Glasgow takes a back seat for once as Ayrshire dominates this Digest with a few major strategies and active travel routes. Elsewhere, a big development near Cumbernauld is back for round two.

Renfrewshire sees the latest knee-jerk reaction against cycling infrastructure that could be a crucial link between public transport and an NCN route.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. North Ayrshire Draft Local Transport & Active Travel Strategy
2. Palacerigg Future Housing – Stage 2, Public Consultation
3. Ayr to Barassie Active Travel Route
4. North Ayrshire Council – Local Development Plan 3
5. Devon Street Urban Park

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Causeyside St Regeneration – ‘bikelash’

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. North Lanarkshire TROs

Section 1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: North Ayrshire Draft Local Transport & Active Travel Strategy

Council: North Ayrshire.
Subject: An overall transport strategy for North Ayrshire with an active travel strategy within it (page 24 onwards). The active travel strategy introduction includes collision data and case studies (like Trinity Active Travel Hub in Irvine). The rest has analysis and potential projects for different parts of the region (including Ardrossan Connections, as featured in previous Digests). Links to public transport are mentioned and it seems more in-depth than the public transport section, which doesn’t include specific projects. There’s a survey and remaining consultation events (early April in Millport, Saltcoats and Brodick).
Website links: North Ayrshire Draft Local Transport & Active Travel Strategy (PDF), North Ayrshire LTATS survey and North Ayrshire LTATS consultation webpage.
Deadline: 23 April 2023.

1.2: Palacerigg Future Housing – Stage 2, Public Consultation

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: This stage 2 consultation comes hot on the heels of stage 1. It’s about plans for a large housing estate in the South Cumbernauld Community Growth Area. More details are included in PDF plans. There’s a short cycle route but it seems it’s only within the estate for some reason. There’s nothing about a crucial link to nearby Cumbernauld train station or Palacerigg Country Park. That seems to contradict National Planning Framework 4, which puts more emphasis on active travel.
Featured: Digest 129, Item 1.4.
Website links: Palacerigg Future Housing consultation (stage 2).
Deadline: 26 April 2023.

1.3: Ayr to Barassie Active Travel Route

Council: South Ayrshire.
Subject: Further stage of public consultation for the wider active travel route between Ayr and Barassie (the phase from Dundonald has featured in a previous Digest). The longer route is being called the Ayrshire Link. Consultation events have already started with a few still to go:
Drop-in session – Tuesday 4 April, 5pm–8pm, Walker Hall, South Beach, Troon.
Online session – Wednesday 19 April, 6pm–7pm (register on Ayrshire Link website).
Featured: Digest 127, Item 1.1.
Website links: Ayr to Barassie Active Travel Route consultation page and Ayrshire Link website.
Deadline: 1 May 2023.

1.4: North Ayrshire Local Development Plan 3

Council: North Ayrshire.
Subject: First consultation stage for the next Local Development Plan by North Ayrshire. It may be one of the first in Scotland under the new National Planning Framework 4 (which came into force in February 2023). As a result, it should have more emphasis on the environment including active travel. Getting cycling routes/networks, developer obligations, etc. mentioned in the LDP makes them more likely to be delivered. Also, if developers proposals miss out or go against the LDP, these give people grounds to object and have plans altered or conditions added.
Website links: North Ayrshire LDP3 consultation website.
Deadline: June 28 2023.

1.5: Devon Street Urban Park

Organisation: Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS).
Area: Southside between Eglinton St and Pollokshaws Rd.
Subject: Formerly GUS M74, now revised and renamed… “The Devon Street Urban Park project is a proposal from Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS), a community led organisation, that aims to transform an unused area of land under the canopy of the M74 motorway, on the southside of Glasgow, to create a new public urban park and community leisure space.” While the project still involves building a skatepark it seems to have broadened out a bit to gain more community support. There are new partner organisations on board and a new survey to fill in.
Featured: Digest 92, Item 1.14.
Website links: Devon St survey, new GUS website.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Causeyside Street Regeneration – ‘bikelash’

Council: Renfrewshire.
Subject: Plans for a protected 2-way cycletrack on Causeyside St linking between the pedestrianised area near Paisley Gilmour St station and NCN7 on Canal St. It would improve safety and may increase visitors to the area. However, some local businesses have voiced criticism – Phelps Butchers have this confusing quote: “We need an inclusive town that works for everybody, not one that’s been specifically designed for a minority”(!?). Businesses can’t complain about loss of car parking (the scheme would increase it) so they focus on disruption and only catering to cyclists. Despite the plans including more pavement space and buses stopping in the carriageway (which speeds up bus journeys). A petition by Paisley First has over 1,500 signatures. However, Paisley Community Trust promoted the petition on Facebook and got a mixture of comments for and against. GoBike encourages members around Paisley to write to the Gazette showing support.
Featured: Digest 126, Item 1.3.
Website links: Renfrewshire Gazette article, Paisley Community Trust Facebook post promoting the petition and previous PCT Facebook post (July 2022).

