4 things Glaswegians want in 2022 - travel passes, park lights and more

As 2021 comes to an end, we wanted to look back at the issues which have been bothering the people of Glasgow over the last 12 months (or at least as long as GlasgowWorld has been running).

From taxi shortages and park lights, to travel tickets and bin problems, here are the things Glaswegians want in 2022.

More taxis

It’s a frustrating experience a good portion of Glaswegians will have dealt with in 2021 - you try and book a taxi, you wait, you wait some more, you finally get approved and learn a taxi is on its way, the taxi is cancelled, you get frustrated and give up.

It has been reported that some taxi companies lost as many as one third of their drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s led to long queues and waits, as well as increased fares.

There are also fears that women are more at risk of being harmed because of the challenges of getting home after a night out. Some women have reported waiting hours for taxis. And it’s not the only thing women have been sharing their concerns about in 2021.

Park lights

Concerns have been raised about the dangers people, particularly women, face walking through parks at night. The issue is one that has been discussed throughout the year, but it gained more attention during COP26 when a VIP dinner at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum led to women being redirected through the nearby park, despite it being dark.

Some generator-powered lights were in use in parks during the climate summit, but these were removed as soon as world leaders and delegates went home. Campaigners are still pushing for more lighting to make the parks a safer place for people to visit after dark.

Travel tickets

Another issue which gained traction during the COP26 climate summit is the debate over integrated travel tickets. For the summit, delegates were given passes which worked on all forms of transport. It led to the question: why can transport bosses do this for delegates, but not for the people of Glasgow?

Campaigners want tickets which allow them to catch a bus, train or the subway, using just one card. It’s a system which is in place in other UK cities - just not in Glasgow.

More public toilets

A review carried out on behalf of Glasgow City Council might have found that more public toilets in the city would be ‘unnecessary’ - but that’s not a view most Glaswegians we’ve spoken to agree with.

A petition calling for more public toilets in Glasgow earned more than 1300 signatures, while councillors have also been putting forward the argument for more toilet facilities.

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What improvements do you want in Glasgow in 2022?