This weeks’ Scottish Budget saw the Scottish Government boost the budget for active travel by 30% to a new record of £150m. This is the third increase in successive years and comes after the Programme for Government commitment to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on walking, cycling, and wheeling by 2024/25.

That’s just two years’ away so many were hoping for more from this budget to put Scotland on a straight line increasing trajectory to £320m (see red line in diagram below). That would have needed approximately a £70m boost this time but an extra £34.5m is not to be sniffed at. Rather we have to look to the promised Spending Review in May (see consultation 1.5 below) to make the case for even bigger budgetary increases over the next two years and beyond.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Transport Scotland – NTS2 Delivery Plan – Impact Assessments Consultation

Impact assessments are being undertaken on 37 strategic policies within the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) Delivery Plan and Transport Scotland would like to get your views on the initial screening of impacts through a survey.

Closes 5 January 2022

1.2: Scottish Parliament – Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)

The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee is leading an inquiry into the draft NPF4. Responses to this are needed early in January, whereas the Government’s consultation closes at the end of March – see 1.6 below.

The NPF4 is a major document setting out the direction for national planning policy and national developments for the next decades. The fourth NPF is focussed on meeting the net-zero target and supporting the nature restoration and recovery.

For the first time NPF4 includes a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a national development, which should be welcomed. Also relevant to Glasgow is a ‘Clyde Mission’ national development. However, there’s not a great deal of detail on these proposed policies.

The Committee is seeking opinions on some different questions to those asked on the Government consultation so its worth bearing these in mind as you write your opinions.

The four questions, posed by the Committee, are useful for calling for better provision for cycling – see suggestions to include in answers in italics.

• What does your ideal home look like and what surrounds it? – Cycling parking, local cycle access to services.
• How can we design our environments to address climate change? – Dense networks of cycling infrastructure, and 20-minute neighbourhoods.
• How do you use space to stay healthy and well? – The importance of cycling to stay healthy and well and the need for planned high quality infrastructure to achieve this.
• How can planning encourage people to live in rural areas? – Rural areas also need cycle routes but also lower speed limits. Community travel hubs can also help guide people to sustainable travel solutions.

You can respond to the Committee in one of two ways – either use the survey type format or answer the above questions in writing (they welcome pictures or videos too). See the Committee’s page for more information.

The online survey-style response format seeks opinions on each section of the draft NPF4 to ask to what extent the policies in the draft document meet a list of criteria, including:

• support efforts to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets
• improve health and wellbeing
• improve equality  
• interact with other Scottish Government strategies 
• conflict with other outcomes and state how these conflicts will be managed 

Closes 10 January 2022

1.3: Scottish Parliament – Inquiry into the role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland

The Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee have a new inquiry looking into the role of local government in delivering Scotland’s net zero target. Ahead of the local election in May this is inquiry could make useful recommendations about the delivery of active travel infrastructure and cycling projects by Local Authorities.

The Committee is looking to find out the main barriers at a local level, to Scotland reaching its net zero targets. It will consider what practical steps councils are taking to break them down, in partnership with business, the voluntary sector, and local communities. It will also highlight areas where change will be needed if councils are to play a full role in the helping us achieve the goal of a net zero Scotland.

GoBike and GoBike members are probably well placed to provide the Committee with useful experience of working with councils – especially to answer question 10: How are councils working with cross-sectoral partners to decarbonise transport (including encouraging active travel) and to improve air quality?

There are 12 questions posed by the Committee to be answered in an online format – but as usual you don’t need to answer all of them.

Closes 21 January 2022

1.4: Scottish Government – NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy 2022 to 2026 – draft

The Scottish Government and NHS Assure have developed a draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022 to 2026 for NHS Scotland.

I haven’t looked through this yet but there must be opportunities to suggest how active travel can be part of this strategy. Comments should be returned on the template in the supporting documents by email.

Closes 10 February 2022

1.5: Scottish Government – Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review Framework

I will look at this consultation in more detail in 2022.

Closes 27 March 2022

1.6: Scottish Government – Draft National Planning Framework 4

There’s a good few months to respond to the Government about the NPF4. Overall its a positive document aiming to drive planning and national developments towards addressing the climate emergency.

The big news for cycling is the inclusion of a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a National Development. There’s also more detail on creating 20 minute neighbourhoods.

I will look into this consultation and provide more suggestions for responses in the new year.

Closes 31 March 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

I expect Transport Scotland to publish its ‘route map’ for how it will achieve its target for a 20% reduction in car journey kilometres by 2030. It’s not clear how Government will consult on this plan.

Also next year Transport Scotland is likely to consult on the second part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

COP26 – How you can raise your voice for cycling and climate change

You won’t have missed that COP26 is coming to town next week, complete with world leaders, cycle lane closures, dodgy diversions and huge demonstrations. There are many ways you can get involved to call for action – a few of these are highlighted below.

Find out more about cycling, climate action and COP26 on the Cycling UK COP26 webpages

Pedal on COP26 – 6 November – Pedal on Parliament have been doing immense work to organise and coordinate action for COP26 – see the PoP website for more details.

• Be part of the Cycling Bloc (sustainable transport) at the mass march on 6 November
• Join a feeder ride to the march – there are 7 rides starting from various locations around Glasgow bringing riders to Kelvingrove Park.

Petitions and online actions – take a simple online action to speak up for the climate

• Cycling UK – social media action – This online action enables you to send a message to your MSPs via twitter telling them that #ThisMachineFightsClimateChange. If you don’t have twitter there’s a guide to spreading the message via other social media.
• Climate Scotland – petition – An online action organised by a coalition of charities with a focus on the impacts of climate change on Scotland’s natural environment.  In the signing process, you can select a topic and say why this matters to you. For example, for many cyclists experiencing the beautiful countryside on a bike is important for mental as well as physical health. Select ‘Beautiful places’ to make this, or a similar point.
• OXFAM – petition – Ask the Prime Minister to take decisive action on climate change.

Events – So many events are happening during the 2 weeks of COP26

• COP26 Cycling Forum – Monday November 1st, 2-4pm, Gartnavel Hospital grounds – This rally will bring together people who have cycled to COP26 and cycling advocates in Glasgow and globally, amplifying voices and celebrating the potential of cycling as a climate solution. Register here for this event
• Climate Fringe – Find events to interest you led by civil society for civil society.
• People’s Summit – 7-10 November – a huge range of events on offer

Cycling by Design

Transport Scotland has published its long awaited Cycling by Design design guidance update. They don’t have a consultation on the published guidance but rather is welcoming feedback on the content of the document via e-mail to cyclingbydesign@transport.gov.scot

Government says this new document will be ‘updated regularly to take account of project experience and changes to the legal or design environment’ so its worth providing feedback based on your real-life experience of good and bad cycling infrastructure designs.

Cycling by Design is a long document and rightly includes invaluable technical guidance for designers and planners.

My analysis and thoughts below are intended to be a guide to the Cycling by Design (CbD) document and a look at the bigger picture, the themes and the use of the document rather than an attempt to assess whether all the design details are to the standard we would like to see. That’s a lengthy piece of work and we will be looking at this at Cycling UK so that we can provide feedback to Transport Scotland and provide support to campaigners.

Clarity of guidance and use of images are excellent in CbD. There’s good imagery showing the wide variety of cycles that should be designed for, and this does pervade the document in the design images.

Key messages for designers – There is an excellent summary on page 9 which condenses the guidance down to 12 key messages explaining how designers should approach the application of CbD. Unfortunately, the rest of the document doesn’t always fully reflect the same high level of expectation as contained in the key messages.

