Author: Tricia Fort

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Glasgow’s South City Way – further Public Consultation, 29 August

We have been sent the following e-mail.  Please attend the event if you can and respond to the consultation to ensure that we get a good quality Queens Park to City Centre cycle route.  We understand that there is some opposition to the route continuing directly down Gorbals Street from The Citizens Theatre and the developers of the land opposite the Citz.  The Theatre seems happy to have buses and trucks rumbling past but does not want bikes gliding along in front of their building, while the developers apparently want to extend their ground and have private parking for the new housing on Gorbals Street!  The very opposite of active travel!

“From: “Maclean, Allan (LES)” <Allan.Maclean@glasgow.gov.uk>
Date: 18 August 2017 at 12:05:54 BST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: FW: SOUTH CITY WAY – PUBLIC CONSULTATION (29 August 2017)
To: Strategic Plan for Cycling transport sub-group members

SOUTH CITY WAY (Queen Park Station to Cumberland Street section)

As you may be aware, South City Way is a proposed active travel corridor between Queen’s Park and the City Centre. South City Way was the winning project in last year’s Community Links Plus funding competition organised by Sustrans and the Scottish Government. The Council attracted £3.25m of external funding towards the scheme, with the Council also contributing £3.25m. Details of the project can be found by visiting www.glasgow.gov.uk/scw.

Two public consultation events were held during the bid stages of the competition concerning concepts for the route. Since the winner’s announcement last summer, the Council has been progressing preliminary design work for the route and designs for the Queen’s Park and Queen’s Park Station section were published last May at a public event on Victoria Road. It is now intended to publish design proposals for the next section, from Queen’s Park Railway Station to the Cumberland Street junction. Once again, a public event is planned and anyone can drop-in to speak to Council Officers, design engineers and representatives from our funding partner Sustrans. The design proposals will also be available on line at the above webpage, following the event.

Details of the drop-in event are as follows:

DATE/ TIME:         Tuesday 29th August 2017 from 3pm to 7pm

 VENUE:                  Govanhill Housing Association, Samaritan House,

       79 Coplaw Street,       Glasgow       G42 7JG

 Further consultation events will be held in the future, as the plans for new sections of the route develop.

If you require any further information, or cannot make the event and wish to send us your comments, please contact us via email at sustainabletransport@glasgow.gov.uk or by phoning 0141 287 9171.

Allan Maclean, Project Officer

Technical Services, Land & Environmental Services

Glasgow City Council, 231 George Street

GLASGOW G1 1RX, Phone 0141 287 9038

allan.maclean@glasgow.gov.uk

www.glasgow.gov.uk

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GoBike meets Glasgow’s new City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction!

On 09 August Bob Downie and Tricia Fort met with Councillor Anna Richardson, Glasgow City Council’s Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction.  Anna, who wrote the active travel section of the SNP’s manifesto for Glasgow, now aims to ensure that it is enacted, see: https://snpforglasgow.scot/manifesto/transport/  Do please read this and help GoBike hold our new-ish council to their word.

She is not only keen to resurrect the city’s Cycling Forum, which has not met since August 2016 and for which no minutes have been issued, but to ensure that it operates with a business-like focus, to pave the way for genuine improvements in cycling.  We discussed the need for good infrastructure and while she recognises that bus lanes are appropriate routes to cycle for some people, they are no substitute for segregated infrastructure that people of all ages and abilities will be confident to cycle on.  We hope we persuaded her that, in the interests of economy and minimising drainage issues, that armadillos, or similar, may in places be a quick and efficient way to provide segregated infrastructure.

We look forward to working with the new council, but we won’t shirk from holding them to account.

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Calling all women – Women’s Cycle Forum AGM, Glasgow, Saturday 19 August, 4-6pm

Yes, the Women’s Cycle Forum Scotland is holding its AGM at the Women’s Library in Landressy Street, Bridgeton on Saturday 19 August from 4pm – 6pm, and men are welcome too, as well as all you women out there, who cycle or wish to cycle.

See the link above for details, and do please register if you are going, but there are 3 great speakers lined up:

  • Daisy Narayanan, Deputy Director for Built Environment at Sustrans Scotland.
  • Anna Richardson, City Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, Glasgow, and
  • Alex Feechan, founder of Findra Clothing.
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Partick 20mph, the discussion goes on …

You may remember that last month we posted our response to Glasgow City Council’s proposals for parking restrictions within the 20mph zone in Partick.  While we support 20mph as a default urban speed limit, we do not support Glasgow City Council’s piecemeal approach.  We are very unhappy that parking is allowed on both sides of relatively narrow one way streets, which prevents not only cycle lanes being provided but also prevents contraflow cycling.  Indeed, it seems that some streets are made one way simply to allow parking both sides.

