After the recent wave of consultations things have calmed down a bit. There’s a new consultation for Castle Semple Country Park in Renfrewshire. Also, something on the horizon for a roundabout junction in Pollok.

It’s the last call for Glasgow’s District consultations and one in Lanarkshire. The Southside Liveable Neighbourhoods consultations have finished but there’s a few more weeks for the north-west and north-east LNs.

Forthcoming consultations

Barrhead Road/Peat Road/Brockburn Road/Braidcraft Road roundabout junction

This busy, car dominated junction is north-west of Silverburn shopping centre. Initial plans were shared by a Greater Pollok councillor as mobile phone screenshots on Facebook. They’re a bit hard to see but there are no obvious active travel links. She suggests there could be a consultation in early March (or April) but no sign so far.

1: Current Consultations

1. North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF
2. NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment
3. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Yoker to Whiteinch
4. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Royston to Hogganfield
5. Castle Semple Country Park Vision

2: Consultation Feedback

1. Accessible and Inclusive Design Forum – committee report

3: Proposed Traffic Calming/Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. Glasgow City TROs

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: District Regeneration Frameworks for four areas in the north-east of the city centre. These were developed by teams of European and local consultants after previous consultation in late 2020. Each document has a comprehensive plan for its area (50+ pages). These include some fairly radical changes, especially around the M8. Also, there is a refreshing focus on opening up active travel routes through current barriers (improving permeability). However, these may be challenging to deliver. So, a show of support in the consultation should help make the case stronger.
Website links: North-East Districts survey, North-East Districts Combined Regeneration Handbook, Cowcaddens Regeneration Handbook, ‘Learning Quarter’ Regeneration Handbook, Merchant City Regeneration Handbook, Townhead Regeneration Handbook.
Deadline: 3 March 2023.

1.2: NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: A long-awaited consultation about plans to divert a section of NCN74 at Strathclyde Park. The current route loops up the (steep) Furlongs, onto Bothwell Rd, up alongside the East Kilbride Expressway to Glasgow Rd, down Station Rd in Blantyre to the pedestrian bridge and up to Station Rd in Bothwell. These proposals would change this to a much more direct route from the Raith Interchange, up the steep, pot-holed Langside Rd and across the busy Hamilton Rd on the way to Station Rd. There’s a potential alternative to SLC’s plans (slightly longer but less steep/busy) by turning right onto Laighlands Rd/Bothwellpark Rd then across to Olifard Ave/Appledore Cres. Also, there’s the question of conflict with pedestrians past Strathclyde Park loch. Elsewhere, the survey has two options to transform the approach to Uddingston train station and some other welcome junction improvements.
Website links: Uddingston to Bothwell survey.
Deadline: 6 March 2023.

1.3: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Yoker to Whiteinch

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Yoker, Scotstoun, Jordanhill and Whiteinch.
Subject: A Liveable Neighbourhoods area in the north-west of the city. These areas featured in a recent cycling video by John Munro of Birmingham University. Within it, he highlighted the gap in cycling provision between the end of the old railway path at South St and the busy Thornwood Roundabout on Dumbarton Rd. Meanwhile, the former Jordanhill Training College site is one of the bigger new housing developments in the wider area. The MyGLN website seems to have been set up for this Liveable Neighbourhood and Royston to Hogganfield. It’s run by the companies Mott MacDonald, Urban Movement and New Practice. The latter recently paid tribute to Emma Newman on Twitter.
Website links: Yoker to Whiteinch LN consultation page.
Deadline: 19 March 2023.

1.4: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Royston to Hogganfield

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Royston, Sighthill, Germiston, Blackhill and Hogganfield.
Subject: Neighbourhoods in the north-east of the city between the M8 and the railway. Furthest west is Sighthill, which is nearing completion after a total rebuilt in the last few years. East of Springburn Road are Royston and Germiston and their main street, Royston Rd. It hasn’t got any cycling infrastructure on the flat but was the subject of a project by Rosemount Development Trust in 2021. Where Royston Rd climbs up to Blackhill there’s the Spaces for People cycle lanes. Another project, Flourishing Molendinar, have big plans for Blackhill, Cumbernauld Rd (by Hogganfield Park) and the bridge to Smithycroft/Riddrie. Hogganfield Loch is part of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park (PDF map). So, better links to the rest of Glasgow would have wider benefits for people going to/from North Lanarkshire.
Website links: Royston to Hogganfield LN consultation page.
Deadline: 19 March 2023.

