The key to solving Glasgow’s transport inefficiencies lies in restructuring the existing network. Instead of every line converging on Central and Queen Street stations, only a select few should serve these hubs. This would free up capacity at these critical stations, allowing for an increase in service frequency on all lines. With higher frequency services, passengers would be more willing to make connections, knowing that their wait time would be minimal. This shift would not only make transport more relaxing (no worries about missing a train if there's another every 8 minutes, say), but also enable a more diverse range of routes, allowing passengers to traverse the city more efficiently without always having to pass through the city centre.
Interchange Stations: The Missing Links
To achieve this transformation, Glasgow needs more interchange stations. Currently, a glaring example of missed potential is West Street Subway Station. All main railway lines to Paisley pass directly overhead, yet passengers on the Subway must continue to St Enoch’s, exit the system, walk to Central Station, and purchase a separate ticket to travel west on the railway. This is an unnecessary hassle that could be resolved by upgrading West Street into a full interchange station. Other potential interchanges include Bridge Street, a combined Pollokshields interchange (merging Pollokshields East and West), Springburn, Rutherglen, Williamwood, and Shawlands. By creating these interchanges, the network would become far more integrated, allowing for smoother transitions between lines.
New Stations: Filling the Gaps
New stations are also essential, particularly where lines intersect but currently lack a station. Glasgow Cross is a prime candidate, where the underground line running east from Central passes beneath the Bellgrove line that crosses the Clyde to the Gorbals. Similar opportunities exist at Lauriston, where a station could serve the crossing of the lines from Central Station and from Glasgow Cross, and at Eglinton Toll, where the main east-west line from Paisley to Rutherglen crosses southbound lines from Central. Moreover, new stations could address areas more than 800 metres from existing stations or serve high-demand locations like shopping centres or sports stadiums. Proposed sites include Yorkhill, Sighthill, Gorbals, Royston, Temple, Scotstoun Stadium, Great Western Retail Park, Bellahouston, Kinning Park South, Lambhill, Finnieston, Govanhill, and Polmadie.
A New System of Named and Coloured Lines
Adopting a London-style system of named and coloured lines could greatly improve usability and understanding of the network. Here’s a proposal for how Glasgow’s restructured rail network could be organised:
Dark Blue: Inverclyde Line - Gourock or Wemyss Bay to Glasgow Central High Level, and vice versa.
Dark Yellow: Crossrail Line - Ardrossan Harbour to Carstairs via Glasgow Cross & Motherwell, and vice versa.
Light Orange: Ayrshire Coast Line - Ayr to Largs, and vice versa.
Purple: Canal Line - Paisley Canal to Cumbernauld via Rutherglen & Coatbridge Central, and vice versa.
Dark Orange: Subway Line.
Dark Red: Argyll Line - Helensburgh Central to Kilmarnock via Glasgow Central Low Level, Rutherglen, and Pollokshields, and vice versa.
Light Blue: Northern Circle Line.
Light Green: Allander Line - Milngavie to High St via Queen St Low Level, and Glasgow Cross to Paisley St James. [I know this is weird - see next post 😉]
Light Brown: Lomond Line - Balloch to Airdrie via Queen St Low Level, and vice versa.
Light Pink: South Lanarkshire Line - East Kilbride to Lanark, via Rutherglen, Newton, & Motherwell, and vice versa.
Medium Green: Cathcart Circle.
Dark Green: Southern Line - Neilston to Larkhall via Cathcart, Newton, & Hamilton Central, and vice versa.
Dark Pink: Southside Line - Bellahouston to Uddingston via Mount Florida, Newton, Hamilton Central, & Motherwell, and vice versa.
Light Red: Cumbernauld Line - Glasgow Queen St High Level to Cumbernauld.
Light Yellow: Lanarkshire Line - Glasgow Central High Level to Shotts via Rutherglen & Newton, and vice versa.
Dark Brown: Antonine Line - Glasgow Queen St High Level to Croy, and vice versa.
Bright Pink: Kelvin Line - Exhibition Centre - Whifflet, via Glasgow Central Low Level, and vice versa.
Grey: Outer Circle Line - Croy to Lanark via Springburn, Coatbridge Central, & Holytown, and vice versa.
This proposal, by reorganising and enhancing the current network with new interchanges, stations, and a clear system of lines, would allow for greater connectivity, less reliance on the central hubs, and a more efficient use of the existing rail infrastructure in Glasgow. Furthermore it involves no new railway lines being constructed - that is the subject of the next post!
The above map can be viewed and edited at https://metromapmaker.com/map/22C_78S6
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