sluggish. Movement seems to inch along slower than the traffic at St Vincent Street these past few weeks. Whether by design or by default, the paperwork always seems to take priority over shovel-in-the-ground progress. I sometimes wonder how many trees are sacrificed for all of these consultations. Across the pond in the real New York City, they just get on with it. They have a more do first, refine later approach, which means urban improvements don't drag on for years. They start with the quickest things to implement, like the paint and the planters, restricting the traffic swiftly to mimic what the end result will be. It means people can shift their routes and get used to the new layout. Meanwhile in Glasgow, planters sit empty for years and building sites lie untouched and collecting rubbish for reasons not communicated to the public. Part of the reason New York is good at cracking on is because the city has the public imagination for more people-friendly spaces. There is a strong anti-pedestrianisation lobby in Glasgow, it seems, and infrastructure changes that prioritise active travel are typically hit with resistance from both businesses and residents. In New York (as well as in many European cities), people just expect city centre areas to be pedestrianised. Our city centre has come a long way over the last few years, and there are ambitious plans to return large swathes of the city back to the people. The controversial Low Emission Zone has significantly improved air quality, the cycle lanes are starting to come together, and it is getting easier to see the elaborate vision of The Avenues project. But maybe we should take a lesson from New York and just implement whatever the final traffic routes will be now. In New York, they just used lawn chairs. It is amazing what Hollywood can do for the imagination. Spider-Man turning Glasgow into New York for a few weeks makes it easy to see the city in a new light and envision its potential as a prospering metropolis that is actually enjoyable to spend time in. We just need to get the planters and the paint out while searching for the shovels in the shed. Spider-Man deserves a friendly neighbourhood to prance around in. Marissa MacWhirter is a columnist and feature writer at The Herald, and the editor of The Glasgow Wrap. The newsletter is curated between 5-7am each morning, bringing the best of local news to your inbox each morning without ads, clickbait, or hyperbole. Oh, and it's free. She can be found on X @marissaamayy1
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Huge explosion on Glasgow Spider-Man film set as car flips over
Stunts today included a high-speed car chase featuring a tank, a car being flipped over and some huge explosions which rocked Bothwell Street. One onlooker said that they could "feel the heat" from the explosion and "got a fright" when the flames flew into the air. Crowds flocked to the sealed-off ends of the street in every direction to try and catch a glimpse of the web-slinging hero, played by Tom Holland. Huge explosion on Glasgow Spider-Man film set as car flips over (Image: Newsquest/Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Hundreds of fans descend on Glasgow for Spider-Man filming READ MORE: What Tom Holland and Spider-Man crew are eating in Glasgow The movie set took over Bothwell Street, which has been transformed into New York City, last week and filming continued today after a break yesterday. The highly anticipated upcoming movie titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day will see Tom Holland return to his iconic role, with Destin Daniel Cretton directing. It picks up after the dramatic conclusion of No Way Home, where Peter Parker sacrificed his identity to save those he loves. We previously reported how the superhero was seen swinging through the air and on top of a car in other death-defying stunts. These glimpses inside the Hollywood filming give fans an insight into the action movie which certainly looks jam-packed with thrills so far. READ MORE: Spider-Man wows Glasgow crowds with stunts during blockbuster filming READ MORE: Marvel extends Glasgow shoot for new Spider-Man movie Excited crowds gathered to watch the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man strut his stuff on set. They were also hoping to catch a glimpse of star Tom Holland, who we reported on Sunday stopped to take selfies with fans on the set. Filming, which started at the weekend, will be taking place in Glasgow for two weeks until around August 16. It comes as it was revealed that Marvel has secured permission from Glasgow City Council to extend the shoot. Filming for Spider-Man: Brand New Day will now continue until August 26 - 11 days longer than was previously anticipated. Our sister title, The Herald, understands that filming will continue in the Merchant City area of the city until August 18, before halting for a few days and then picking up again from August 21 until August 26.
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Hundreds of fans descend on Glasgow for Spider-Man filming
Today's filming did not disappoint, with onlookers being treated to explosive stunts, including cars being flipped into the air and an army tank chased by American-style cop cars. Incredible images, captured by our photographer Colin Mearns, show fans perched on top of walls, straining for a view of the famed web-slinger in action. (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Can you spot yourself in these eight epic fan snaps from the Spider-Man set? READ MORE: 19 incredible photos of US props taking over Glasgow streets for Spiderman filming Some fans have even embraced the superhero spirit, arriving in Spider-Man costumes to join in the fun and atmosphere. (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: 'Spider-man' spotted on Glasgow Street as area transformed into New York Filming for the blockbuster began on August 1, and while it was initially expected to last two weeks, it has now been confirmed that production has been extended by a further 11 days. During the shoot, several city centre roads remain closed, with parking bans and bus lane suspensions also in place. Residents and commuters are advised to check local guidance to plan ahead. A full list of affected streets and further details on road closures can be found here.