1.5: Castle Semple Country Park Vision

Council: Renfrewshire.
Area: Castle Semple Country Park, Lochwinnoch.
Subject: “Local residents and businesses are being invited to share their views on the tourism potential of Castle Semple Country Park in Lochwinnoch.” Active travel and a possible cycle hub are included in the survey questions. NCN7 runs past the loch on a former railway line, linking to Kilburnie, Johnstone and Paisley. However, active travel access between the park and other places, like Howwood, can be a bit patchy. The ‘virtual consultation event’ is similar to a previous one for Make Your Way.
Website links: Castle Semple virtual consultation.
Deadline: 26 March 2023.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Accessible and Inclusive Design Forum – committee report

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Originally called the Accessible Design Forum, this group was set up in the wake of concerns about the new Sauchiehall Avenue. It’s meant to be a platform for disability and active travel organisations to discuss upcoming plans. A report to GCC’s City Policy committee summarises its first few meetings and next steps. One of the key areas under discussion are so-called ‘floating bus stops’. These avoid conflict between buses and people cycling by putting segregated cycle lanes behind bus stops. Pedestrians cross to the bus stop island by a short mini-zebra. However, groups for visually impaired people say the use of uncontrolled crossings makes bus stops inaccessible for blind people. There are already floating bus stops on the South City Way and Garscube Rd with more due to follow in future projects. The same committee also heard updates on George Square/Avenues and the Clyde Metro.
Website links: AIDF report for City Policy committee.

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

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

3.2: Glasgow City Traffic Calming/TROs

Areas: City-wide.
Subject:TROs: Raeberry St stopping up order is out for consultation until 24 March 2023.
Traffic calming: Three current schemes for Greenfield Avenue/Inveresk St, Waulkglen Road and Boghall Road.
Website links:Glasgow City Proposed TROs, Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

Another four consultations at once – this time, Liveable Neighbourhoods in Glasgow. Two on the Southside, one for the north-west and one for north-east. Also, new visualisations came out for some of the earlier LN projects (see featured images on this post). A few of South Lanarkshire’s consultations are ongoing and there’s a new one from North Lanarkshire.

Consultation events – Palacerigg, Cumbernauld has a drop-in event TODAY (1–8pm) and Mansewood to Shawlands LN has an event tomorrow (17 Feb, 4–7pm). See below for details…

1: Current Consultations

1. Clydesdale Active Travel Studies
2. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Pollokshields East to Gorbals
3. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Mansewood to Shawlands
4. Palacerigg Future Housing
5. North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF
6. NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment
7. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Yoker to Whiteinch
8. Liveable Neighbourhoods – Royston to Hogganfield

2: Consultation Feedback

1. Paisley to AMIDS transport links
2. New visuals of first four Liveable Neighbourhoods

3: Proposed Traffic Calming/Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. Glasgow City TROs

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Clydesdale Active Travel Studies

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: A large rural area divided into southern, north-west and north-east areas for these projects. Like previous studies in South Lanarkshire’s towns, there’s a consultation map to comment on. Some areas have new active travel infrastructure, including Carstairs, with other routes like Leadhills–Wanlockhead to follow. This is a chance to look at gaps like Make Your Way’s NCN74–Douglas path, which missed out on funding. The map and surveys will inform reports and active travel network maps for each area.
Website links: Clydesdale Placecheck map (all areas), Northwest Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study, Northeast Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study, South Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study.
Deadline: 24 February 2023.

1.2: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Pollokshields East to Gorbals

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Pollokshields East, Govanhill, Tradeston and ‘Greater Gorbals’.
Subject: A consultation on neighbourhoods that aren’t obvious bedfellows. A different grouping was used for the South Central Local Development Framework (SCLDF) last year. The southern bit missing is Polmadie, which was tacked onto the Langside to Toryglen LN. Govanhill is one of the most densely populated areas in the city. It contains most of Victoria Rd, with the South City Way, and part of Pollokshaws Rd. The Gorbals (and Hutchesontown) has been almost entirely demolished and rebuilt since the 1950s with mixed results. More recent regeneration has included the rebuilt footbridge to new flats in Oatlands and Richmond Park. Also, the Barclays campus in Tradeston with bike links to the South West City Way and along the former Clyde Place. However, this is a great opportunity for raising (literally!) the sunken south bank cycle path near St Andrew’s suspension bridge.
Website links: Pollokshields East to Gorbals LN consultation page.
Deadline: 26 February 2023.

1.3: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Mansewood to Shawlands

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Mansewood, Pollokshaws, Shawlands.
Subject: Southside areas east of Pollok Country Park. There’s the brand new South West City Way extension on St Andrew’s Drive. At the other end of the scale, the Auldhouse (Tollbooth) Roundabout is a road safety blackspot on one of many wide main roads off the M77 motorway. A lot of the main roads lack crossings, even at some entrances to the park like Pollok Ave. Some big developments are planned for both Shawbridge Arcade and Shawlands Arcade. Also, the former car showroom site on Pollokshaws Rd at Nithsdale Dr just got planning permission. It’s the junction where Ashley Lennon was hit and killed by a truck driver in May 2019 but no changes have been made to the road. The LN website asks for suggestions of local groups to work with but it’s not clear how this fits with other projects like Connecting Pollokshaws.
Consultation event – TOMORROW 17 Feb, 4-7pm at Nan McKay Hall, St John’s Rd, Pollokshields.
Website links: Mansewood to Shawlands LN consultation page.
Deadline: 26 February 2023.

1.4: Palacerigg Future Housing

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: An early consultation on plans for a large housing estate at the southern edge of Cumbernauld. The area is bordered by a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) to the west and Palacerigg Country Park to the east. It’s also near the northern tip of the proposed East Airdrie Link Road (which may be one reason that’s being built). Active travel links to nearby Cumbernauld train station, the country park and the wider town will be important but nothing about those so far.
Consultation event – TODAY 16 Feb, between 1–8pm at Muirfield Community Centre, 1A South Muirhead St, Cumbernauld G67 1AX.
Website links: Palacerigg consultation page and Palacerigg survey.
Deadline: 2 March 2023.

1.5: North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: District Regeneration Frameworks for four areas in the north-east of the city centre. These were developed by teams of European and local consultants after previous consultation in late 2020. Each document has a comprehensive plan for its area (50+ pages). These include some fairly radical changes, especially around the M8. Also, there is a refreshing focus on opening up active travel routes through current barriers (improving permeability). However, these may be challenging to deliver. So, a show of support in the consultation should help make the case stronger.
Website links: North-East Districts survey, North-East Districts Combined Regeneration Handbook, Cowcaddens Regeneration Handbook, ‘Learning Quarter’ Regeneration Handbook, Merchant City Regeneration Handbook, Townhead Regeneration Handbook.
Deadline: 3 March 2023.

1.6: NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: A long-awaited consultation about plans to divert a section of NCN74 at Strathclyde Park. The current route loops up the (steep) Furlongs, onto Bothwell Rd, up alongside the East Kilbride Expressway to Glasgow Rd, down Station Rd in Blantyre to the pedestrian bridge and up to Station Rd in Bothwell. These proposals would change this to a much more direct route from the Raith Interchange, up the steep, pot-holed Langside Rd and across the busy Hamilton Rd on the way to Station Rd. There’s a potential alternative to SLC’s plans (slightly longer but less steep/busy) by turning right onto Laighlands Rd/Bothwellpark Rd then across to Olifard Ave/Appledore Cres. Also, there’s the question of conflict with pedestrians past Strathclyde Park loch. Elsewhere, the survey has two options to transform the approach to Uddingston train station and some other welcome junction improvements.
Website links: Uddingston to Bothwell survey.
Deadline: 6 March 2023.

1.7: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Yoker to Whiteinch

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Yoker, Scotstoun, Jordanhill and Whiteinch.
Subject: A Liveable Neighbourhoods area in the north-west of the city. These areas featured in a recent cycling video by John Munro of Birmingham University. Within it, he highlighted the gap in cycling provision between the end of the old railway path at South St and the busy Thornwood Roundabout on Dumbarton Rd. Meanwhile, the former Jordanhill Training College site is one of the bigger new housing developments in the wider area. The MyGLN website seems to have been set up for this Liveable Neighbourhood and Royston to Hogganfield. It’s run by the companies Mott MacDonald, Urban Movement and New Practice. The latter recently paid tribute to Emma Newman on Twitter.
Website links: Yoker to Whiteinch LN consultation page.
Deadline: 19 March 2023.

