Glasgow is gearing up for a major renewal of one of its most iconic city centre streets, with preparations now underway for the transformation of Argyle Street East, a key part of the city's Avenues programme.

The overhaul will focus on the stretch between Glasgow Cross and Central Station, aiming to make the area more attractive to residents, visitors, and investors. Plans include widened pavements, new green spaces, enhanced public areas and the introduction of a new west-to-east bus route to reduce journey times and improve connectivity.

The Argyle Street East Avenue scheme, backed by funding from the Scottish and UK Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, is being hailed as the biggest upgrade of the area since the 1970s. It also complements ongoing improvements on the western section of Argyle Street and the redevelopment of George Square.

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As part of the project, Glasgow City Council this week published a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to gauge interest from contractors interested in bidding for the construction work, which is scheduled to begin in early 2026.

The project will also pave the way for future traffic-calming measures and pedestrian-friendly improvements around Queen Street, Ingram Street, and Candleriggs. Community and stakeholder engagement in those areas is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with changes to be implemented by early 2026.

The new bus route, set to run through the currently pedestrianised section of Argyle Street, has been welcomed by transport advocates for its potential to reduce congestion and promote more sustainable travel.

The Argyle Street East Avenue project is part of the wider £120 million-plus Avenues programme, aimed at transforming key corridors throughout Glasgow to support active travel, climate resilience and economic revitalisation.