Application of the guidance – Throughout the document there are tables showing 3 levels of delivery in certain situation or applying to specific design factors (high, med and low). Transport Scotland wants designers to go for the high level. The High, Medium and Low Level of Service categories are similar approach to level of service in England’s LTN 1/20 which uses Green, Amber, Red categorisation. However, LTN 1/20 also has a “Critical” level below Red (Low level of service) which can be considered as “this is really bad do not do it”. CbD needs a similar ‘DO NOT DO THIS’ level, as there are many designs on our streets which are plainly dangerous.

Planning for Cycle Users – This section, from page 13, is good at explaining that cyclists are a varied bunch and can have differing capabilities – plus they have different needs to both motorists and pedestrians.

Assess demand for infrastructure comes under section 2.5 on the planning and delivery process. My concern is that guidance explaining the need to ‘estimate future travel patterns’ and that ‘data sources may not reflect the full potential for cycle user trips’ doesn’t convey the same weight as Key Message No. 1 on p9 which says ‘We must plan and design for mass cycling’. Using current estimates is unlikely to deliver the infrastructure we so desperately need for mass cycling.

Network planning – The section shows that our current active travel network plans at the local authority level are not up to scratch. One of the Principles on p21 is ‘coherence’ and is further described on page 30. However, without a proper network plan for each LA you can’t meet the design guidance standards. It shows an urgent need for a proper Scotland-wide network plan of dense urban networks, cycle lanes along major arterial routes and links between towns and cities.

Provision of appropriate facilities on p49 is a really good summary as to why it’s important to provide protection, separation and to enhance places. Cycling interaction with pedestrians is covered on page 53, and there’s a general ongoing principle of keeping cyclists and pedestrians apart wherever possible. This could be clearer and more up-front, especially the interaction with disabled people. The section on access control rightly explains the need to not include barriers which stop people in wheelchairs or adaptive cycles from accessing safe infrastructure.

Maintenance – A section about the maintenance of cycling infrastructure appears at the end of the section about cycle lanes. Maintenance and planning for maintenance and upkeep, e.g. snowploughing in winter, should be integral to design and delivery. I would like to see this promoted in the document and made more prominent under section 2 – Planning for Cycle Users.

Crossings and junctions – There are lengthy sections of geometric guidance for all types of cycle links, design guidance on crossings and on junctions. Some of these, especially, junctions will take some getting used to by cyclists and drivers.

There is a helpful section on trip end facilities, including guidance for cycle parking, bike hangars etc, as well as info on links with public transport.

Finally, there’s not much reference to the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy in the guidance. Designers and planners need to understand that this should impact on the investment and design decisions – i.e. cycling isn’t just an add on. This problem is compounded by this guidance only being focussed on cycling infrastructure rather than a holistic and all encompassing design guidance for our roads, new build developments and community spaces.

Summary of concerns

• The good emphasis on high levels of service in the introductory sections needs to be maintained throughout the document but the guidance also needs to be clear on what designs are unacceptable under any circumstances.
• The process for review of the designs needs greater clarity, especially how this differs in each circumstance. For example, Sustrans may be strict in reviewing Places for Everyone bid designs but councils may be less stringent in designs for new developments.
• There’s an urgent need for professional training for planners, designers, developers, those assessing designs, LA staff and others inc. Highway Safety Auditors, to apply the guidance appropriately, especially with current inadequate network planning in many places (see next point).
• Network planning needs to catch up with the improved design guidance and MUST aim for mass cycling, rather than current estimates of future need.
• The guidance stands alone as cycling guidance and apart from references to other guidance isn’t fully integrated with other design guidance and could lead to issues, such as problems for disabled people, being missed.

This month the Digest focuses on Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) Phase 1 consultation. STPR2 influences the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme in Scotland over the next 20 years (2022 – 2042). Unlike STPR1 the new review has a big focus on sustainable transport projects and because of this we need to provide as much constructive support as possible.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Law Commission (& Scottish Law Commission) – Automated Vehicles: A regulatory framework for automated vehicles

This 3^rd consultation builds on the two previous consultations on safety assurance, allocating legal responsibility, and licensing AVs for passenger services and public transport.

Tricia Fort has responded to this consultation on behalf of GoBike. Download the document below and use this as a guide to your own response.

Closes 18 March 2021

1.2: Cycling UK in Scotland – Cycling for everyone election petition

Ahead of the election on 6 May, Cycling UK in Scotland is aiming to show political parties that there is huge support for cycling from people across Scotland.

Their Manifesto for Cycling asks the next Government to:

• Invest more money in cycling
• Create safe space for people to cycle, walk and wheel
• Enable people in rural communities to cycle

Add your name in support of the asks – and increase pressure on parties to improve their commitment to cycling ahead of the election. Sign the petition and share with your friends, family and contacts.

Closes 26 March 2021

1.3: Scottish Government — Draft Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change

This consultation has longer to run than previously advertised so still time to influence this public engagement strategy.

Closes 31 March 2021

1.4: Transport Scotland – Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

STPR2 outlines Transport Scotland’s plans for major transport infrastructure projects in the coming 20 years. Instead of being dominated by major road building projects like STPR1, this phase 1 consultation of STPR2 has a much more sustainable transport focus, including reallocation of road space for active travel, development of Active Freeways, and expansion of 20mph zones.

Because of Covid STPR2 will be in 2 phases as Government outlines – ‘the first of which will make recommendations on transport interventions for investment in the short term, as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Scottish Government plans for a green recovery. With Phase 2 reporting in Autumn 2021, STPR2 will then give Scottish Ministers a programme of potential transport investment opportunities for the period 2022-2042.’

In responding to this consultation, I would advise GoBike members not to be daunted by the size of the document or all of the detail in appendices and accompanying documents. The most important things to focus on are the 8 themes and 20 interventions summarised on pdf pages 10 & 11 of the phase 1 report, and the options for Phase 2, Appendix A. These are mostly focussed on sustainable transport and should therefore be, on the whole, supported.

Later in the report or in the accompanying appendices you can read in greater detail about each of the 20 interventions. Having said this, these draft recommendations (as they are called) still lack detail of what projects will actually deliver from 2022 onwards. For example, there is no commitment to the number of kilometres of Active Travel Freeways which will be constructed in Scotland. This may come in Phase 2.

For more of an indication of the types of projects that STPR2 will deliver you have to look at the options being taken forward to Phase 2 for appraisal – all listed in Appendix A. This list includes things such as upgrading the NCN, roll out of public bike hire schemes, segregated active travel routes, and School Streets.

Whilst the 20 interventions proposed cover many positive areas which desperately need funding there may be gaps that you identify when you ready through. One concern is the report’s focus for the short-term on either AT Freeways (Intervention No.1) or making Spaces for People (SfP) permanent (No. 7). For a coherent active travel network in Scotland government needs to do more than just creating key segregated routes into cities, and making the good, but limited, SfP interventions permanent. This, and any other gaps, are worth including in your response as recommendations to enhance STPR2. Phase 2 may include some of the other projects we want to see as greater detailed interventions are developed.

Here is a shortcut to the Case for Change information for the Glasgow region.

Providing your feedback: The STPR2 page is confusing because it looks like it has multiple links for feedback. However all questions to provide feedback on themes, interventions, options and the Case for Change are in this survey form.

Closes 31 March 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.2: Scottish Government – Permitted Development Rights (phase 2)

No news yet on Phase 2 of the consultation which will cover permitted development rights for e-bike charging points.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Scottish Parliament – Climate Change Plan update

Four Committees at Holyrood have scrutinised aspects of the government’s updated Climate Change Plan and produced reports. Cycling and transport issues were most closely dealt with by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee although the Local Government and Communities received evidence on placemaking and neighbourhoods.

Environment, Climate Change and Land Use committee report

Rural Economy and Connectivity committee report 

Energy, Economy, and Fair Work report

Local Government and Communities Committee report

3.2: Transport Scotland – Road Safety Framework to 2030

Transport Scotland published its new Road Safety Framework last month. The consultation featured in the November edition of the National Digest. There were some significant improvements to the published document which I outlined in a recent blog for Cycling UK in Scotland.

