NEWSPAPER distributor Menzies is getting ready for the upheaval of the Commonwealth Games with an action plan designed to make sure that 600 retailers who might be affected by traffic disruption receive their deliveries on time.
The city is preparing for an influx of around 6,500 athletes, 1,500 Commonwealth Games officials, 6,000 journalists and more than 1m spectators. The main area affected is the east end, home to the athletes’ village, the new Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Emirates Arena, Glasgow Green and Celtic Park. In the west of the city, congestion is expected around the SECC, Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre and the Scotstoun Sports Campus.
Menzies has based its plans on its experience of the London 2012 Olympic Games. During that event the business claims it achieved a 100% on-time delivery rate. Unlike London, where events were spread throughout the city, advance plans released by the Get Ready Glasgow campaign indicate that the two main clusters of venues could become traffic bottlenecks.
The Menzies action plan will be run from a special Commonwealth Games control centre in the company’s Linwood offices, just outside of the city. Measures include: drafting in extra vehicles for the 11 days of the Games; monitoring traffic conditions to ensure drivers avoid the busiest routes; regular analysis of sales data to meet extra demand for magazines and newspapers; and ensuring all drivers hold the necessary ID.
• Get Ready Glasgow’s traffic plans for the city are outlined in the Games Route Network (GRN) which was made available to residents and businesses last month. It’s a £4.5m plan which includes upgrades to CCTV, traffic signals and signage.
Workshops will be held throughout this month for residents and businesses affected by the Games. They will feature information on local parking arrangements and details on how to get parking permits.
Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, has been involved in shaping the GRN. He commented: “It’s good that information is being supplied as early as possible, allowing businesses to start to plan. We urge all businesses to think about their plans and to use the www.getreadyglasgow.com website.”
