Glasgow Future Cities project manager discusses strategy

Pippa Gardner, project manager of the Future Cities project at Glasgow city council, has written about what Glasgow plans to do with the GBP 24 million that it has won as part of the Technology Strategy Board’s Future Cities competition.

Glasgow’s plans include:

• Establishing the International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ) to act as a hub for the technology sector.

• Making data open and accessible for use by city services, businesses, academia and the residents through city dashboards and responsive smartphone applications

• Giving residents real-time information on, for instance, waiting lists in hospitals; traffic levels; buses and trains time.

• Allowing residents to report issues such as potholes or missing bin collections using and monitor their resolution via smartphone apps

Gardner concludes by saying that “Glasgow’s Future Cities programme will show how an integrated approach to technology can increase economic competitiveness, provide a legacy of innovation and improved service delivery and real benefits that improve the quality of life for everyone in the city – benefits that will be felt for decades to come.

“The city will become a testbed for the UK for the next 18 months, as we explore new and innovative approaches and realise the potential value of open data and the integration of city systems,” she added.