Driving in Glasgow

[Tagagzjskva]

Hello

I am moving to Glasgow in May. I’ll be living in the partick area in the short term (until august). After that I’ll probably live somewhere slightly further out. My flat has parking.

Anyway, what is Glasgow like for driving? I’ve been driving on/off for 4 years and more so in the last 9 months. I’ve got used to it for the convenience.

My family (quite negative folk) seem to think Glasgow will be horrific to drive in/ I shouldn’t be driving. However I have a car and don’t want to be really limited come September.

I currently live in a city in England, but a small one. I don’t drive loads and due to my job mainly drive early mornings/ late evenings.

Thanks!

Yeah I grew up on an M62 border town and hate that motorway 😂 I will avoid the m8 as much as possible

@sleepyhead

It's completely fine. Once you know your way around the city centre (bus gates etc) you'll have no problems driving anywhere.

The only "trick" junction on the M8 is junction 18 for Charing Cross/Kelvingrove as it's on the right hand side, but again once you're used to it then it's no biggie (at that point the traffic is all crawling towards the Kingston bridge so it's just a case of making sure you aren't way over on the left if you want to come off there).

In no time you'll be sitting in traffic cursing the breakdown in the Clyde Tunnel with the best of us

I really will be showing how long its been since I drove in Glasgow here, but what's a bus gate please?

No issues driving about. I do avoid the town because of the one way system and so many bus lanes but because you're in Patrick you have excellent public transport into town if you need to go in.

The M8 is fine and is well sign posted.

A bus gate is just where a road becomes buses and taxis only with a diversion for cars and cameras to catch out drivers who aren't concentrating.

There are a couple in the city centre that are relatively new so caught out loads of people who didn't realise the signs had changed.

I live next to Partick and it's fine. Although spacing where I live is a nightmare as I'm on Dumbarton Road.

HoldontoOneMoreDay - bus gates are short sections of roads that are bus and taxi only.

The section on Hope Street between Waterloo Street and Bothwell Street is one. So is the Nelson Mandela Place, going towards George Square - but confusingly, only operates between 7am and 7pm (unless that's changed recently I know there's talk of stopping cars totally around George Square )

I moved here a few years ago and compared to other places I have lived I find the roads in Glasgow pretty bad with strange illogical motorway junctions and signs which are always too late if you don't know where you are going. Mostly used to it now, I don't think it should put you off, but I am surprised how many people think Glasgow roads are fine!
I think the city planners were on drugs when they added some of the roads, particularly the motorways. I mean the loop...WTF?! You take the same strange little loop of one way road to connect two motorways regardless of which way you are going. Utter madness.

Glasgow is fine for driving and the m8 right through the city does help in getting places.

The m8 is absolutely fine, do it a couple of times in light traffic and you will quickly see the hot spots like Charing Cross, cathedral off ramp etc.

@Imicola

I moved here a few years ago and compared to other places I have lived I find the roads in Glasgow pretty bad with strange illogical motorway junctions and signs which are always too late if you don't know where you are going. Mostly used to it now, I don't think it should put you off, but I am surprised how many people think Glasgow roads are fine! I think the city planners were on drugs when they added some of the roads, particularly the motorways. I mean the loop...WTF?! You take the same strange little loop of one way road to connect two motorways regardless of which way you are going. Utter madness.

Where's the loop?

Is it m77 northbound to m8 westbound? That was weird but maybe sorted as it’s a few years since I’ve done that one.

I’m an experienced (old!) driver but when driving around unfamiliar cities (including Glasgow where I have family) I find using a satnav really helps as it helps you get in the right lane in plenty of time on the approach to roundabouts or junctions with several lanes.

It’s like having a helpful passenger with you 😊

I think there are a couple of strange "loops": how to get on to the M74 southbound for example, from the M8 West bound/the South side, as well as M8 eastbound on to the M77 southbound.

You also can't get onto the M8 directly from the West Street on-ramp: you have to drive up North Street and get on to the M8 at Charing Cross (still worth doing at rush hour pre pandemic as it means you get across the Kingston Bridge without entering the motorway stop-start traffic )

Thanks !

I will have my sat nav at hand for a good few years I think 😂

That's a very straightforward route to work. My driving instructor takes me that way so it must be pretty easy!

@icanboogieboogiewoogie thanks, I’ll be doing it at around 6am and 8/9pm so hopefully will make it even nicer 😂

@sleepyhead

A bus gate is just where a road becomes buses and taxis only with a diversion for cars and cameras to catch out drivers who aren't concentrating.

There are a couple in the city centre that are relatively new so caught out loads of people who didn't realise the signs had changed.

Ah gotcha and thanks also @prettybird

We have them too but they're just called bus lanes!

We have plenty of bus lanes too - but the bus gates are where the whole road is shut to cars and is exclusively for buses, bicycles and taxis, causing the cars to have to do a dogs leg around the section from which they are prohibited.

@StarryEyeSurprise you take it if you are travelling from M8 eastbound to M77 south bound, or if you are heading M77 northbound to M8 westbound.
@Selkiesarereal Definitely still there as it is an unavoidable part of my commute in both directions!
Then of course there are the short stretches of motorway where you need to switch across 2 lanes of busy traffic to make the right junction/ exit.

I know the M8 now, but it caught me out a few times at first as it's constant lane changing, and not always on the side you'd expect it to be on.
It's years since I've been shopping in town but I'd probably get the train in for that.