Editorial July 2009

The Queen’s Birthday Honours list is probably the antithesis of current thinking in some parts of Glasgow.

Her Majesty has included in the long list of people she had chosen to recognise, individuals from every walk of life. What they share in common is the fact that they have done something for others that is deemed laudable.

Here in what was the second city of the monarchy’s  vast empire, considering what we can do for others isn’t flavour of  the month.

For example: the £74 million new Museum of Transport which is taking shape at the confluence of the Rivers Kelvin and Clyde, has not included in its proposal any plan to enable people a few yards away across the water, to get there simply and easily.

For centuries there has been a ferry at Govan, doggedly weaving back and forth from Water Row to Partick. But that was scrapped a couple of generations ago. Maybe the high level Go Ape facility that has now been scrubbed from the Common Ground in Pollok park could give us a clue to 21^st century transport across the river and institute an aerial railway – a cable car.

Come to think of it, why don’t we have them going to the Science Centre, the Universities and Colleges, hotels, theatre and concert halls too? A central cable car hub on the River would perhaps tempt more river borne traffic. There’s been nothing worth mentioning seen on the River since the demise of the Pride of the Clyde riverbus and the craft we only see during the two days of the  River Festival (25/26 July this year).