Consultation Digest Issue 18 – 16 September 2018 – The Everybody Wins Approach and Other Stories

Tricia, our incredible lead on consultations is away this month adventuring the world and reviewing actual zebras crossing, so this guest consultation digest comes to you from your consultations novice co-convenor, who continues to be amazed by the scale of Tricias task and how well she handles it. Normal and more capable service will resume in October! In the meantime we have some mostly positive consultations for you to get stuck into, and a win win suggestion we’ve made to the council on their standard traffic calming policy.

Contents:

Section 1: Current Consultations

  1. ** NEW ** Springboig Road Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 18th September
  2. ** NEW ** Transport Bill Survey, closes 28th September
  3. ** NEW ** Mosspark/Cardonald TRO (Parking Restrictions), closes 28th September
  4. Battlefield Redesign, closes 30th September
  5. ** NEW ** East City Way, closes 10th October, public drop in on 26th September

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

  1. Nothing to report!

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

  1. Connecting Woodside
  2. Road Safety Space Response – Alison Thewliss

Section 1: Current Consultations – in date order for response

1.1 ** NEW ** Springboig Road Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 18th September

How can traffic calming also work for active travel? How about ditching the speed cushions and instead, narrowing the road with segregated cycle lanes. This is our latest suggestion to GCC…

We received this message on 4th September:

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF ANDY WADDELL HEAD OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

 Dear Sir / Madam

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL  (SPRINGBOIG ROAD) TRAFFIC CALMING SCHEME 2018

The Council propose to consider the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme and I wish to establish the views of your organisation.

Background to the proposed Scheme

The scheme is aimed at improving road safety by reducing vehicle speeds.

Roads affected by the proposed Scheme

The list of roads affected by these proposals are:-

SPRINGBOIG ROAD

Details of the proposed Scheme

The proposed Scheme (as depicted on the attached plan) will comprise of:-

  • 6 sets of 1.7m x 1.9m, 75mm high speed cushions

Please provide any comments you wish to make on these proposals within 14 days. “

The attachment referred to is here: RS.18.41 Springboig Road (Speed Cushions)

We have responded by suggesting that rather than automatically just adding speed cushions to areas needing traffic calmed, that perhaps the council should consider adding a cycle lane on one or either side of the road to help to narrow the street and therefore reduce speeds. In doing that, the active travel box would also be ticked and everyone wins. Not only would this approach probably have a similar cost to installing speed tables if using cheap but effective effective separation tools like armadillos or planters, but it would also help to move Glasgow forward to achieve a linked up network for active travel, as well as at least going a short way to providing for the promised 10% of journeys by bike in 2020.

Our letter of response is here ( GoBike-Springboig-Road-comments-letter-090918 ) and we look forward to seeing how the council might respond to this.

The video we make reference to in the letter shows how this has worked on Vauxhall Street in London:

1.2 ** NEW ** Transport Bill Survey, closes 28th September

The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee are looking to gather the views of individuals and organisations on the proposals in the Transport (Scotland) Bill. This bill will include many proposals that will impact on us all and so your input is important. Just some of the areas touched on in the survey include Low Emission Zones, prohibition on pavement parking, and bus service management.

You don’t have to fill in every section, but look out in particular for the paragraph discussing which vehicles may be allowed exemption from pavement parking legislation.  We don’t believe that bin lorries, postal service or delivery vehicles fall within that. Pavements are for people.

The survey can be found here.

1.3 ** NEW ** Mosspark/Cardonald TRO (Parking Restrictions), closes 28th September

We received this message on the 7th of September.

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF CHRISTINE FRANCIS DIVISIONAL MANAGER – TECHNICAL SERVICES LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Dear Sir / Madam

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL (MOSSPARK/CARDONALD) (TRAFFIC REGULATION) ORDER 201_

The Council propose to consider the introduction of the above named Traffic Regulation Order.

Please find enclosed a copy of the press notice of the proposed Order, relevant map, statement of reasons and detailed report.

Details of the proposals will also be available on the Glasgow City Council website at www.glasgow.gov.uk/proposedtro.