Glasgow City Council have responded to our letter with an e-mail that:

  • implies we want every road and street in Glasgow to be 20mph.  We do not; we accept that some radial routes will operate at 30 or even 40mph.
  • maintains their piecemeal approach, albeit they are accelerating slightly, which could take years to make the city a 20mph city, save for exceptions of some main roads outwith shopping areas or high accident areas.
  • maintains their current approach to installing traffic calming.

All this is an expensive way to do what, in our view, could be done quicker by following what we understand to be the Edinburgh approach, ie a city-wide approach.

Our 2 letters and the intervening GCC e-mail text are on our Consultations page.  Please read them and do comment on further Consultations, particularly if you live or work in the areas affected.

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Glasgow SEC – take care this weekend, and for some time on Waterloo Street!

For all motor enthusiasts the Ignition Festival takes place at the SEC this weekend and it will cause disruption to pedestrians and cyclists, but great excitement to car fans.

This walkway from Finnieston is not yet closed, but will be soon:

If approaching from the east, ie along the Broomielaw from the city centre, then there is a very informative sign for you:

The map might be displayed by Friday, who knows.  All this, apart from affecting your commute or leisure trip might impede access to the meeting point for the GoBike ride on Sunday.  If so, we will try to let people know but, if you do intend to come on the ride and can’t get to the meeting point, phone the contact point given on the Rides page on the website: https://www.gobike.org/about-us/cycle-rides

GoBike member, Andy Winter, posted on our Facebook group yesterday about the closure of a section of the West City Way on Waterloo Street, between Douglas Street and Pitt Street, with no alternative signed.  See: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gobike/  If travelling east it means either using the footway on the south side of Waterloo Street, or cycling up Pitt Street to Bothwell Street.  If travelling west, the roadway may be used.  Flagship cycle route?  Hmm.

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Ride with GoBike to the Falkirk Wheel and Clackmannanshire Bridge, Sunday 06 August

 

Sunday 6 August – Falkirk Wheel & Clackmannanshire Bridge
The route of this ride will take us through Cumbernauld and the Castlecary Arches to reach the Falkirk Wheel. After lunch we shall continue past the Kelpies to a new destination of Alloa, crossing the Clackmannanshire Bridge on the way, before returning to Glasgow by train.
Meet 10am Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.
Ride on paths Ride on quiet roads Ride on canal towpaths Moderate hill climbing Train home from finish
Rated: Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating

If attending GoBike rides, please take a note of the GoBike phone number 07932 460093 to bring with you.  Note: please only use this phone number for our rides; it is not a general contact number.

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Byres Road design events – your invitation!

One of our members has forwarded this invitation for us all:

Your invitation – please share!

Since the launch event on 23 February, we’ve been busy with technical surveys and initial design work for the redesign of Byres Road.

A series of public events will be taking place in August to share different options. Everybody is welcome – we need input from as many people as possible to guide us to the right solution.

Please come. And please share this invitation!

More information in the flyer and text below….

What’s this about? 

There’s a new Byres Road coming… funding of £9m has been allocated through the Glasgow City Region Deal to make Byres Road a great place to be. Work will start on the ground in late 2018.  We have until then to do the design work – with public input – and get the necessary consents in place.

How can I get involved?

During August 2017 there will be a series of design events where we’ll share different options to balance pedestrians, cyclists, buses and traffic — and to make Byres Road a better place for everybody.

This is everyone’s opportunity to reshape Byres Road as a world-class street for businesses, residents and visitors. Come and have your say.

Drop-in design days on 14-16 August are our big focus. Initial design options will be on display, with the design team there to hear your thoughts. This is your opportunity to shape the future of the street!

Monday 14 August 1pm-7pm Hillhead Library
Tuesday 15 August 1pm-7pm Hillhead Library
Wednesday 16 August 1pm-7pm Hillhead Library

Inclusive design workshop on Monday 7 August is specifically for disabled people, elderly people and those with long term health conditions. It will be held in an accessible West End venue on Monday 7 August.  Please book in advance via Glasgow Disability Alliance: admin@gdaonline.co.uk or  0141 556 7103.

Business breakfast on Tuesday 15 August is for anybody who runs or works in a business on or near Byres Road. Drop in between 8am and 10am for a chat with the design team – we’ll be at The Hill, 94 Byres Road. Help shape the proposals so that they are good for business!

To find out more about the project….

