Paint is Not Protection – University Avenue

The University of Glasgow have plans to spend a part of their £1 billion on upgrading University Avenue, and their provision for active travel will be simply repainting the narrow cycle lanes on only one side of the street.

We wrote to the university and organised a protest.

People of all ages and walks of life came out to join us and we made a human bike lane to demonstrate.

The press coverage was huge.

The University set up a meeting with us but we were disappointed to find that they remain steadfast in their view that painted lanes on only one side of the road will make conditions safer for cycling. We have responded with this letter.

We have since had good news in from Unite at the University of Glasgow, who have contacted us in support of our campaign. Their members voted in favour of a motion to support our campaign for segregated cycle lanes, and they have proposed to also contact the university to back our position.

We have also had messages of support for our campaign for better active travel provision on the street from, Sustrans, who have been surprised to hear that segregated lanes are not a part of the proposals, and from Patrick Grady MSP (SNP) and Patrick Harvey MSP (Greens) who have both spoken with the university and continue to look for answers from the council.

We have had a response from the University who maintain that their plans make the street safer for cycling while continuing to avoid answering our questions, and who reiterate that the work will go ahead as planned. Read the full letter here.

We have responded to refute their assertions that the plans will make conditions safer for cyclists here

Our GoBike Board of Shame put in a short lived appearance on University Avenue but was removed a day later.

And just a day later the University declared a Climate Emergency. We wrote to the principle to highlight why plans for University Avenue need to be reassessed in light of this.

Unfortunately the response from the principle has reiterated that the direct arterial route of University Avenue is not a priority within their cycling plans. Read the response here.

If you work, live, study or commute through University Avenue, please add your own support by contacting councillors with your own support for better active travel provision on the currently dangerous street.

We have also released a petition calling for signatures from those wishing to make University Avenue safe for cycling. Please sign and share it here.

In May 2019, the TRO’s came out for the redesign proposals of University Avenue. Find the info on the proposals here, as well as our planned response.

We supported the 20mph proposal and you will find our response to the important TRO missing protected cycling here. Please also respond if you don’t think the proposals adequately uphold safe space for cycling, a vision for a linked up network within Glasgow, or aspirations cogniscant of a climate emergency.

The response to our objection was received on 13th August 2019 and can be seen here. We will be responding to uphold our objection.