The big new consultation this month is Transport Scotland’s publication of Phase 1 of the Strategic Transport Projects Review or STPR2 – the big transport projects Government is planning to undertake in the years ahead. STPR2 has a big focus on sustainable transport projects but Government is still planning to spend billions on A9 and A96 dualing so it’s a confusing picture right now. Of course, with an election on 6 May, and all parties making commitments on transport, change could be around the corner.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: *NEW* UK Parliament — Zero emission vehicles and road pricing

One with a looming deadline. The UK Parliament’s Transport Committee is looking at the implications of accelerating the shift to zero emission vehicles and the potential for introducing road pricing, or pay-as-you-drive, schemes.

Closes 17 February 2021

1.2: Scottish Government – Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4): position statement

The Scottish Government has issued a position statement on the NPF4 and is seeking our opinions. The main NPF4 is still to come next year so this consultation is asking what we all think about the direction of travel. Achieving climate emission targets is a big theme in this document along with resilient, greener, better communities and places.

Closes 19 February 2021

1.3: *NEW* Scottish Government — Draft Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change

Included for anyone interested on submitting thoughts on engaging the public on climate change.

Closes 17 March 2021

1.4: Law Commission (& Scottish Law Commission) – Automated Vehicles: A regulatory framework for automated vehicles

This 3^rd consultation builds on the two previous consultations on safety assurance, allocating legal responsibility, and licensing AVs for passenger services and public transport.

If you are worried that this consultation may be full of technical ‘legalese’ (I am), there is a summary paper. And keep in mind the principle that for automated vehicles to be safe they need to be able to not just see and recognise cyclists and pedestrians but predict their movements.

During this three-month consultation the Law Commission welcome views on key questions including, the legal meaning of “self-driving”, a GB safety assurance scheme for automated vehicles, the extent of criminal liability, and access to data w to enable the regulatory scheme for AVs to function.

Closes 18 March 2021

1.5: *NEW* Transport Scotland – Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

STPR2 outlines Transport Scotland’s plans for major transport infrastructure projects. Instead of being dominated by major road building projects like STPR1, this phase 1 consultation of STPR2 has a much more sustainable focus, including reallocation of road space for active travel, development of Active Freeways, and expansion of 20mph zones.

Because of Covid STPR2 will be in 2 phases as Government outlines – ‘the first of which will make recommendations on transport interventions for investment in the short term, as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Scottish Government plans for a green recovery. With Phase 2 reporting in Autumn 2021, STPR2 will then give Scottish Ministers a programme of potential transport investment opportunities for the period 2022-2042.’

Closes 31 March 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.2: Scottish Government – Permitted Development Rights (phase 2)

No news yet on Phase 2 of the consultation which will cover permitted development rights for e-bike charging points.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Scottish Government – Infrastructure Investment Plan

Government has published its £33bn Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP). We featured this in my first national consultation digest back in November.

Previous Climate Change Plans have been pretty woeful for action on transport and as a result we’ve seen emissions from the sector remain unchanged for decades. So it was quite a surprise and a turnaround for Government to include a target to cut car traffic by 20% by 2030. Scotland is the first nation in the UK to aim for this so should be celebrated, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Government hasn’t yet explained how this will be achieved. We know that greater investment in cycling is key to helping people out of their cars for short journeys so now is the time to make this point to MSPs and Government.  

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: *NEW* Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 – update

A few days after the December digest the Scottish Government published its Climate Change Plan update (CCPu).  Parliament will be scrutinising the CCPu with the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee taking evidence on the transport section. Their call for evidence has a deadline of Tuesday 12 January so get your skates on if you want to provide your views.

Previous Climate Change Plans have not done nearly enough to present the strong ambitious policies needed to reduce emissions from transport and as a result transport emissions haven’t reduced in 30 years and transport is now the largest contributor to Scotland’s emissions by sector.

In the past Government hasn’t been willing to force people to change their driving habits so it is encouraging that the CCPu includes a headline target for a 20% cut in car kilometres by 2030. This is excellent to see, however, a setting a target on its own isn’t enough so the Government’s promised ‘route map’ to be published this year needs to be strong. We need to ask the RECC Committee to scrutinise Government’s plans.

There’s no extra money for cycling and walking beyond the existing £500m over 5 years commitment, which is disappointing because £100m per year is not enough if Government wants cycling to be a realistic solution for people to lower their carbon footprints.  

There is a new policy called Active Freeways described as ‘segregated active travel routes on main travel corridors connecting communities and major trip attractors’. There’s really not a lot detail on this in the CCPu so again in your response please urge the Committee to find out more about this emerging policy.

In general, the CCPu is moving Scotland in the right direction, the question is if it’s fast enough for the planet and does it do enough to encourage more cycling and meet the second aim of supporting a green recovery. Initial reaction from Cycling UK can be found here.

Closes 12 January 2021

1.2: Scottish Government – Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 – a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland

Consultation on a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland, taking into account the recommendations arising from the independent review of the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy. Chapter 8 is all about transport actions so lots of opportunity to say what we need for active travel. It’s worth looking at and responding, even if you only answer this one question.

Closes 22 January 2021

1.3: Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4): position statement

The Scottish Government has issued a position statement on the NPF4 and is seeking our opinions. The main NPF4 is still to come next year so this consultation is asking what we all think about the direction of travel. Achieving climate emission targets is a big theme in this document along with resilient, greener, better communities and places.

I had promised to analyse this consultation for this digest, however, time has run out so look out for thoughts on this in the February digest, due out on 12 February.

Closes 19 February 2021

1.4: *NEW* Law Commission (& Scottish Law Commission) – Automated Vehicles: A regulatory framework for automated vehicles

This 3^rd consultation builds on two previous consultations on safety assurance, allocating legal responsibility, and licensing AVs for passenger services and public transport.

If you are worried that this consultation may be full of technical ‘legalese’ (I am), there is a summary paper. And keep in mind the principle that for automated vehicles to be safe they need to be able to not just see and recognise cyclists and pedestrians but predict their movements.

During this three-month consultation the Law Commission welcome views on key questions including, the legal meaning of “self-driving”, a GB safety assurance scheme for automated vehicles, the extent of criminal liability, and access to data w to enable the regulatory scheme for AVs to function.

Closes 18 March 2021

1.5: A82 improvements survey

The survey set up by Kate Forbes MSP is still open for your opinions on which sections of the A82 Glasgow to Inverness road are in most need of improvement in order to reduce traffic crashes and collisions. Read more here.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Nothing new here this month – still waiting on the below consultations.

2.1: Scottish Government – Permitted Development Rights (phase 2)

No news yet on Phase 2 of the consultation which will cover permitted development rights for e-bike charging points.

2.2: Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

No news either on any further Scottish Government’s STPR2 consultation. See here for more information and links to previous STPR2 documents.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: National Transport Strategy (NTS2) – Delivery Plan – 2020 to 2022

You may have responded to the Scottish Government’s NTS2 consultation which was held about a year ago. The Scottish Government has released its first Delivery Plan for the NTS2 which provides a little more detail on what actions will be taken to meet the NTS2 outcomes. The Delivery Plan was published just after the Climate Change Plan update and includes the standout policy to cut car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

3.2: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development and Use Classes) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2020

Scottish Government feedback on the consultation, outlined in Digest 72, Item 1.5 is as follows:

‘Thank you for responding to the consultation on the Scottish Government’s Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland Phase 1 Proposals. 

I’m writing to confirm that today (18th December) we published the responses to the consultation, an analysis of those responses and that the above Order was laid in Parliament.

•             The analysis of the responses to the consultation on proposals for Phase 1 changes is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800044814.   

