Light the Way: Plans to put lighting in Glasgow parks under threat
New council papers show there will be no money coming from the budget to install lighting in Glasgow's parks.
Last updated 19th Sep 2023
Plans to put lighting in three of Glasgow's major parks at night are under threat because the council claims it has no money to fund them.
A new report shows there will be no cash coming from this year's budget and funding might have to come from external grants.
It follows 18 months of our Light the Way campaign in which we have put pressure on the council to make routes home via parks safer in the dark.
Labour councillor Jill Brown told Greatest Hits Radio: "The council unanimously voted on this motion to make the parks a better place to use for the safety and wellbeing of Glaswegians.
"I am also really concerned at the suggestion that community organisations are being asked to consider applying for money.
"The council seems to be putting it on the public to crowdfund to have lighting."
Last year, bosses confirmed trial lighting would be installed in Kelvingrove, Cranhill and Queen's Park by 2025.
READ MORE: Light the Way: Three parks WILL have lighting installed
However, that deadline could be scrapped unless the money is found.
Jill added: "There is no certainty we will have lights in parks at any time unless there is ringfenced funding.
"Councillor Eva Murray and I proposed this motion knowing it would not be easy, but to be no further forward a year and a half later is really frustrating.
"We know Glaswegians would like to be able to use the park after 4 o'clock at night during the winter months.
"The council needs to take responsibility and it needs to find a solution to put lighting in the pilot parks."
Last week Scottish Labour MSP for Glasgow Pam Duncan-Glancy publicly voiced her support for our Light the Way campaign.
She told Greatest Hits Radio: "It is all very well having warm words, but that won't make people safer at nights.
"It is not acceptable for us to be facing another winter with no lights in our parks.
"It is simply a danger to everyone."
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: A spokesperson for the council said: “Work to install lighting in the parks involved in the current pilot programme will require a significant level of funding, which has still to be identified.
“Our parks development team has an excellent track record of working with communities and local groups to secure funding from the range of available sources.
“We are already working with community organisations in the Castlemilk area to secure funding for improvements to the existing lighting columns in Castlemilk Park, which we are hopeful will be successful.
“There are still issues to be resolved with the proposals in the three pilots parks, such as environmental impact assessments, and at this stage there is no consensus over which routes through each park should have lighting.
“Our parks development team will continue to progress these proposals and also look to identify funding where ever possible.”