A main road through Glasgow demonstrates a lot of what's gone wrong with modern planning and infrastructure, says Mark Smith

In a city of congested, cracked, pitted and pot-holed roads, there’s a lot of competition for the title but I’m pleased to announce that, after much reflection, research, sudden braking and some swearing, we have a winner of the 2025 Worst Road in Glasgow. I’ve just been up and down it for the umpteenth time and I can honestly say that it’s a triumph of public policy making bad worse, and the saddest thing is there’s probably a road near you just like it. What’s to be done?

The road in question starts near the Old Toll Bar at Paisley Road Toll on the south side of the city and winds and bumps its way west past the BBC at Pacific Quay, along past the old docks into Govan, past the new Govan/Partick Bridge and Elder Park and ends at the roundabout in Linthouse. We’ll return to the roundabout in Linthouse because if Govan Road has all the qualities to be named the worst road in Glasgow then the roundabout in Linthouse has all the qualities to be named the worst roundabout. Go and check it out (but keep your wits about you for God’s sake).

One of the problems you’ll see on Govan Road, and feel through your car’s suspension no doubt, are common to almost all of the roads in Glasgow: the P-word, potholes. I’ve just reported one of the worst of them to the council, because that’s the sort of person I’ve become now, and the cheery automated response on the MyGlasgow app promised someone would look into it thankyou very much for getting in touch have a nice day, but we’ll see. The pothole has been caused by a manhole sinking into the concrete and the clanking sound as the traffic thunders over it is keeping residents awake. I will report back on what, if anything, is........

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