In our city, Glasgow, it is not unusual to see right of way paths, public access and public spaces disappear. For some years now, there has been a campaign to open up access in the city centre, along the south bank of the river Clyde to public access. It is at present a lovely path, running along the side of the river but closed as it runs in front of private property.
This sort of thing is nothing new, it goes away back, as the following extract from an old Glasgow Herald of 100 years ago states:
The Glasgow Right of Way Defence Committee have secured the co-operation of the Govan Parish Council in their efforts to conserve the rights of way along the south bank of the Clyde. The Glasgow Corporation in their General Provision Order are applying for confirmation of the sale of the rights of way at Fairfields and Middleton Shipyards, and also for power to sell the right of way at Linthouse Shipyard.Of course those guilty of disposing of public spaces and rights of way, etc. are those elected for the express purpose of protecting those same public spaces, Glasgow City Council. They always seem eager to sell off our public assets to the highest bidder, part of Pollok Park went for a motorway. At the moment in Glasgow, there are campaigns to stop the council selling of part of Victoria Park, getting rid of Sighthill Park, and a constant vigilance by the public to prevent the sell of of part of Kelvingrove Park and parts of the Glasgow Green.
It would appear to all intent and purposes, our City Council is no more than a branch of the corporate greed machine. Left to their own devices they will denude our city of all public spaces and public assets, flogging everything off the their business buddies.
