Springburn Virtual Museum

Springburn in transition

Springburn Road bisected by phase 1 of A803 Springburn bypass, 1984

This picture shows the old Springburn Road cut across by the near-complete A803 Springburn bypass. A comparison can be made with the previous picture. The only buildings left, although derelict, are the tenements containing the old Cowlairs Co-op shops. These were eventually refurbished into sheltered flats.

Work began in 1981 on one of the most complicated examples of road engineering in the city: 1.1km of undulating carriageway served by four major bridges, two footbridges, six extensive stretches of retaining walls (some 8.5m high), an interchange at the problematic Hawthorn Street junction and a new distribution road serving local traffic.

However, Springburn was now divided into two isolated segments even though planners stated that every care had been taken to avoid this. Those residents to the west of the road were effectively cut off from the rest of Springburn, having to use footbridges and underpasses to get to the shopping and other amenities.

Source: Glasgow City Archives