Bridge over Clyde - Joseph King/ Flickr /Getty Images

£24m tech funding boost for Glasgow

The “innovative thinking” city of Glasgow is being rewarded with a £24 million windfall by the Government.

Science Minister David Willetts announced this week that Glasgow is receiving the funding to enhance groundbreaking science and technology projects in the city.

Glasgow won a competition ahead of other UK cities to become a “large-scale distributor” of future technologies for urban living, with the funding awarded by the Technology Strategy Board.

Projects in the pipeline include improving transport and mobility, promoting healthy living, addressing community safety and the fear of crime, and enhancing energy efficiency.

Mr Willetts claimed cities in Britain and around the world could benefit from the technologies and systems that Glasgow will trial with the money, adding: “What it really means is high-tech cities where all the information that's currently spread around in different systems is properly brought together.”

He added that Glasgow could become a “world-class demonstrator” of how information can be collected in a very high-tech way, and brought together to manage the city better.

Mr Willetts told the Good Morning Scotland programme that Glasgow was chosen because of the “innovative thinking” going on in the city.

The Scottish Government also welcomed the funding, and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Scottish Government recognises the importance of capitalising on Scotland's strengths and this investment reinforces our reputation as a dynamic and innovative nation.”

Copyright Press Association 2013

Technology Strategy Board

Scotland