Check out the exhibitions in Hillhead and Partick Libraries for more information.
Facebook.com/ByresRoadCorners has lots of informative posts and debate.
Contact us direct at byresroadcorners@gmail.com or 07900 334110.

Check out the conversations on our Facebook page
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Give your view, 20mph, Borders rail corridor, Air Quality and more …. Your view is important.

GoBike is a member of Transform Scotland, a body that campaigns for public and active travel and they have sent out this list of current consultations – all of which impinge on those of us who cycle.  If you haven’t already, then please do give your views on them all.

“Consultation on default 20mph speed limit in urban areas
Deadline: 7 August, NOW EXTENDED TO 15 SEPTEMBER. Please tell all your friends, family, colleagues etc
Mark Ruskell MSP is proposing a Bill to be put forward in the Scottish Parliament to make 20mph the default speed limit in urban areas. There is now a consultation on this proposed Bill, which aims to gather the opinion of the public on a default 20mph speed limit. You can share your views by filling out this survey. To read about the benefits of 20mph limits, please see here.

Transport Scotland — Borders Transport Corridors Study survey
Deadline: 11 August
Transport Scotland are welcoming comments from members of the public and organisations on future transport developments in the Scottish Borders. Chief among the priorities for the Borders should be extending the Borders Railway beyond Tweedbank. We would also encourage people to call for support for bus services in the Borders; and better infrastructure for cycling on key routes in the Borders. Views can be submitted here.

ECCLR Committee — Consultation on Air Quality in Scotland
Deadline: 18 August
The Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) Committee have launched a public consultation on air quality in Scotland. The Committee are keen to hear about a range of issues relating to air quality, more information on which can be found here. To see the consultation and respond, please visit the Committee’s consultation page.

Scottish Government — Consultation on the Air Departure Tax (ADT) Bill
Deadline: 15 September
The Scottish Government is proposing a 50% reduction in ADT by the end of the current session of the Scottish Parliament and also abolishing the tax in the future. The Government has launched two public consultations on ADT relating to the overall policy, and the environmental impact of the policy. To read the consultation and respond, see here. To read one of our recent briefings outlining our position on a cut to ADT, please see here.

Scottish Government — Consultation on the Climate Change Bill
Deadline: 22 September
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on the new Climate Change Bill. Proposals include setting targets based on actual emissions, increasing the 2050 target to 90% emissions reduction, and making provisions for a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target to be set. The Bill itself makes technical changes, but does not focus on specific policies — this leaves the risk of little action being taken to tackle transport emissions. To read and respond to the consultation, please see here. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland have also prepared a response that people can sign and send to the Scottish Government. To see this and add your name, see here.

For more information on these action alerts and others, see our website at  <www.transformscotland.org.uk/whats-new/action-alerts>.”

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Parking controls and 20mph for Partick but no contraflow cycling on one-way streets.

Glasgow City Council are currently consulting on a Traffic Regulation Order to introduce a mandatory 20mph speed limit in a significant number of streets in Partick, see https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=18127  This follows earlier proposals to “manage” parking, which introduced some new one-way streets.  Unfortunately parking is still being allowed to a significant extent on many streets, to such an extent in fact that the Council refuse to allow contraflow cycling on these streets.  This is despite contraflow cycling on one-way streets being the default position in the design guide the Council uses, Cycling by Design!  Further details on our Consultations page and our Design Guides page.  Our letter of support for the 20mph proposal includes our concerns: GoBike Partick 20mph support with concern 100717

We have also responded to on-line consultations for Glasgow City Council’s proposed Mini-Holland scheme (details were on view on 23 June), the Green Party’s ambitious proposals to update their active travel policy and the future of the Walk, Cycle, Vote campaign.  We have supported a minor proposal from Glasgow City Council to control parking on Havannah Street/Duke Street.  See our Consultations page for details.

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Sunday 02 July, ride out with GoBike!

 

This coming Sunday, why not meet up with other GoBike members at the north end of the Bell’s Bridge in Glasgow at 10:00 and then cycle out to the Erskine Bridge and on to Greenock and Inverkip?

Here are the ride details from our Cycle Rides page:

Sunday 2 July – Dargavel & Clyde Coastal Path
A ride out straight out to the Erskine Bridge before taking a detour around the Dargavel development at Bishopton, then picking up the Clyde Coastal Path from Langbank. After lunch in Greenock, an option to continue to Inverkip, before returning to Glasgow by train.
Meet 10am Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.
Ride on paths Ride on quiet roads Ride on canal towpaths Moderate hill climbing Train home from finish
Rated: Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating