Sauchiehall Street Avenue – or is it? Consultation documents out now

So, the long awaited plans for the Sauchiehall Street avenue, with its two way cycle lane, are now out for consultation, see: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=18127 – but, hold on.  There’s no mention of the separated cycle lane in the advert and the key does not have a colour code for what looks to be this facility.  We have looked at the drawings and here’s the wording of the e-mail sent to Glasgow City Council requesting clarification.  We will keep you updated on progress:

Subject: Re: Sauchiehall Street Traffic Regulation Order
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2017 15:37:11 +0000
From: GoBike! (Convenor) <convenor@gobike.org>
To: Hubbert, Brian (LES) <Brian.Hubbert@glasgow.gov.uk>
CC: McDonagh, Stephen (LES) <Stephen.McDonagh@glasgow.gov.uk>

Brian, hello,

Many thanks for forwarding the drawings etc for this long-awaited scheme!  We have heard so much about the Avenue concept, and the Sauchiehall Street avenue in particular, that it is good to have confirmation that there is progress.

However, having looked at the drawings, we have concerns, which I hope you can alleviate; they include:

  • The key does not appear to match the drawings: for example, there is coloured shading on Elmbank Street for which there is no explanation in the key.
  • There is what looks like, and we were led to expect would be, a two-way cycle lane on the north side of Sauchiehall Street, but there is no mention of it in the advert and the edging colour looks very like that of a parking area.
  • What are the access arrangements for cycles coming from the west of Charing Cross to join what we hope is a two-way cycle lane?
  • What are the access arrangements for cycles from Woodlands Road and St Georges Road to join what we hope is a two-way cycle lane?
  • What arrangements are there for all the cyclists who travel from Woodlands Road and St Georges Road to continue down Newton Street?
  • You state that Elmbank Street is to become one-way?  In line with Glasgow City Council’s Strategic Plan for Cycling and your chosed Design Guide, the default position is to allow for contraflow cycling on such streets.  The arrangements for this are not clear on the drawing.

To provide clarity could you please:

  1. Re-issue the drawings showing the missing detail, including the key for all the colours and symbols used and compliance with the Strategic Plan and Cycling by Design?
  2. Hold a meeting between the design staff responsible for this scheme and members of the GoBike committee to explain and discuss your proposals?

We are very keen to see the very ambitious ambition for Sauchiehall Street that we have been led to expect become a reality and we would not like to see it fail because of ambiguity of the plans and/or misunderstanding of your intentions.

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

With best wishes,

Tricia Fort

Convenor, GoBike! Strathclyde Cycle Campaign, www.gobike.org