A Glaswegian MP has backed the at George Square - because he says it currently resembles a "giant roundabout".
Paul Sweeney, the Labour representative for Glasgow North East, spoke out after the results from a public consultation by Glasgow City Council revealed local residents had voted overwhelmingly in favour of pedestrianising the area.
Speaking to Glasgow Live he said: “It often resembles a glorified roundabout, so the plan should include the full pedestrianisation of the Square and adjacent roads.”
is just one issue bothering Sweeney, and he also called upon the authority to come up with a decisive regeneration plan to restore the civic hub to its former glory.
He added: “George Square’s civic splendour has been greatly diminished over the last 20 years despite several aborted attempts to refurbish it, so it is urgently in need of a major overhaul and redesign to govern all aspects of its appearance and use.
“Many historic features and monuments have been lost or dispersed but thankfully much of the planning has already been done to research the square’s historic design and prepare a comprehensive plan to restore it to how it appeared in the early 20th century.
“I urge the council to make use of the plan by Niall Murphy of Glasgow City Heritage Trust and ensure that the Victorian grandeur of George Square is rigorously restored, while combining the best aspects of tastefully designed modern amenities too.”
Changes to the square have not been well received by the public in the past and in 2012 a plan to overhaul the space had to be shelved after wide-spread criticism.
to move the historical statues out of the area and remove altogether the raised grass beds did not go down well and as a result, council bosses decided to abandon the proposal.
Authority chiefs say they are aware of the concerns and this is why they are allowing the public to take part in the consultations and decision process, but they are keen to point out that nothing has been decided yet.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, a spokesperson said: “It is very early days on this - and we’re looking for the views of the people of Glasgow on the use and design of George Square.
"This with the city will see a public consultation which will ask what the people of Glasgow would like to see and experience at George Square, or how and if they would like the square to be changed.
“Nothing is off the table - we want to hear about what the people of Glasgow want to say about a beloved public space which is a huge part of our civic life and history.
“So, we are now looking to properly and meaningfully engage our citizens, businesses and visitors about George Square’s use or design through this public engagement, and this will then allow us consider and develop future plans.”
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