Shaping the north of the city plus your reactions to roadworks and more speed cushions.
It’s like buses – wait for ages for a consultation about the north of the city then loads come along at once. In this case, workshops for a few northern city centre ‘districts’, a future consultation about the uni/college campuses around Cathedral St and a strategic document about North Glasgow.
This Digest also includes links in the Contents page so you can, hopefully, jump straight to a topic if you want to.
Contents
(new consultations in bold)
Section 1: Current Consultations
- Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November
- Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops, Townhead: 2 December / Cowcaddens: 7 December
- Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan/”River Clyde blue corridor vision”, closes 4 December
- East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021
- Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF), *deadline extended* – closes 29 January 2021
- Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)
- OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme
Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations
Section 3: Consultation Feedback
- Glasgow City Council (Maxwell Park area) Traffic Calming Scheme
- Glasgow City Council (Ryehill Road) Traffic Calming Scheme
- East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 Newsletter
- Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project
Section 1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)
1.1: Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November
If you’ve ever had an annoying experience trying to get around roadworks, here’s a chance to get it off your chest. Thomas at GoBike was contacted by Megan from Steer Energy, who are doing a survey about the effects of roadworks on different groups; including cyclists. Her message says:
“Steer Energy are carrying out research to engage with people who can give their expert opinion on what the challenges people may face when encountering streetworks in their everyday life. We are targeting the following groups:
- People living with disabilities
- People living with dementia
- People with mental health issues
- Neurodiverse people [including people on the autism spectrum]
- Carers
- Cyclists
The aim is to gather opinions and ideas from people with lived experience journeying through street works that may have found the experience challenging.
We would be keen to include the experience of cyclists across Scotland and encourage you to share with any other groups and communities you work with:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/steerstreetworks
Our aim is to gather as much information as possible about the current impacts of streetworks and how they can be better designed with more people in mind.”
We asked for a few more details about what this involved and got a very quick response:
“The design of all streetwork in the UK is carried out using the same national guidelines which is basically a manual used in training and design. Steer Energy is challenging that manual and asking that it be amended to become more accessible and include better designed streetworks to decrease isolation and disruption to peoples lives, especially those who do not use cars and those groups who require more space to move around in public (wheelchair users, people with mobility problems, disabled people, neurodiverse people, etc).”
If you’d like to take part, see the SurveyMonkey link, above – preferably before the end of November to allow time for the report to be put together.
1.2: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops (Townhead: 2 December/Cowcaddens: 7 December)
We received emails about upcoming consultations and events for the District Regeneration Frameworks project by Glasgow City Council. These are very wide-ranging consultations covering housing, business, leisure, etc. as well as transport. The ‘districts’ are areas around the city centre – some have already had plans completed, including Blythswood, Central, Broomielaw and St Enoch – see the Districts page on the City Centre Strategy website (under their huge map).
The project’s CommonPlace map for all Districts can be found at the links, below.
“You can check out what’s been said so far and contribute your thoughts online at https://yourcitycentre2020.commonplace.is/ and http://www.yourplacemap.org/.”
The next two areas with consultation events arranged are Townhead and Cowcaddens (with Merchant City and the ‘Learning Quarter’ to follow at some point).
Townhead district covers the area you might expect from Cathedral St to the M8. The “potential bridge” in the map is the new pedestrian/cycle bridge to Sighthill (due Spring 2021). The “route of potential Avenues” on Castle St and Springburn Rd isn’t in the current version of the Avenues Programme (but would be very welcome if GCC want to update it).
(Y)our Townhead Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Wednesday 2 December
- Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Townhead Workshop, Afternoon session
- Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Townhead workshop, Evening Session
Cowcaddens district goes from Buchanan Bus Station to an area north of the M8 at St George’s Cross. This is where the ‘Underline’ from GCC’s Avenues Programme was due to go (from Cambridge St) but it’s missing from the map.