•             The responses have also been published and can be accessed at: https://consult.gov.scot/planning-architecture/programme-reviewing-extending-pdr  

Alongside the regulations we will shortly publish an explanation of the changes to PDR and how we have responded to the views expressed in the consultation. This will be available at: Work Packages | Transforming Planning. In addition, we propose to prepare a number of pieces of guidance and advice for planning authorities and applicants explaining the changes to PDR when it is proposed that they come into force in April 2021.

This represents the first Phase in our programme of reviewing and extending Permitted Development Rights and we will now proceed with Phase 2.

This edition of the digest comes just a few days ahead of the Scottish Government publishing its updated Climate Change Plan. The Scottish Parliament will be leading on scrutinising this vital plan which aims to put in place improved policies and measures to ensure Scotland achieves its climate targets up to 2032. With the eyes of the world on Glasgow next November for COP26 the Scottish Government must show that it is seriously committed to meeting targets – especially when it comes to emissions from transport. And not just doing the bare minimum to scrape through but really making an effort to be a leader and aiming to exceed the targets with room to spare. So you never know it might be the perfect Christmas gift!

Time will be limited to provide your comments to the relevant Parliamentary Committee so do look at all the links in the forthcoming consultations section below.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 – a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland

Consultation on a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland, taking into account the recommendations arising from the independent review of the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy. Chapter 8 is all about transport actions so lots of opportunity to say what we need for active travel. It’s worth looking at and responding, even if you only answer this one question.

Closes 22 January 2021

1.2: *NEW* Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4): position statement

Following the woeful Infrastructure Investment Plan which closed for consultation last month, the government has issued a position statement on the NPF4 and is seeking opinions. The main NPF4 is still to come next year so this consultation is asking what we all think about the Scottish Government’s direction of travel. Achieving climate emission targets is a big theme in this document along with resilient, greener, better communities and places. I will analyse this in more detail in next month’s digest.

Closes 19 February 2021

1.3: *NEW* A82 improvements survey

Kate Forbes MSP is using a survey to seek opinions on which sections of the A82 Glasgow to Inverness road are in most need of improvement in order to reduce traffic crashes and collisions. Read more here.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: *COMING SOON* Climate Change Plan Update

We expect the Scottish Government to lay its updated Climate Change Plan in the Scottish Parliament in the next few days. Parliament’s Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee (ECCLR) are then likely to coordinate the hearing of evidence on the revised plan. See the ECCLR climate change page for more details next week. We know that various committees will be hearing evidence in sessions from early January so time is short to influence MSPs thinking.

The Climate Change Plan will not be a brand new plan but a revision of the current CCP, providing extra policies designed to achieve strengthened targets.  Transport is the sector contributing the most emissions of any sector in Scotland and has not cut its emissions in 30 years. Policies are desperately needed to reduce private vehicle use, boost public transport and of course encourage more people to take short everyday journeys by foot or cycle. Keep an eye on the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland website for up to date news about the coalition’s reaction. SCCS will be calling for the CCPU to include policies which will create the change needed, such as:

• An end to all new trunk road and motorway building.
• Increase in the active travel budget to spend at least 10% of the transport budget and realign transport spending to reflect the sustainable travel hierarchy. Plus:
  • Create cycle lanes physically separated from traffic along arterial routes into all towns and cities                              
  • A network of walking and cycling infrastructure in each town and city, including on-road quiet routes, LTNs and off-road routes.
  • Safe pedestrian and cycle access into villages
  • Integration of walking and cycling with public transport, especially in rural areas
  • Support for bike hire schemes
• A city-wide zero emission zone in operation in every city by 2030 supported by freight consolidation centres outside the zones to facilitate deliveries by cargo bike and zero emission vans.
• Extension to concessionary fares schemes.

2.2: Scottish Government – Permitted Development Rights (phase 2)

The first phase of the Scottish Government’s consultation on Permitted Development Rights closed last month. Phase 2 of the consultation is due in the new year and will cover permitted development rights for e-bike charging points.

2.3: Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

The Scottish Government’s STPR2 is timetabled for the new year and is likely to see more work and consultation on the options.  See here for more information and links to previous STPR2 documents.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Road Collision Reporting Guidelines

Tricia Fort responded in a personal capacity to this consultation, outlined in Digest 71, Item 1.6. Here’s the response she received.

“Dear Subscriber

Firstly, a belated thank you for your interest in our Road Collision Reporting Guidelines. We were overwhelmed with the response to our consultation and have received a lot of great feedback from individuals and organisations with expertise, experience or simply an interest in the topic.

The draft guidelines were produced in collaboration with those in roads policing, academia, law, road safety and media. In total we received 164 responses to our consultation via email, our web form and in one-to-one interviews.

The response to the draft guidelines was overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of people saying they supported the principles of what we are trying to achieve.

As well as insight from organisations on how the language around road collisions affects their work we were struck by the number of responses from individuals simply concerned other road users’ attitudes result in them feeling unsafe on the roads, particularly while cycling – attitudes they feel could be improved with more mature, nuanced public discourse on road safety.

We know language matters, and that the way we talk about road collisions affects how we perceive levels of risk, where it comes from and what we can do about it as a society.

We also know that, more than ever, journalists’ jobs are challenging, working with restricted budgets, and that journalists are increasingly on the receiving end of abuse, both online and offline. Our aim is to make their jobs easier by helping provide guidance for reporting on road collisions that allows for accurate and fair reporting – without hindering their vital work.

Based on constructive feedback, and on reflection, we feel the guidelines, if they are to meet these aims, need some finessing. They need to be more concise and easier to follow, with clearly defined rationale behind them.

We originally set ourselves the challenge of launching the guidelines at last night’s Active Travel Media Awards but we have decided to delay launching them until Spring 2021. We are a small team and we want to get this important work right.

In the meantime, we plan to have further conversations across journalism and road safety organisations and keep working to produce something we can be proud of, that has real value.

We still very much believe in the need for these guidelines and we look forward to publishing something that ultimately helps us shape safer roads for all road users, and contributes positively to media discourse in this field.

We will keep you updated over the coming months.

All the best

The RC-RG team”

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – draft Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP)

Government is consulting on a new 5-year Infrastructure Investment Plan to 2025/26. It’s very different in style from the current plan which was all about big projects and city connections, including the Queensferry Bridge, A9 dualling and M8/M73/M74 works.

This time Government has decided to tell a different story – one about grouping their infrastructure projects around themes of reducing emissions, inclusive economic growth, and building resilient and sustainable places. The story may sound different but many of the words are still the same! Plans remain for huge road infrastructure projects, totally incompatible with a climate emergency. These will lock in high carbon construction work and travel choices for decades to come. Government needs to realise that its new investment hierarchy needs to be used to reset existing plans not just influence future ones.

The IIP also includes no change to the government’s Programme for Government commitment for £100m for active travel over the next 5 years. As I wrote in a Cycling UK blog, this will in reality be a real terms cut in funding over the period, and, with changes to council match funding requirements, would see less spending on walking and cycling overall.

Transform Scotland has provided an excellent analysis of the IIP, and I recommend that anyone wanting to respond to the consultation looks at their presentation first. But hurry, only a few days left….

Closes 19 November 2020

1.2: Transport Scotland – Road Safety Framework

The new Road Safety Framework consultation to 2030 proposes that Scotland should have the best road safety record in the world by 2030 and a ‘Vision Zero’ for 2050. I wrote more detail about this consultation in my introductory blog last week and provided a link to a Cycling UK in Scotland guide to the consultation.

Closes 1 December 2020

1.3: *NEW* Transport Scotland – Free Bus Travel for under 19s

This is a short consultation asking if concessionary bus fares should be extended for people resident in Scotland aged under 19. This is a good move at a national level and perhaps a start towards localised free bus travel for everyone which could be transformatory for our streets and reduce transport poverty. See the Free Our City campaign from our sister group, Get Glasgow Moving.

