How Glasgow is lagging behind Edinburgh in a tale of two cities - Susan Dalgety

But while Edinburgh is a far superior city in every way to Scotland’s biggest one, its future matters to us. And at the moment it’s looking grim. The city centre has long been in decline. The once bustling Sauchiehall Street is full of empty shops. The streets are, frankly, filthy and there is a faint air of despair about the place.

The city council clearly hasn’t got a clue what to do, pinning all their hopes on the demolition and rebuilding of Buchanan Galleries, the landmark shopping mall next to Queen Street station, a transformation that will take years to happen. Meanwhile, the city continues to decline while Edinburgh flourishes.

Only last week, First Bus announced that it was ending its night bus service, prompting a gaggle of Glasgow MSPs – including the First Minister and his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon – to write an angry letter to the bus company, describing its decision as a “devastating blow” to the city’s vibrant hospitality sector. The politicians’ anger, indeed shock, is understandable. No city worthy of the name can operate without late night, early morning public transport. Cities don’t go to sleep at 11 pm for eight hours. There are night shift staff, late night revellers and tourists alike in need of safe, accessible transport at 2.00 am.

Glasgow’s erratic, some would say eccentric public transport system is emblematic of its decline. Only last month, its much loved subway service, known to Glaswegians as the Clockwork Orange, proudly announced on social media that people going to see the Arctic Monkeys at Bellahouston Park were out of luck if they were expecting to use the subway to get home.

“Please be aware that there will be no Subway services after 6pm and the system will not be operating when the concert finishes,” read the accidentally hilarious tweet, in a Glaswegian version of Edinburgh’s infamous idiom, “you’ll have had your tea?” Imagine if Lothian Buses had said there would be no tram or bus services from Murrayfield after Bruce Springsteen’s set, or if the London Underground closed down at 8pm on the night of Elton John’s farewell gig at the O2.

It's perhaps no coincidence that Edinburgh’s excellent – and publicly-owned – transport company has been one of the main drivers of our city’s growth. Roadworks willing, it’s very easy to get around the Capital at all hours of the night and day. And it’s only 30 minutes from Princes Street to the airport by bus.

Several years ago, I lived on the edge of Bradford, for a brief period the richest city in the world, but in recent decades it has suffered severe post-industrial decline while its neighbour, and rival city, Leeds, has prospered. I would hate for Glasgow to suffer the same fate. I may not want to live there, but it could be one of the most stunning cities in Europe – after Edinburgh of course. Perhaps we should offer Glasgow the benefit of our advice?

Subway tweet: https://twitter.com/GLASubwayTravel/status/ 1672270317 950062592?s=20