(Y)our Cowcaddens Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Monday 7 December
- Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Afternoon Workshop.
- Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Evening Workshop.
“Each session will be facilitated by the (Y)our City Centre project team. We hope to map out with you issues and ideas you feel will help make the difference and improve Cowcaddens in the future.
Sign Up on Eventbrite and join in with these Workshops. If you do not have access to the internet contact the Freephone line number listed below to enable you to #ShareYourIdeas.
Further Workshops will be scheduled in early 2021 and we hope to arrange some [physical] events… when Covid restrictions allow.”
These events, and the forthcoming consultation under item 2.1, mean big changes could be coming for the north of the city centre. They also tie in with the North Glasgow SDF – see item 1.5.
1.3: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan
This was covered in Digest Issue 73, Item 1.1. However, it arrived just before the Digest went out and we missed a few details. The consultation is by Glasgow Harbour/Peel L&P (not the city council – apologies).
It’s about potentially building high-rises on the strip of land at the river between Riverside Museum and the new distillery. The intro video talks about a “long derelict site” without mentioning Peel (formerly Clydeport) have used it for storage for several years. It’s a pre-planning consultation as no planning application has gone in yet. There’s a summary of the possible proposal (on Urban Realm), article by Peel L&P, Yorkhill Quay ‘boards’ (PDF) and consultation website [removed Dec 2020]. Deadline for “formal” comments is 4 December (but deadline to view plans/ask questions is 30 November – email: advice@mcinally-associates.co.uk).
1.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2),
(closes 15 January 2021)
As covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.8. You’ve to email EDC if you want to comment about local development issues, like the lack of Spaces for People projects or phase 2 of the Bearsway, for example. See the EDC website: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2.
1.5: Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework
This document is about a huge area north of the M8 from the length of Maryhill Rd across to Milton, Springburn and Royston. It’s looking decades ahead and has already been five years in the making. Brenda has written a detailed GoBike response to the North Glasgow SDF. See the North Glasgow SDF consultation on GCC’s website. The deadline has been extended to 29 January 2021.
1.6: Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation
This consultation is about the new protected junctions on Victoria Rd, at Calder St and Allison St, as part of the South City Way. It was covered in Digest 73, Item 1.5. If you want to show support for the new junctions, or just find out more, see GCC’s Protected Junctions webpage for further images, a video, a PDF document and a contact link. The junction trial will last two years but there’s no deadline mentioned for feedback.
1.7: OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme
This multiple choice survey (as covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.1) was originally looking for quick feedback but remains open. OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum are working on a Places for Everyone project to improve active travel infrastructure in parts of North East Glasgow like Smithycroft, Riddrie and Blackhill.
Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations
2.1: Glasgow – Early Engagement Information: Creating people first infrastructure, a city centre context
This is potentially a lot more important than the vague title would suggest. We received an email from Stantec (a multi-national design/engineering company) on behalf of the University of Strathclyde. They want to develop active travel routes through their campus and the ‘Learning Quarter’ around Cathedral St and North Hanover St:
“The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow City Council have secured Sustrans’ Places for Everyone funding for the project ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’. Stantec are assisting the project team in this exciting endeavour.
The vision of this project is to create an attractive, safe and walkable ‘learning quarter’ in the north-east of the city centre through the design of an innovative urban realm, which improves the physical environment and allows the general public, residents, students and staff to travel to, and move freely between the University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College, nearby Glasgow Caledonian University and the rest of the city centre.
The improvements that are being explored in the project area will provide significant value to the extended community. By aligning this project with other projects being delivered by Glasgow City Council, ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’ will also benefit a range of other people who live, work and travel through the city centre. The Avenues Programme and Spaces for People are examples of Glasgow City Council’s ambitions to rebalancing streets in favour of people walking cycling or wheeling in the city centre.
The key routes to be enhanced in the learning quarter as part of this project have been identified through a feasibility and options appraisal process and are shown in the figure below.”