As stated in the attached documentation, any person wishing to object to the proposed Order should send details of the ground for their objection in writing to Andy Waddell, Head of Infrastructure and Environment, Land and Environmental Services, Exchange House, 231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX or by email to saferparking@glasgow.gov.uk by Friday 28 September 2018.

Christine Francis Divisional Manager – Technical Services Land and Environmental Services”

The attachments referred to are here: 08.01 – Statement of Reasons 09.01 – Draft Report 11.3 GCC Notice – MossparkCardonald drawing mosspark cardonald 1 tro drawing Mosspark cardonald 2 tro

We were happy to respond in support of this but emphasised the need for restriction enforcement. Our response is here:GoBike-MossParkCardonald-letter-100918 We have since had a reply to confirm that “like any other new parking scheme, the restrictions will be added to the Parking Enforcement schedule and patrolled accordingly.”

1.4 Battlefield Redesign, closes 30th September

Along with a big crowd of other interested parties, we attended the public consultation event and presentation for the Battlefield Redesign on the 4th of September. Reacting to findings from the first phase of consultation, Sustrans and GCC have now widened the area radius for this next stage, taking it out to Victoria Road, the monument at the top of the hill, and down to the railway bridge at Mount Florida. At this very early stage they are looking for general comment on what folk would like to see for Battlefield, a bottom up approach that we feel is a good way to go.

We were able to make some comments at the event but the online consultation is still running until the end of September. It’s a great wee map that allows you to add pins with your comments, add support for other peoples comments, and even start discussions on posts that other people have made. We would really encourage you to take a look and add your thoughts. Without good numbers of people asking for thing like segregated cycle lanes, those fighting to protect their parking space may end up with the louder voice.

Get involved here if you can.

1.5 ** NEW ** East City Way, closes 10th October, public drop in on 26th September

At long last a little more cycling provision may be coming to the east of the city.  Phase 1 for the design for the East City Way project has begun consulting online (here) and a public drop in session will be held on

Wednesday 26th September 3:45pm – 7pm Mount Vernon Primary School,  80 Criffell Road,  G32 9JQ

This consultation will focus on Phase 1 design proposals to improve pedestrian facilities at the Mt. Vernon junction and introduce a segregated cycle route, extending the existing segregated infrastructure at Daldowie Rd / Hamilton Rd junction westwards to London Rd / London Dr.

We will head along to the drop in session and let you know what we think. Maybe see some of you there!

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Connecting Woodside

Many of you will also have received your Commonplace feedback from the Connecting Woodside consultation ( see Digest 12 for more info) via email this week. We were really pleased to see that each of our comments being considered and discussed with us, and congratulate the Connecting Woodside team for their approach. We look forward with anticipation to seeing how those designs develop.

3.2 Road Safety Case Response – Allison Thewliss

In August we alerted you to Cycling UK’s call to end road traffic injustice and we have now had a response to that from our Glasgow Central MP Alison Thewliss as follows:

“Thank you for writing to me about road safety, and the Department for Transport’s proposals to create new cycling offences.
 
The SNP in government have prioritised road safety, and have recently been taking action in this area including the installation of reliable and visible speed cameras, and lower drink drive limits for motorists. The Scottish Government is also planning for the creation of a new offence of driving a car whilst under the influence of drugs, to be introduced from 2019.
 
I like to encourage cycling and other means of active travel, where possible. Active travel has many benefits, such as better health outcomes and air quality. The Scottish Government remains committed to the promotions of cycling in Scotland through programmes such as the Cycling Without Age Initiative. 
 
Plans are also in place for trains in Scotland to have the first dedicated carriages for cyclists and other sports enthusiasts in service next year.
 
The consultation on the UK Government Department for Transport’s proposed changes is now open and you are invited to give your views on this. You can find the consultation here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-cycling-offences-causing-death-or-serious-injury-when-cycling

I hope this information is helpful to you. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes,
Alison

Alison Thewliss MP SNP Member of the UK Parliament for Glasgow Central”

The Cycling UK campaign is still open for you to add your backing to it here.

Well that’s all for September, barring any last minute Consultation Extra requirements! Thanks for reading.