The UK government has announced that it is set to invest £150 million in digital infrastructure and open data in its efforts to make Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow, a world-leading 'smart city'. Glasgow has already received £24 million since 2013 which has been circulated through the Innovate UK innovation agency. The investment has served to not only enhance connectivity in the city, but it has also helped Glasgow develop technologies of the future that will be cost effective and energy efficient.
This latest announcement comes just days after city officials announced that it was extending its Internet of Things network in order to improve connectivity levels in Glasgow's City Centre. It confirmed that it would add a ninth gateway to its Internet of Things which will be located at Glasgow's University.
Scottish Secretary, David Mundell, claimed the latest investment strategy would not only help make the city one of the UK's smartest cities' but indeed one of the smartest in the world. He stressed that the benefits for businesses and communities would be incredible and that it will fundamentally improve the lives of all its citizens.
Mundell said, “Projects funded through this program demonstrate the innovative ways that modern technology and data can be used to make a tangible difference to the lives of people in cities across the world. Projects funded so far have reduced energy costs in the city through intelligent street lights that adapt to people's activity; created apps that give visitors and residents the open to plan their routes; and combined multiple separate city systems to allow teams to work on projects that cross multiple different disciplines.
Some of the incredible projects that will be introduced to the city due to the investment include the implementation of intelligent smart lighting and active travel demonstrator, which has been specifically designed to make the city friendlier for pedestrians and cyclists. An energy efficiency demonstrator will alleviate issues in relation to pollution and fossil fuels which is a growing problem for most UK cities, in addition to an integrated social transport demonstrator for Glasgow's most vulnerable citizens.