Closes 7 December 2020

1.4: *NEW* Scottish Government – Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 – a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland

Consultation on a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland, taking into account the recommendations arising from the independent review of the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy.

Closes 22 January 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: Scottish Government – Permitted Development Rights (phase 2)

The first phase of the Scottish Government’s consultation on Permitted Development Rights closed this week. The big thing in that for active travel was the proposal to allow permitted development rights to cover cycle storage sheds in front gardens, back courts of flats, on the streets (cycle hangers), etc. Phase 2 of the consultation is due in the new year and will cover permitted development rights for e-bike charging points.

2.2: Scottish Parliament – Revised Climate Change Plan

We expect the Scottish Government to lay its revised Climate Change Plan in the Scottish Parliament in early December. Parliament’s Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee are then likely to coordinate the hearing of evidence on the revised plan. This parliamentary procedure will need to be squeezed in before Parliament is dissolved at the end of March for the election.

The revised Climate Change Plan will not be a full revision of the current plan but, instead, provide extra policies designed to achieve strengthened targets. Transport is the sector contributing the most emissions of any sector in Scotland and has not cut its emissions in 30 years. Policies are desperately needed to reduce private vehicle us, boost public transport and of course encourage more people to take short everyday journeys by foot or cycle.

2.3: Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

It has been difficult to keep up to speed with progress of the Scottish Government’s STPR2 through 2020 because of Covid disrupting the timetable. The new year is likely to see more work and potentially further consultation on the options – watch this space. See here for more information and links to previous documents.

More to come in December!

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. North Lanarkshire, City Deal, Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange Planning Application, closes 08 June
2. University of Stirling, EU-funded survey on Gender and Transport – please help, no closing date given
3. Scottish Government – Just Transmission Commission, closes 30 June
4. Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights, open-ended but nominally closes on 01 January 2021
5. Scottish Parliament, EEFW Committee, COVID-19 – impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy, no closing date

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Still no news for you here.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. North Lanarkshire, City Deal, East Airdrie Link Road, Consultant’s response to GoBike submission
2. UK Government, Results of Law Commissions’ Second Consultation on HARPS

Section 1: Current Consultations, in date order for responses

1.1 North Lanarkshire, City Deal, Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange Planning Application, closes 08 June

We received this email update from North Lanarkshire Council on 20 May:

“Plans for the Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange project are progressing, with a planning application now submitted.

The application, for change of use of vacant land at Muir Street, sets out how we propose to create a new railway station access road and taxi rank as well as improvements to bus facilities and pedestrian crossings.

You can find more information about the project and view the planning application at our project web page. The planning application reference number is 20/00345/FUL.

We are delivering this project as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

The Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange will complement redevelopment work planned by Abellio Scotrail at Motherwell Rail Station. This includes creating an enhanced station building with a brighter, larger concourse and improved ticket sales and passenger facilities.“

In Digest 25, issued in January 2019, Item 3.7, we included this link to details of a consultation, which we had missed, to proposed improvements around the railway station, quoting “Improvement to walking and cycling routes”

Here’s a link to a ScotRail article about the proposals; it’s dated 2018 so we aren’t sure what has happened since. The article mentions improved cycle access and while the plans submitted with the Planning Application show a 3m cycle lane to the station, there is no other detail.

GoBike has submitted the following comment of tentative support to the plans but if you support the Planning Application or have concerns, do please follow the links in the North Lanarkshire message to the project web page and use the reference 20/00345/FUL to insert your comment.

“GoBike, the Strathclyde Cycle Campaign, supports the use of the cycle as an everyday means of transport for people of all ages, and, to realise this aim, we need to see good quality dedicated cycle infrastructure, not simply painted lines on our roads, with adequate parking arrangements at destinations such as railway stations.
We are pleased to support this planning application because it is a step, albeit a very cautious one, in the right direction. We note that currently, or at the time of your public consultation 2 years ago, very few people were cycling to the station. We do not see very much in your proposals to entice more people to use their bikes; we are concerned that although you show a dedicated cycle path to the station on your layout plan, it is directly adjacent to the taxi rank. What is to prevent taxis, their drivers or passengers encroaching on the cycle lane?
During the current pandemic far more people are cycling in Motherwell as they are all around Scotland and, once train services are able to return to more people travelling, although initially allowing for social distancing, we hope that you will be able to encourage far more people to travel to the station by cycle, from all parts of Motherwell and its environs.”

1.2 University of Stirling, EU-funded survey on Gender and Transport – please help, no closing date given

We received an email recently from a Dr Yvonne Hail and Prof Ron McQuaid from the University of Stirling, who are taking part in an European funded consortium exploring gender and transport (https://diamond-project.eu/) 

“The aim of the project is to evaluate different fairness criteria relating to people’s use of various transport modes, including bike share schemes in order to develop measures to increase the number of women who use the services and to compare and evaluate different fairness criteria. The fairness criteria will be based on an analysis of demographic data, socio-economic data and location to ensure fairness for all in access to bike sharing facilities.
Due to social distancing and the wider societal impacts of COVID19 we are looking for assistance in our data collection campaign and hope you can help us, by sharing our online questionnaire with your networks (users/non-users).“

Questionnaire: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfecB23Wd4jzApEORNSKbatMZkqJSfgaL3U8sb1c3U3WCUbGg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Do help them please by completing the survey – it’s a bit clunky, but you should find it of interest – even if you have never used a hire bike.
There’s no closing date given but do please fill it out before you forget.

1.3 Scottish Government – Just Transmission Commission, closes 30 June

The details of this consultation were given in our last Digest, Digest 60, Item 1.1, but here’s the wording from the Government’s website:

The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Act 2019 recently passed by the Scottish Parliament contains some of the most ambitious statutory emission reduction targets in the world. The transition required to meet these targets will be one of a number of long-term structural changes to the economy that will require a response and active management from the Scottish Government.

Against this backdrop of increasingly ambitious emission reduction targets, calls for fairness in climate change action and securing a ‘just transition’ have grown. Originating from the trade union movement, the concept of just transition refers to the need for Governments to take action to reduce emissions in a way which is fair and leaves no-one behind.

The Just Transition Commission has been established to provide Scottish Ministers with practical, realistic, and affordable recommendations for action that will:

• maximise the economic and social opportunities that the move to a net-zero economy by 2045 offers
• build on Scotland’s existing strengths and assets
• understand and mitigate risks that could arise in relation to regional cohesion, equalities, poverty (including fuel poverty), and a sustainable and inclusive labour market

If you follow the link you will be able to respond to the call for evidence – since most of us have a bit more time at the moment do put your thoughts about maintaining road space for cycling, reducing emissions, etc in the boxes. Please do it for the sake of your health and the nation’s health.

1.4 Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights, nominally closes 01 January 2021

This open-ended inquiry was covered in Digest 60, Item 1.2 and according to the parliamentary website:

“There is no set deadline to submit your views. The call is open-ended to enable the Committee to monitor any ongoing or emerging equalities and human rights issues, so that steps can be taken to protect those most in need.“

We have all seen that our streets are emptier, the air is cleaner, more people are walking and cycling; these are the very things we need to see continue and unless we tell the Government we need them to continue, they will just go with the easy option and let cars return.
Here’s more information from the website:

“This inquiry seeks to identify the evidence that some groups of people are experiencing disproportionately negative impacts of the coronavirus, and by some of the measures taken to deal with it.

The inquiry will look at the measures the Scottish Government and other public bodies, including regulatory and oversight bodies, can take to help. It will also examine measures taken by public bodies and the impacts they may have on equality and human rights.

