Engagement and replacement…
There are two very different replacement projects in this (belated) issue. Pollok Roundabout proposals would replace one car-centric design with another. However, plans for the replacement Monklands Hospital, Airdrie include an active travel path and bridge.
Another duo of Liveable Neighbourhood consultations return with plans to comment on – this time it’s Royston to Hogganfield and Yoker to Whiteinch. There’s also a pair of pre-consultations with both Glasgow and East Renfrewshire asking how best to engage the public.
Elsewhere, it’s last call for the Hairmyres station consultation, South Lanarkshire’s Transport Strategy and Drumchapel’s Local Development Framework. The Waiting to Happen and Doon Valley consultations continue.
Forthcoming Consultations
Cowan Park Masterplan
East Renfrewshire Council wants to hear how they should engage locals about improvements to Cowan Park, Barrhead (near Dams to Darnley). The main consultation is due to start in October. See: Cowan Park Commonplace website.
Further consultations on Liveable Neighbourhoods
Mansewood to Shawlands and Pollokshields (East) to Gorbals: surveys are due shortly.
Contents
(new consultations in bold)
1: Current Consultations
- Hairmyres Transport Interchange
- Glasgow Transport Strategy – Spatial Delivery Framework
- South Lanarkshire Local Transport Strategy
- Drumchapel Local Development Framework – Draft
- Replacement University Hospital Monklands
- Pollok Roundabout Replacement
- City Development Plan Scheme Participation
- Royston to Hogganfield Liveable Neighbourhoods
- Yoker to Whiteinch Liveable Neighbourhoods
- Waiting to Happen (junctions consultation)
- Doon Valley Trail
2: Consultation Feedback
None this time.
3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders
Section 1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)
1.1: Hairmyres Transport Interchange
Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: The first plans for the new Hairmyres train station in East Kilbride. It’s due to be moved a few hundred metres west, to Redwood Drive, where there’s more space for access and park & ride. The new location has an old stone footbridge which is being demolished. SLC say: “There is also provision of connections to the wider active travel networks as well as a new active travel bridge over the upgraded rail line and secure cycle storage at the station building areas.” That sounds promising but there’s no sign of any segregated bike lanes on Redwood Dr or Eaglesham Rd yet (although they are included in EK’s Active Travel Network plan). Also, there’s no link to the north-east towards K-Woodlands or Peel Park industrial estate. The plans are a Proposal of Application Notice from SLC for consultation (like a draft, ahead of a final plan).
Website links: Hairmyres Transport Interchange webpage and Hairmyres TI survey (3 pages).
Deadline: 25 August 2023.
1.2: Glasgow Transport Strategy – Spatial Delivery Framework
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: A short-lived consultation that only started on 17 August. However, it seems the survey may have closed early! The consultation page also has a broken link to the Glasgow Transport Strategy so let’s hope it’s just technical issues. The Spatial Delivery Framework covers some important parts of the strategy like the Bus Priority Corridors, Active Travel Network, Mobility Hubs, Freight Hubs, Road Hierarchy and the Environmental report. The survey didn’t ask about the AT network but had questions on most of the others.
Website links: GTS Spatial Delivery Framework survey and Environmental Report.
Deadline: 28 August 2023.
1.3: South Lanarkshire Local Transport Strategy
Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: SLC’s previous 10-year Local Transport Strategy came out in 2013. They say: “The new strategy will set the future direction for the council’s approach to the development and upkeep of the transport infrastructure and policy within the area. The strategy will also set out how the council will contribute to the delivery of the obligations set out in the National and Regional Transport Strategies and other key policy drivers.”
SLC have Active Travel network maps for all its towns but lack safe routes between some, especially East Kilbride to Hamilton or Strathaven. As well as upgrades due to Hairmyres and East Kilbride train stations, the town had a new dual carriageway added at Greenhills Rd and proposals for another on Stewartfield Way. In Cambuslang, locals protested against the Cathkin Relief Road dual carriageway and received compensation after it was built. The Clydesdale STAG process covers roads, active travel, bus and rail proposals, including two potential station re-openings (Law and Symington).