Route B – Buchanan Bus Station/Glasgow Caledonian University – Merchant City;
Route C – Sighthill Bridge – Cathedral St;
Route D – High St. Station – ‘Heart of the Campus’ (Rottenrow);
Other Routes in Study (Minor Upgrades);
Avenues Programme and Intervention (delivered by other projects).
“In the next few weeks we will be launching a public consultation website to present and receive feedback on proposals developed for the learning quarter so far. This site will be updated as the project progresses, proving an important resource. We hope that you will be able to contribute to this consultation to help shape the project for your local community by viewing proposals, leaving feedback and sharing the consultation website with your networks.
For any further information in the meantime please contact the project team at PfEGlasgow@stantec.com
Kind regards,
The Project Team”
This may be of interest to current and former students of the universities/colleges in this area. It sounds quite wide-ranging but seems to emphasise walking rather than cycling. A lot of change is due in the next few years, including Strathclyde Uni demolishing the current ‘Strathy Union’ on John St as part of their ongoing campus redevelopment (see their Campus Update for more details).
This consultation is also relevant to the ‘(Y)our Learning Quarter’ district consultation due soon. Nearby streets are earmarked as ‘Avenues’ and the ‘Avenues Plus’ project (due to be built between 2023–25). So, there’s a lot of potential to transform the area north-east of George Square. Once Stantec update us about the website, we’ll pass on the link.
Section 3: Consultations Feedback
3.1: Glasgow City Council – Maxwell Park area, Traffic Calming Scheme
We have a few more responses from the city council about traffic calming. Firstly, this one for the Maxwell Park area was first covered in Digest 68, Item 1.8. I wonder if GCC have changed their mind about the speed cushions?
“Further to my preliminary email of 25th August 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.
I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:
- 5 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Dolphin Road,
- 6 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Fotheringay Road,
- 11 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Springkell Avenue
- The installation of 44 bollards
Roads affected by the proposed Scheme:
- Dolphin Road
- Fotheringay Road
- Springkell Avenue
I enclose a plan of the scheme.
Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”
Nope, nothing has changed despite GoBike’s letter of objection. The previous plans were in Digest 68, as above if you want to see them.
3.2: Glasgow City Council – Ryehill Road, Traffic Calming Scheme
Here’s another one from the following Digest 69, Item 1.9. Maybe this response will be the one where GCC have a ‘road to Damascus’-style revelation and change their minds?
“Further to my preliminary email of 10th September 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.
I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:
- The installation of 12 speed cushions
- The supply and installation of 8 bollards
I enclose a plan of the scheme.
Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”
Nope, no changes there either. Again, see Digest 69 to pore over the unchanged plans.
3.3 East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 November Newsletter
On the subject of councils not changing their minds about things, here are EDC again with a nice LDP2 newsletter, November edition (PDF). Previous issues on EDC’s LDP2 Newsletters webpage in case you want some light reading for the winter nights.
3.4: Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project
GoBike received an email from Dr Gemma Jennings at Urban Roots about an ongoing project:
“Dear All,
I am excited to share with you the latest news from the the North Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project, which following our community consultation has been rebranded simply as ‘Malls Mire’. Work begins on site this week and will run until summer 2021 – please find attached the first Malls Mire newsletter from Clyde Gateway for details. I have also attached details of path closures and diversions that will be in place for the first phase of works.
We will share ongoing project updates on social media via our Malls Mire facebook and twitter pages – both @MallsMire.”
Malls Mire is the name of the greenspace between Rutherglen and Toryglen. While it’s possible to trudge your bike over the hill next to the woods, upgrading the paths will make a big difference to the area. As mentioned, Urban Roots sent us drawings of closures and diversions – works on the west of Malls Mire and works on the east of Malls Mire. There’s also a short newsletter about the Malls Mire project.
Hope you like the changes in this Digest. New editor, new improved ideas, says the previous editor!