We want to hear your views on:

• which equality groups are being disproportionately negatively affected by the coronavirus, and by some of the measures taken to deal with it 
• what equality and human rights impacts there have been
• what the Scottish Government can change or improve to mitigate against these impacts“

This is your chance to say that people without cars are being given better air to breathe and those of us who choose to walk and cycle now have more space to do that. If things are allowed to revert to what they were before we will all be disadvantaged. Please do respond.

1.5 Scottish Parliament, EEFW Committee, COVID-19 – impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy, no closing date

This is the third high-level consultation that was first aired in Digest 60, Item 1.3 and here’s the link to the Parliament’s website. Again, no closing date is given but if you do run a business or have significant concerns, please do submit your views. The website request you to:
“Please send your response by email to: economyenergyandfairwork@parliament.scot“

GoBike is grateful to Transform Scotland for bringing these last three Scotland-wide consultations to our attention.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

No, we are not aware of anything at the moment.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 North Lanarkshire, City Deal, East Airdrie Link Road, Consultant’s response to GoBike submission

We last mentioned the consultation on this in Digest 59, Item 1.2 and we had submitted this letter of opposition to the new road on 14 April. On 15 May we received this email with a letter from the Consultants, Aecom, who are dealing with this scheme:

“Thank you for your recent public exhibition response on the above.

Please find attached a letter as above which ought to be self-explanatory.

We had planned to hold a number of specific workshops during Option Development for the East Airdrie Link Road, however, given the current COVID-19 situation this is now not possible.  We would however still like to commence some early engagement and would like to invite you to join a virtual workshop through Microsoft Teams with a focus on Active Travel.  Please could you let us know if you would be interested in joining us using this approach and we can send on further details in due course.

Any other queries, please let me know.

Regards

Ryan Hutchison, BSc CEng MICE FCIHT
Technical Director, Roads, Scotland & Ireland“

GoBike member, Derek, has volunteered to join the virtual workshop mentioned in the email so we hope to have more news for you as work progresses.

2.2 UK Government, Results of Law Commissions’ Second Consultation on HARPS

In Digest 52, Item 1.3 we last gave details of the most recent consultation on this topic and published the GoBike letter of response, dated 06 January. On 20 May we received this update:

“Dear All,

The Law Commissions’ automated vehicles team are pleased to share the results from our second consultation on passenger services and public transport.

People’s responses cover some of the new challenges and opportunities arising from HARPS (Highly Automated Road Passenger Services) like creating safety standards and remote supervision of this new service. Prominent themes include the need to balance national and local governance, the importance of access to data, and to support rather than undermine mass transit.

We are very grateful for all the input received. You can find all of our published documents, including a 160 page analysis (which includes quotes), a 23 page summary, and the full text of each response listed alphabetically (alongside our original consultation documents) on our website: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/automated-vehicles/ .

Our consultation closed at the start of February before the impacts of COVID-19 became so widely felt. We hope you and yours are safe and well, and to have the opportunity to reconnect with you as we progress to the next phase of our work. In our third paper (which we aim to launch in the fourth quarter this year) we will go back to the safety assurance framework for automated vehicles, legal responsibility as well as integrating input from this HARPS consultation.

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.

With all best wishes,

The AV Team

Automated Vehicles | Law Commission | Public Law Team
1st Floor, Tower, Post Point 1.54, 52 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AG
(access via 102 Petty France)
Tel: 020 3334 3969 | Web: www.lawcom.gov.uk
Email: automatedvehicles@lawcommission.gov.uk

GoBike gets a couple of mentions in this document, though it’s a bit beyond our normal comfort level for consultations.

They say they are working up to another consultation later this year, so it’s keeping them busy, at least.

Back in a fortnight – hopefully!

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan, Climate change and you, now CLOSED.
2. North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, closes Thursday 30 April

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 (Community Council event)
2. Pedal on Parliament 2020, Space For Distancing
3. Glasgow, Louisa Jordan Hospital at the SEC: how do we get there safely?
4. What about other Shared Footways, eg James Street in Bridgeton?
5. A Segregated Cycle Route, London Road in Bridgeton, one of several in and around Glasgow and the west of Scotland, plus a mention of the Bearsway

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. The Scottish Parliament: Climate Change & You Update
2. Glasgow, Ibrox Stadium, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone
3. Glasgow, Celtic Park and Emirates Arena, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone
4. East Dunbartonshire Council: LDP Newsletter No.56
5. Glasgow, George Square Experimental Order
6. From University Avenue Glasgow to Princes Street Edinburgh

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

1.1 Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan, Climate change and you, now CLOSED.

We published information on this consultation in Digest 58 in good faith following information from our friends in Transform Scotland. Soon after publication, we got this email from them:

“I’m afraid to say that the Parliament’s ECCLR has now closed the consultation referred to in the article. (The 29 April date that we had used on our website was a placeholder, as the Committee had failed to advertise a closing date when they launched the consultation.)”

Poor performance there, then, from our government, but hope some of you managed to have a look. There is some feedback for those of us who did submit our views, see Item 3.1 below.

Item 1.2 North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, closes Thursday 30 April

In Digest 57, Item 1.3 we published details of this online consultation and in Digest 58, Item 1.2 we included GoBike’s letter of response, repeated here.

Here’s an email we received from North Lanarkshire Council on 23 April, encouraging feedback on the Link Road Options:

“We’re asking for your feedback on our plans for the East Airdrie Link Road, which is being developed as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

If you haven’t already given us your feedback, please take a few minutes to do so before 30 April. 

We will then consider all the comments received as we develop the plans for the link road. There will be another opportunity to give further feedback at the next stage of the project later this year.

Anyone who previously experienced difficulties returning the feedback form to the email address provided, can now send it to nlccitydeal@northlan.gov.uk.

Thank you.”

If you haven’t done so already, do please write in, by THURSDAY THIS WEEK to oppose the construction of this new road. In these times of limited travel, significant improvements in air quality and remarkable levels of cycling uptake, it is ridiculous that people working in local authorities and for our “city region” should be planning for more and more private road transport.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 (Community Council event)

Not before time, you might say, but Glasgow City Council is publicising a webinar for Community Councils and community groups, “Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19”. There are quite a few GoBike members who are also members of their Community Council so we hope you will all respond to the email that was forwarded by Glasgow City Council yesterday, 27 April. GoBike will be looking in too.

Here’s the text:

“From: Scottish Community Councils
Sent: 24 April 2020 11:58
Subject: Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 

Good morning everyone, 

Our colleagues at the Planning for Place programme have asked us to make you aware of an upcoming webinar on Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19.  Facilitated by Irene Beautyman, Place Lead at the Improvement Service, the webinar will be of particular value to council officers, elected members, community groups and all interested in pursuing the role of place as an enabler of healthier lives.  The online event is open to all those with an interest in facilitating active travel during the Covid-19 lockdown and in enabling safer conditions for walking and cycling.  Here is the link to sign up to the webinar (link removed by GoBike). I’d be grateful if you would consider sharing this information with interested colleagues and community councils in your area. 

Regards, “

If you do take part, please send any thoughts to the rest of us at GoBike!

****************************

Apart from that, GoBike is not aware of any specific consultations coming over the horizon, except for the Scottish Government information in Item 3.1, but we do hope that you are all able to get out on your bike to check current cycle lane provision, to note where it is sub-standard and where there is no provision at all. We need to make sure that, in future, we get good quality provision for all of us who are now cycling and all those people who will cycle if cycle lanes are there for them.

Let’s look at the facilities we currently have and the options open to us:

2.2 Pedal on Parliament 2020, Space For Distancing

We hope that by now you are all aware of our sister organisation, Pedal on Parliament, and its 2020 campaign inspired by the current social distancing guidelines. They have written up a couple of round ups about the action that happened over the weekend here and here and we hope that the encouragement the campaign has provided to local councils will help get some space for distancing road reallocation in place for people out walking and cycling.