Website links: Local Transport Strategy 2024-2034 webpage and LTS 2024-2034 survey (quite long).
Deadline: 1 Sept 2023.
1.4: Drumchapel Local Development Framework – Draft
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Consultation to “inform the final Local Development Framework (LDF) for Drumchapel, a document which will recommend coordinated short, medium and long-term activity to deliver the area’s future development and regeneration. Some examples of the development types the LDF considers include housing, facilities, shops, public spaces, transport infrastructure, parks and play areas. Information from engagement with the local community from late 2021 until the autumn of 2022 assisted in the development of the current draft Drumchapel LDF. The final version of the LDF will help address regeneration challenges and… development opportunities.”
Featured: Digest 102, 1.12.
Website links: Drumchapel LDF page and LDF survey.
Deadline: 5 Sept 2023.
1.5: Replacement University Hospital Monklands
Organisation: NHS Lanarkshire.
Subject: New build replacement for Monklands Hospital, moving it to the former Wester Moffat farm (at the eastern edge of Airdrie). The planning application shows an active travel route from Towers Rd (near Drumgelloch train station). This will include a brand new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the North Calder Water to the west entrance of the hospital. Another plan shows a cycle parking store at the north-west corner (and what may be a shared path around the west of the building). However, there’s still a stretch of NCN75 on the A89 road east to Caldercruix. There’s potential for an off road connection going east from these new paths but nothing is shown in the plans. Any eastern path may have to go under the viaduct of the proposed East Airdrie Link Road (a.k.a. Airdrie Bypass) which North Lanarkshire Council is due to build alongside the site.
Featured: Digest 107, 1.8.
Website links: New hospital planning application.
Deadline: 9 September 2023.
1.6: Pollok Roundabout Replacement
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Replacement for Pollok roundabout (Peat Road, Barrhead Rd and Braidcraft Rd). It’s a collision blackspot and barrier to active travel near Silverburn shopping centre. The consultation mentions safety and active travel. However, the aims are all about reducing journey times for cars and buses (design funded by SPT). The proposal would replace the current three-ring circus of a roundabout with an even more complex signal-controlled double junction (add your own clown joke!). The plan has nine lanes on Barrhead Rd and would require six crossings to get from one side to the other. It could easily take 15 minutes or more for pedestrians to cross the road(s). There’s no segregated cycling infrastructure, possibly as plans date from 2016, before updated Cycling by Design guidance. An Information Day was held on 10 August at Pollok Civic Realm. Feedback from the event said the staff had little sympathy for cycling.
Website links: Pollok Roundabout plans and Pollok Roundabout survey.
Deadline: 21 September 2023.
1.7: City Development Plan Scheme Participation
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: GCC say: “The Development Plan is Glasgow’s land-use plan that sets out strategic land use changes in the city for a 20 year period. This short survey is intended to engage interested parties on how best the Council can engage with citizens and stakeholders during the production of the city’s next Development Plan over the next 5 years.” So, engagement about engagement? The survey asks if you think GCC’s plans to promote the plan are sufficient or not.
Website links: Plan Scheme survey.
Deadline: 27 September 2023.
1.8: Royston to Hogganfield Liveable Neighbourhoods
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: The Liveable Neighbourhoods project aims to improve active travel links and placemaking in sections of the city. The Royston to Hogganfield area is part of ‘Tranche 2’, which had a consultation in February 2023. The plans that came out of that are now up for comment. There are seven projects, mostly in Royston and Germiston, with one in Hogganfield. They include a plan to put an active travel route through the former St Rollox train works between Royston and the retail park. Also, to simplify paths between Royston Rd and Castle St. Other projects in the area include Royston Road Masterplan, Flourishing Molendinar (Blackhill) and the replacement for Barlinnie Prison.
