GoBike members and supporters will be very aware of the proposals for the South City Way to extend to Battlefield. Consultation events and proposals last year were well reported in our Digests and GoBike was involved in the consultation process with Sustrans and the City Council. However, it seems that residents on nearby Queen’s Drive claim to have been unaware that changes were afoot! Read on for a reprint of today’s article in the Glasgow Times by Catriona Stewart:

“Southside community blasts consultation for potential Battlefield plans“

“RESIDENTS have complained they were not involved in a community consultation on ambitious proposals to redesign a South Side area.

Battlefield Street Design is an ongoing project to make the centre of Battlefield and Battlefield Road more pedestrian and cycle friendly.

Community engagement on the scheme, developed by Sustrans Scotland, took place last year.

But locals in Queen’s Drive, which is attached to Battlefield Road, said they were left out of the consultation process.

Now Glasgow City Council bosses have said they will hold another event – and Queen’s Drive residents will be contacted directly to invite them.

Local councillor Soryia Siddique said: “Queen’s Drive residents contacted me regarding not been included in the Sustrans consultation.

“I raised this with Glasgow City Council and they have now arranged another session allowing residents to discuss the concept design drawings produced by Sustrans.

“This is an opportunity for the local community’s views to be taken on board.”

Although it is not part of the nearby South City Way, a cycle route being developed to run from Queen’s Park, down Victoria Road to the Merchant City, the potential new cycle route would form a connection to it.

This would run along Battlefield Road to the Battlefield Rest and on to Mount Florida.

Last year design ideas were on display from March 19 for three weeks to give locals the chance to see the street design project plans.

They are being delivered jointly by Sustrans Scotland and Glasgow City Council.

The hope behind the scheme would be to make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to walk and cycle through the area and to improve the quality of the public spaces.

In 2019 13 events were held locally with more than 700 attendees to gather information and develop design ideas, including in Langside Library and Langside Parish Church.

A meeting for Queen’s Drive residents should have been held in December following a number of complaints to the council that the consultation had not be geographically broad enough.

But this meeting was delayed due to the General Election.

An new meeting has now been arranged for February 18 between 4pm and 6pm in Langside Library on Sinclair Drive.

Letters have been sent out to addresses on Queen’s Drive to ensure all residents know the event is taking place.

It will give the chance to give feedback on plans, which have now been handed over to Glasgow City Council.

It is hoped the scheme will be funded by the Sustrans Places for Everyone fund.

A spokesman for the council said: “There has been a very positive response to the proposals to improve the streets and public spaces connected to Battlefield Rest.

“The plans extend out from Battlefield Rest in either direction to Mount Florida and Govanhill and one of the main aims is to help make these streets more attractive for active travel. “

If you live, work or travel southside do please get along and support the proposals.