Concerns Glasgow parks lighting discussion being kicked ‘into the long grass’

Talks on whether lighting should be installed are being organised in three city parks, but some councillors believed the issue was being kicked “into the long grass”.

Cllr Jill Brown, Labour, whose motion in December instructed council staff to look into “sensitive lighting solutions” for parks, was “deeply concerned” about a report to the council’s environment committee.

She believed council officers had taken “a step backwards” and secured support for an amendment which sets out the six-month timetable for the consultation events.

Lighting problem

Calls for lighting in parks came to the fore during COP26 when a police diversion forced residents to walk through Kelvingrove Park at night.

The council said the issue is “complex” and there is also a “responsibility to protect and promote the city’s biodiversity”, including wildlife.

Following Cllr Brown’s motion, council officers are working on events in Kelvingrove Park, Cranhill Park and Queen’s Park, where groups will be invited by charity Greenspace Scotland.

They will discuss issues such as women’s safety, the lighting impact on nocturnal species, like owls and bats, and the effect on stargazing.

Those invited will include organisations representing those affected by violence against women, other equalities groups, biodiversity groups, research bodies, lighting experts, Police Scotland, councillors and Friends of Parks groups.

‘Step backwards’

At the environment committee meeting, Cllr Brown was concerned there would be a “re-run of whether or not lighting in parks is appropriate”.

She said the report was “a step backwards” as there was a lack of detail on the “necessary infrastructure to provide sensitive lighting solutions in our parks”.

“This paper doesn’t appear to do what was asked of it,” she said.

A council officer said the events would be an “opportunity to engage with all stakeholders and collectively bring forward recommendations as to whether we should be lighting our parks in the future”.

He added no timescales had been agreed but it would be months, not weeks.

Cllr Angus Millar, SNP, who chaired the environment committee, said parks needed to be reviewed on “a case by case basis” and the engagement with park users would be “hugely informative”.

He said he understood Cllr Brown’s desire to “see this move as quickly as possible” but it is important “to work through all of the issues in collaboration with the local communities that use those parks”.

After the meeting, Cllr Brown said: “I was really disappointed the paper was kicking lighting parks into the long grass but following intervention from the Labour group we now have a reconfirmed commitment to light certain parks and we have a timetable for taking this forward.

“This has been an arduous process but I remain fully focussed to ensure the voices of those who participated in the Light the Way campaign are heard.

“We must be sensitive to biodiversity and the wider environment as well as the safety of park users, but we can achieve this whilst still lighting parks.”