Various consultation events will take place in late August/early September…
Outdoor pop-up events:
27 August (1100 – 1300) – Hogganfield Park, near the playpark;
9 September (1100 – 1300) – Alexandra Park by the Saracen Fountain.
In-depth Workshop:
29 August (18:30 – 20:00) Roystonhill Community Hub.
Drop-in sessions:
29 August (1100 – 1230) – Roystonhill Community Hub;
7 September (1230 – 1400) – Molendinar Community Centre;
13 September (1800 – 1930) – Roystonhill Community Hub.
Featured: Digest 129, 1.8.
Website links: Royston to Hogganfield plans and survey.
Deadline: 01 October 2023.
1.9: Yoker to Whiteinch Liveable Neighbourhoods
Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Yoker to Whiteinch is also a ‘Tranche 2’ Liveable Neighbourhood. It has eight potential projects spread across the area. Most involve crossing improvements with one replacing an underpass at Victoria Park Drive South. There’s also some potential modal filters in Scotstoun and Hawick St (using bollards, planters, etc. to block through car traffic but still allow bikes and pedestrians). Some of the major roads, like Anniesland Road/Kingsway, will be picked up by the City Network program instead. LN’s are only funded to this stage as a whole so each individual project will need to get funding for detailed design and construction. However, the national funding for active travel projects has been increasing and is due to rise further to 10% of the Scottish transport budget (as asked for by Pedal on Parliament). Consultation events have already started…
Outdoor pop-up events:
26 August (11:00 – 13:00) Victoria Park;
10 September (11:00 – 13:00) Yoker Park playground.
Drop-in sessions:
5 Sept (12:30 – 14:00) Whiteinch Community Centre;
6 Sept (18:00 – 19:30) Heart of Scotstoun Centre.
Featured: Digest 129, 1.7.
Website links: Yoker to Whiteinch plans and survey.
Deadline: 01 October 2023.
1.10: Waiting to Happen (junctions consultation)
Company: New Practice (architecture practice).
Subject: Community engagement by the practice where Emma Burke Newman worked. She was killed by an HGV driver while cycling at the George V bridge/Broomielaw junction, near the casino, in February 2023. This consultation is about that junction and two others – Gorbals St at the Clutha Vaults pub and Albert Bridge/Clyde St (by the High Court). NP say: “These junctions are our focus of study as they feel like incidents-waiting-to-happen, and one is the site of Emma’s death.” Diagrams show movements around each junction (and include the council’s plans for the South City Way extension at the Clutha). New Practice carried out previous consultations like George Square and have applied their knowledge to make a user friendly page. “We want to hear your experiences when walking, wheeling, scooting, or as a driver to help inform solutions specific to these locations and create systems for a safer city for us all.”
Featured: Digest 141, 1.7.
Website links: Waiting to Happen consultation page.
Deadline: No obvious deadline (but New Practice say they’ll review the submissions and present to councillors).
1.11: Doon Valley Trail
Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance.
Subject: An active travel route between the southern outskirts of Ayr, South Ayrshire (near Ailsa Hospital) and Loch Doon, East Ayrshire. ARA say: “The project is currently at Phase 1 (Preparation & Brief), which includes the identification of a project Study Area and the key Constraints and Opportunities located within. The purpose of this public consultation is to inform the public of the project and to invite feedback on the project Study Area, the Constraints and Opportunities located within and any other features that the Design Team should consider.” Unfortunately, the three public events already took place in early August (in Dalrymple, Patna and Dalmellington). However, there’s an interactive map to comment on and an email address for comments.
Website links: Doon Valley Trail public consultation page and Doon Valley interactive map.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.
Section 2: Consultation Feedback
None this time.
Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders
3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs
Subject: Off-street parking amendments – deadline: 25 September 2023.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.
3.2: Glasgow City TROs and Traffic Calming
Subject: TRO for South Portland St (Avenues Plus), deadline: 22 September 2023.
Website links: Glasgow City Proposed TROs and Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.