Do have a look at the website and support, where and how you can, the moves to increase the space available for active travel while are streets are so empty during lockdown. We need to have meaningful dialogue, followed by action, to keep us safe on our journeys.

2.3 Glasgow, Louisa Jordan Hospital at the SEC: how do we get there safely?

National Cycle Route 75 will be well known to many of you; it’s narrow from the Clyde Arc Bridge, past the Hilton Garden Inn on the shared footway and along by the river past the Crowne Plaza Hotel and on to the shared footway shown above that runs next to the heliport. Crucially, though, on the other side of the green-netted fence, is a 2-lane road, empty at the time GoBike member, Brenda, took this photograph.

So why is such a narrow space provided for active travel, for people walking and cycling for their “daily permitted exercise”, for people going to their work at the Louisa Jordan Hospital, now the main function of the Scottish Exhibition Centre, and for people going to their work at other locations?

Let’s look at Cycling by Design, the Scottish Government’s design handbook, which Glasgow City Council have confirmed they use. In Table 6.2, “Off-carriageway facility widths”, page 63, the Desirable Minimum for shared pedestrian and cycle use is 3.0m. How does this shared footway compare? While the distance fence to fence is over 3m, the distance between the lampposts and the green fence is only 2.6m. That is, even without social distancing requirements, this shared footway is SUB-STANDARD. So why wasn’t one lane of the adjacent road used for cycling with the footway reserved for walking? That, as they say, is a “good question”.

How else can active travellers reach, or bypass, the Louisa Jordan Hospital? The tube bridge from Exhibition Centre railway station is closed, so let’s look at the surrounding roads. The Expressway is an option, but not for the faint-hearted, so what about Finnieston Street?

Some GoBike members might remember that when the Finnieston Street gyratory system was brought in some years ago we were very concerned about the perils of negotiating the roundabout on a bike. The City Council’s proposed solution was to suggest that the footway on the right hand side of the photo be made available for cycling, as well as walking in both directions! Look at the width. It was SUB-STANDARD then and if is absolutely SUB-STANDARD if we are all to keep a 2m distance from other people (except people with whom we cohabit).

Currently, for people who are confident in traffic, and provided any motor vehicles in the vicinity are being driven according to all the rules, Finnieston Street is a possibility, but for all the people who may currently be seen learning to ride on one of the hired Next Bikes??

2.4 What about other Shared Footways, eg James Street in Bridgeton?

Last week your Digest editor cycled out to Bridgeton with her cohabiting husband, to look at local cycle lanes, starting with the shared footway on James Street.

So how does this facility meet the standard set out in Cycling by Design, table 6.2? The pedestrian only space is 2m so does it meet the Desirable Minimum of 2m? Well, it would, but only if the lampposts, which clearly reduce the available width for walking were removed! Thus it is SUB-STANDARD.

Let’s look at the cycle space, which again, is 2m. Looking at Table 6.2, the Desirable Minimum for “Two way cycles only” is 3m, so let’s look at the Absolute Minimum (2 minima – how does that work?) and 2m is acceptable – but hold on – the 2m must be “free from line markings” and the white line is within the cycling lane. The verdict must again be SUB-STANDARD.

Why was this facility provided in this way? To allow the all-day parking on the right hand side of the photo and the limited parking adjacent to the cycle lane? Who knows?

Let’s bring in social distancing and ask whether a clearance from other people of 2m be maintained? Only with great difficulty. We don’t know who the other people in the photo are but it’s a fair guess that they use this route regularly.

Is 2m clearance from other people sufficient to protect people in these times of Coronavirus? We are all told to keep this distance but this Belgian study might get you thinking, but hopefully not worrying too much. Just stay as clear from others as you can, give everyone a good, wide berth.

2.5 A Segregated Cycle Route, London Road in Bridgeton, one of several in and around Glasgow and the west of Scotland, and a mention of the Bearsway

George and I then cycled on, via Bridgeton Cross, to the segregated cycle lane on London Road, which was constructed in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, even though it reduces to a shared footway well before the Emirates Stadium. GoBike has been reliably informed that if the M74 had been open at the time, removing much of the motor traffic from London Road, 2 one-way cycle lanes would have been constructed instead of this two-way facility.

So what’s the problem? The route is 3m kerb to kerb and that meets the Desirable Minimum Width given in Table 5.4, page 54 of Cycling by Design and if 2 people cycling opposite directions, as above, kept to their respective kerbs, it would just, just, be possible to get 2m clearance between them.

However, this check was prompted by GoBike member and Glasgow resident, Derek, who sent us this email recently:

“Last Sunday, coming in through Milngavie I went onto the cycle lane then quickly left when I saw the mass of family groups approaching as there was no way we could pass at 1m let alone 2. On the road, I was then hooted at by motorists yelling ‘get on the cycle lane’.“

So what can we do? Just about all our cycle facilities are constructed to the design minima. Obviously the design standards and the construction to date were all done before the terms “coronavirus” and “social distancing” entered our vocabulary, but with all the reports of increased numbers of people cycling, it’s of paramount importance that we get the space we need to cater for healthy active travel. We must refuse any designs done to the old minimum standards in any future consultations.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 The Scottish Parliament: Climate Change & You Update

Here’s an email received from the Scottish Parliament after the Digest Editor submitted a personal response to the short-lived consultation on Climate Change and You, referred to in Item 1.1 above. Note that the survey mentioned about halfway down, which closes on 12 May, only applies to people who submitted a response prior to the closure. It’s simply asking respondents’ views of the survey method.
However, there will be further consultation, see the paragraph we have put in bold:

“Hello,

Thank you for sharing your views on Climate Change and Behaviour Change with the Scottish Parliament via our online discussion site called Your Priorities.

We were delighted to receive your input on the behaviours we need to change now to help work towards a Net-Zero Scotland and your suggestions on what the Scottish Government should do to achieve this.   

A total of 393 participants took part and contributed 139 ideas, over 500 comments and nearly 9,000 ratings to help prioritise the ideas for behaviour change in the areas of travel, heating our buildings, generating electricity, food, and waste.

The Scottish Parliament is committed to involving people in its work and we would really appreciate if you could take 2 minutes to complete a short anonymous evaluation survey about your experience using our online engagement tool, Your Priorities.

You can complete this short survey via the following link: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ceu/a6789f89

Your feedback will help us improve how we engage with the public in the future. The survey will close on Tuesday 12^th May 2020.

In light of the COVID-19 emergency, the Scottish Government recently wrote to the Scottish Parliament to advise that the intended publication date for the Climate Change Plan update (30 April 2020) was no longer a practical option for a number of reasons, including the need to focus resources on the immediate response to the emergency.

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee is liaising with the Scottish Government and will be considering how best to take forward scrutiny of the Climate Change Plan update. Your views are being collated and analysed and your engagement will help Scottish Parliamentary Committees scrutinise the updated Climate Change Plan. The Committees will provide an update on their scrutiny plans once further information on Scottish Government plans is available.

We will be in touch when the updated plan is published and provide information about how you can get further involved to support the work of the Scottish Parliament holding the government to account on this vital issue.

For more information on some of our Climate Change work please visit: https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/102792.aspx

Thank you again for your participation and we look forward to receiving your feedback.“

As soon as we hear, we will let you know.

3.2 Glasgow, Ibrox Stadium, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone

As we have previously reported proposals were issued in 2018 to limit parking around Ibrox. These proposals have been fiercely (and expensively) opposed by the Club and its supporters. Here’s the latest email we received on 17 April, which refers to the “pre-hearing meeting held on 11 March and here’s the attachment, the note of the Pre-Hearing Meeting, that came with it.