The National
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The National
LEZ has led to reduction in pollution, report finds
The LEZ in Glasgow for buses has been in place since December 2018 and for private vehicles, it began enforcement in June 2023. One of the reasons for the LEZ was to lower the impact of nitrogen dioxide, which is mostly caused by traffic. READ MORE: Titan disaster which killed Glasgow student 'was preventable', says US Coast Guard The latest Report on Air Quality for Glasgow City Council outlines the changes in air quality at key monitoring sites around the city centre. The report by George Gillespie, executive director of Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability, stated: 'The main source of air pollution produced within the city comes from road traffic. 'Airborne particulate matter is more heavily influenced by non-local effects such as prevailing wind conditions (over which the city has no control) and can be transported from continental Europe and beyond. 'Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), however, is more directly attributable to local traffic volumes and engine type – and in particular to diesel engines, which emit comparatively more nitrogen dioxide than petrol engines.' (Image: Colin Mearns) The council said comparing 2024 with 2022, the last full year before the introduction of the Glasgow LEZ, shows locations within the zone have observed an average reduction in annual mean NO2 of 34% whilst locations outside of the zone observed an annual reduction of 21%. Monitoring sites with the highest reduction in N02 include Saltmarket with a reduction of 48.1% and Buchanan Street at 41.3%. Other notable reductions include George Square, 35.8%, Union Street, 36.7%, Bath Street, 39.5% and Gordon Street, 40.4% The report said it is the first time all city centre monitoring sites have recorded full compliance since the rules were in place in 1995. Gillespie added: 'Results from automatic monitoring stations in 2024 show full compliance with the relevant objectives for all pollutants, continuing the significant reductions observed from the introduction of the Glasgow Low Emission Zone.' Angus Millar, convener for Transport, Climate and City Centre Recovery said: 'These new figures clearly show that Glasgow's Low Emission Zone is successfully tackling city centre air pollution. A one-third drop in levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide since the LEZ's introduction means cleaner air for everyone. "Air pollution contributes to hundreds of deaths in Glasgow every year and damages the health of thousands more. The LEZ was introduced to tackle the stubbornly high pollution levels causing that. Now, for the first time, Glasgow is meeting the legal limits on air pollution at all recorded locations. 'These significant improvements to city centre air quality come at a crucial time, as footfall continues to rise and key streets are transformed through the Avenues programme. Cleaner air not only reduces health risks but helps create a more pleasant environment for everyone.' READ MORE: This is what a nuclear attack on Scotland would look like Under the LEZ rules, diesel engine vehicles registered before September 2015 and petrol vehicles registered before 2006 onwards will not meet the required LEZ standards and are not allowed in the zone. Buses and HGVs from before 2013 also generally do not meet the Euro 6 standard. Fines range from £60 for the first offence up to £240 for multiple breaches of the entering the zone. In the first two years, the council has generated £1.7million in fines.
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Seeds of trees which survived Hiroshima help build new Glasgow garden
Children from local schools have helped design the space, which was officially opened today (August 6) to mark the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima Day and to commemorate Victory over Japan Day and the end of World War Two. The new garden, dedicated to peace, remembrance and education, is part of the global Mayors for Peace initiative which encourages the planting of hibaku trees - descendants of those which survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan-born Botanic Gardens curator Hiro Shimai, whose mother witnessed the Hiroshima bombing, is nurturing the gingko biloba seeds and will oversee their future planting. Hiro Shimai (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Hiro said: 'Just after the bombing in Hiroshima in 1945, it was believed that no plants could grow for decades because of the radioactivity. 'Only some trees in the city of Hiroshima survived, and the ginkgo was one of them although it was seriously damaged. However, vigorous new shoot growth from the survivor ginkgo tree encouraged people in the city.' North Kelvinside Primary pupils Rajveer, 10 and Jasbir, 7, with their mum (who is also a teacher at the school) Kanta Rakhra, with Daria Sato, president of the Japan Society at the University of Glasgow (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Seeds collected from the survivor ginkgo tree were donated to Glasgow City Council by Mayors for Peace in 2023. The seeds successfully germinated, and the seedlings were carefully maintained by the staff members at the Botanic Gardens. 'The second generation of the ginkgo, whose mother tree experienced the nuclear disaster, would tell us the importance of peace,' said Hiro. The garden has been developed in partnership with Glasgow CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament). (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Chairperson Jean Anderson said: 'On this momentous anniversary of 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Glasgow CND is proud that our Lord Provost has been instrumental in creating a new Peace Garden. 'It will be a place of calmness and thoughtfulness and a refuge from the conflicts that surround us. 'We hope that the future will see better times, and that Robert Burns' words will come true: man to man, the world o'er, shall brithers be for a' that.' (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Although the gingko biloba seeds will not be ready for planting for another two to three years, the garden's symbolic elements are already in place. These include two commemorative benches with plaques acknowledging the international peace initiative, and information boards sharing the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Glasgow's commitment to peace. (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Pupils from St Charles and North Kelvinside Primary schools also contributed artwork and essays reflecting on the themes of peace, remembrance and resilience for the launch, and a digital exhibition. Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren said the children's creative work 'helped to ensure that the voices of young Glaswegians are at the heart of this living memorial.' She added: 'Glasgow's Peace Garden will stand as a testament to our collective commitment to peace. 'The hibaku seeds - survivors of unimaginable devastation - will grow here as living symbols of resilience and hope. Much like peace itself, they require care, patience and community effort to flourish.' The Lord Provost said she was 'especially pleased' that young people from the area had been involved in the project. 'Their thoughtful contributions remind us that peace is not only a legacy to honour, but a responsibility to pass on,' she added. The unveiling coincided with the General Conference of Mayors for Peace in Nagasaki, where a message from the Lord Provost is being delivered by the UK and Ireland Chapter Secretary, reaffirming Glasgow's solidarity with cities around the world committed to peace. The launch of the Peace Garden comes ahead of a service of commemoration on VJ Day (August 15) being held at Glasgow Cathedral at 11am, to which the public are welcome.