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Areas: Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Clachan of Campsie and Kirkintilloch.
Subject: Orders about parking restrictions, electric charging and speed limits.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.

3.2: North Lanarkshire TROs

Areas: Allanton, Cleland, Holytown, Morningside, Motherwell, New Stevenston , Shotts and Wishaw.
Subject: ‘Various Roads, Southern Area’ – Part-time 20 miles per hour speed restrictions. Deadline: 26 April 2023.
Website links: North Lanarkshire Live Consultations.

Happy New Year. Nothing came in during early January so this short Digest is the first of the year. There are consultations in South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. Also, events and consultations coming soon for parts of Glasgow city centre.

During the break, it emerged that GoBike has serious issues with its committee. The last few meetings didn’t take place, including an AGM. Some past committee members stepped in to organise a ‘caretaker’ meeting online. Following on from that, moves are being made to organise an Extraordinary General Meeting within the next few months. This would try to appoint a new committee (especially convenor and treasurer) to avoid GoBike having to fold. Please look out for a post/email announcement in the near future.

Forthcoming consultations

District Regeneration Frameworks (DRFs) consultation

20 January – 3 March
DRFs are 10-year plans for areas of the city. These ones are for Cowcaddens, the Learning Quarter, the Merchant City and Townhead. They were consulted on in summer 2020 so this new stage should have (long!) documents to comment on. See: ReGlasgow news item.

Argyle St/Buchanan St/Sauchiehall St – ‘Golden Z’ Retail Core Ideas Day

24 January (11am-6.30pm), The Lighthouse (Mitchell Lane)
Glasgow City Council Twitter post: “see maps & diagrams displaying some of the issues and ideas already raised in earlier engagement, and take the chance to give your own views”.

1: Current Consultations

1. Dundonald to Barassie active travel corridor
2. Cambuslang and Rutherglen bike share survey

2: Consultation Feedback

None this time.

3: Proposed Traffic Calming/Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. North Lanarkshire TROs

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Dundonald to Barassie active travel corridor

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA).
Subject: Following their Loans–Troon route, ARA have another active travel route planned for neighbouring Barassie, South Ayrshire. Like the previous route, it would link to a nearby village (Dundonald). However, it could also connect to a longer route via Troon to Prestwick (NCN7). The route ‘corridor’ would go alongside the A759 from the Kilmarnock Road junction (B746) in Barassie, under the A78 Troon bypass to the Kilnford Drive junction, Dundonald. The images in the ‘StoryMap’ look promising for most of the route beyond the pinch point under the bypass (images may take a while to load). There’s a survey at the end for comments.
Website links: Dundonald to Barassie consultation/survey and ARA consultation page.
Deadline: 30 January 2023. 

1.2: Cambuslang and Rutherglen bike share survey

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Survey about feasibility of a bike share scheme for Cambuslang and Rutherglen. Shawfield and Cuningar Woodland Park on the northern fringes of Rutherglen are just across the Clyde from the Glasgow City area. So, it’s an obvious candidate for extending Glasgow’s current OVO/Nextbike scheme. This has been talked about by South Lanarkshire Council before and there has already been some consultation on it. In the meantime, new Nextbike stations in the East End and Southside mean Rutherglen already looks like a gap in the existing network. Hopefully we’re closer to a scheme actually happening this time. The survey is aimed primarily at people in the area.
Website links: Cambuslang/Rutherglen bike share survey.
Deadline: 10 February 2023. 

2: Consultation Feedback

None this time. 

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonhire TROs

Areas: Bishopbriggs and Milton of Campsie.
Subject: Orders about parking restrictions and speed limits.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs (at foot of Roadworks page).

3.2: North Lanarkshire TROs

Areas: Hareshaw village (between Newhouse and Newmains).
Subject: Orders to add a roundabout, traffic calming, 20mph zone and a pavement at the bridge on Greenhill Road, Hareshaw. Deadline: 15 February 2023.
Website links: North Lanarkshire Live Consultations.