They are both quite long documents so only perhaps of limited interest. Let’s hope that the City Council does take action soon to make our streets available for cycling.

3.3 Glasgow, Celtic Park and Emirates Arena, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone

On the very same day, 17 April, we received almost identical documents relating to event day parking in the east of the city. Again, the proposals to control parking are opposed by the vested interests of football. Here’s the email and the note of the Pre-Hearing Meeting held on 10 March for your edification – if you are interested.

One disappointing thing to note is that for Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena there is no mention of the local City Councillors or the local Community Council having any involvement. Community Councils, as we have seen elsewhere in the city, can be a powerful force, as also can City Councillors. Two Councillors and a Community Council have taken an interest in events at Ibrox.

3.4 East Dunbartonshire Council: LDP Newsletter No.56

Here’s the latest newsletter, April 2020, which we received on 15 April. There’s a short update on the Proposed Local Development Plan 2 on page 2.

3.5 Glasgow, George Square Experimental Order

Back in Digest 56, dated 17 March, Item 1.4, we gave the details for the proposed reduction of motor traffic in George Square in Glasgow and on 24 March we submitted this response. While we support the proposals we did suggest that the Square, or the majority of it, remain traffic-free later than the 7pm cutoff proposed. This email, received on 14 April, but just missing the deadline for Digest 58, denies this improvement (which we had also suggested at the Stage One consultation).

“THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (GEORGE SQUARE), EXPERIMENTAL ORDER 202_

Thank you for your correspondence dated 24^th March to the above Order on behalf of Go Bike.

As explained in my previous email the operational time of the bus priority measures is to provide consistency with the bus gates recently implemented in the city for the benefit and clarity of all users.

Your support will be recorded and reported in the official report to inform the Order. I will advise you of the outcome when the Order is completed but this process may be longer than expected due to the Coronavirus impact.“

Any of you currently visiting George Square will be able to enjoy the relative calm; let’s hope the changes are implemented soon, before the motor traffic returns to its previous level.

3.6 From University Avenue Glasgow to Princes Street Edinburgh

Last seen in February 2019 protecting the painted cycle lane on University Avenue, Autumn was photographed recently by her dad near their Edinburgh city centre home, cycling on the footway on Princes Street:

She’s still got the stabilisers but it’s hard to believe it’s a city centre: no taxis, no trams, no busses in sight. But now look what’s happened to University Avenue; GoBike member, Euan, recently submitted this photo:

A four-year old could cycle on the footway, so Autumn will be fine, with or without the stabilisers, but what about all the students, the shoppers, the workers and the visitors to the area? Where are they going to cycle on what was one of the first cycle routes in Glasgow, the Colleges Cycle Route, from the city centre out through the west end to the residential areas of Hyndland, Broomhill and Jordanhill?

It’s hard, but we will need to redouble our efforts in future campaigns and consultations to get active travel recognised. Otherwise it will be back to normal with cars everywhere and the air full of diesel and petrol fumes.

Do please support the Pedal on Parliament campaign to get short-term improvements. There are reports everywhere of increased numbers of people cycling and they need their space. Let’s hope there’s a positive outcome from the Community Councils event on Thursday (see Item 2.1)

More news in 2 weeks.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. **NEW** Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan — Climate change and you consultation , closes 29 April
2. North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, online consultation, closes 30 April

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. No news is no news from Glasgow City Council?
2. Notes for consultations of the future

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow, Hutchesontown (New Gorbals), Parking Controls, GoBike submission

Section 1: Current Consultations

1.1 **NEW** Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan — Climate change and you consultation , closes 29 April

Transform Scotland brought this one to our attention and we are sure many of you out there will wish to let the Scottish Government know your views on this important topic!

Here’s the information from the Transform Scotland website:

“The Scottish Parliament is scrutinising the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan. Part of the Plan is about behaviour change, and the Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform Committee is looking for ideas relating to what people would be willing to do to reduce their own emissions and what the Scottish Government should be doing to support these changes.

On the Scottish Parliament consultation website, you can submit your idea, support other ideas, and take part in the debate.”

Please do go to this website, login and approve or disapprove all the suggestions that are already there. It’s clear that the motor lobby has been out in force: one respondent even said that cycling is just for people who have all day to get somewhere!

1.2 North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, online consultation, closes 30 April

This was first covered in Digest 56, but in Digest 57, Item 1.3 we gave you the details of the online consultation that is currently open. The link to all the consultation information is here. Here’s the paper form that may be used instead of completing the survey questionnaire on line and you may see quite clearly from Question 2 that the whole thrust of the consultation exercise is towards the people who currently drive:

“2. If you were to travel in the direction of Cumbernauld or Motherwell / M74 how would you usually get there?

Use the A73 / local roads (please continue to question 3)

Use the motorway network (please go to question 5)“

The more roads there are, the more traffic there will be on them. This truth has been clear since the 1960s when the major motorway construction programme began in Britain. Once the current Covid 19 crisis is over, all steps possible should be taken to ensure that motor traffic levels do NOT return to previous levels. The current clean air and lack of pollution should teach us that, if nothing else.

If you live, work or travel within the Airdrie area, we suggest that you complete the survey questionnaire.

Here’s the GoBike letter of opposition to the proposals.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 No news is no news from Glasgow City Council?

Almost nothing has been heard from Glasgow City Council, or any other council, over the last 3-4 weeks and on Thursday last week GoBike phoned GCC, hoping to speak to one of the Section Heads who manages consultations that are issued to us. The call was transferred to a support worker, working from home, who informed us that our request for a brief update on the current state of affairs would be passed on and a return phone call made. That return call has not yet been received. However, the support worker did give the impression that consultations are on hold just now. Wonder what they are all doing?

2.2 Notes for consultations of the future

You might have been staying at home to improve your cycling skills but, if you have been getting out and about you will have noticed that the roads are quieter, but there are some speed merchants out there in their cars and vans. Unfortunately far too many people are still too worried about motor traffic and are cycling on roadside footways / pavements to get their daily exercise.

This clearly demonstrates that we need good quality cycling infrastructure, and not cycle lanes such as these, photographed recently in the east of the city:

Regular readers will be aware of GoBike’s concern about speed cushions and their widespread use in the city, pushing anyone who chooses to cycle either into the gutter our out into the traffic. Here’s a scary photo that GoBike member, Calum M, sent in of speed cushion avoidance near his home.

It is seeing this poor infrastructure that encourages GoBike to campaign and we need your help. If you are not at home competing with the hamster do please take note of the (normally) busy roads where there is inadequate, or no, cycling infrastructure, so that when the Local Authorities are back in action, we can all redouble our efforts to make Glasgow and all the surrounding areas an efficient and happy place to cycle.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Glasgow, Hutchesontown (New Gorbals), Parking Controls, GoBike submission

This preliminary consultation, to assess residents’ views, closed yesterday, 13 April and GoBike submitted a response, using the form that was published online.

GoBike is pleased that, should the proposals be carried through, commuter car parking is to be addressed in this area, delighted that on 9 streets, which are to be made one-way to motor traffic, two-way, ie with flow and contraflow cycling will be allowed, but we do have one concern, which relates to displacement. Last year, GoBike supported parking restrictions for the Laurieston area, to the west of the Gorbals, so displaced commuters can’t move there. Unfortunately, there already appears to be some commuter parking in Glasgow Green and around the Barras, so we hope the City Council will prevent any further moves by commuters to leave their cars all day north of the Clyde.

There will be 2 further stages in this consultation:

1. The Stage One, limited and not for public release, consultation, in which GoBike is now included.
2. The Stage Two Public Consultation when any necessary Traffic Management/Regulation Orders are published in the press and which we will bring you through these Digests.

Hopefully, we will have a wee bit of news for you in a fortnight but, whatever happens with consultations, do try to stay safe.