1.8: Liveable Neighbourhoods – Royston to Hogganfield

Council: Glasgow City.
Areas: Royston, Sighthill, Germiston, Blackhill and Hogganfield.
Subject: Neighbourhoods in the north-east of the city between the M8 and the railway. Furthest west is Sighthill, which is nearing completion after a total rebuilt in the last few years. East of Springburn Road are Royston and Germiston and their main street, Royston Rd. It hasn’t got any cycling infrastructure on the flat but was the subject of a project by Rosemount Development Trust in 2021. Where Royston Rd climbs up to Blackhill there’s the Spaces for People cycle lanes. Another project, Flourishing Molendinar, have big plans for Blackhill, Cumbernauld Rd (by Hogganfield Park) and the bridge to Smithycroft/Riddrie. Hogganfield Loch is part of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park (PDF map). So, better links to the rest of Glasgow would have wider benefits for people going to/from North Lanarkshire.
Website links: Royston to Hogganfield LN consultation page.
Deadline: 19 March 2023.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Paisley to AMIDS transport links

Council: Renfrewshire.
Subject: Route along the White Cart river between Paisley town centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) next to Glasgow Airport. The riverside road and bridge now has planning consent from Renfrewshire Council’s Planning and Climate Change Board. While the roads seem to be the focus, there are cycling and walking links but they’re shared pavements.
Website links: Paisley to AMIDS planning announcement, AMIDS South project route maps.

2.2: New visuals of first four Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: New visualisations of projects from the first tranche of Liveable Neighbourhoods. Carntyne Square is shown for Dennistoun to Cranhill LN. The Langside to Toryglen LN has a view of the Battle of Langside monument. There’s a view of the Dummy Railway path for Ruchill to Cowlairs LN. Most interesting is the view of Paisley Road West, Cessnock for the Govan to Kingston LN. It seems to ‘put a marker down’ for cycletracks on PRW. However, the recent Glasgow Bus Partnership report to GCC only mentioned bus lanes, not bike lanes. A bus lane is marked in the visual so let’s hope there’s room for both.
Website links: Liveable Neighbourhood Vision Starts To Take Shape (Re:Glasgow).

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

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

3.2: Glasgow City Traffic Calming/TROs

Areas: City-wide.
Subject: TROs: Laggan Rd filter is out for consultation until 24 February 2023.
Traffic calming: Three current schemes for Greenfield Avenue/Inveresk St, Waulkglen Road and Boghall Road.
Website links: Glasgow City Proposed TROs, Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

This is the second Digest during the pre-election period so things are still a bit quiet. This Digest is mostly about Glasgow with a wee bit from North Ayrshire and East Dunbartonshire.

Again, this Digest features an update about recent infrastructure developments. This time focusing on Glasgow’s latest Spaces for People measures (following on from Howard St last time). A few new lanes are going in Pollok and some in the north east of the city. The city centre has some new planter boxes and should get another new lane (eventually).

Glasgow Spaces for People Update

• Braidcraft Rd plans.
• Brockburn Rd plans and GoBike’s response to ‘bikelash’ in Glasgow Times making front page news!
• Cambridge St plans which may not have started yet due to water main works (and the usual considerate parking).
• Planter boxes installed on Candleriggs, Merchant City (to make way for outdoor seating?). More on Bell Street, Wilson Street and Trongate.
• London Rd roadworks near Fielden St and more near Celtic Park (possibly to lay cable?). Missing zebras/armadillos have been replaced outside Celtic Park/Emirates and lane cleaned.
• Royston Rd plans.
• Wallacewell Rd plans.

Barriers Overload Update

Dawsholm Park barriers – three(!) sets added to new path.

Contents
(new consultations in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Ardrossan Connections – Design Festival (workshops 14/21 April)
2. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our City Centre Districts, (Y)our Ideas & Proposals Workshops (22/26 April)
3. East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation (online event 22 April)
4. Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan consultation (ends 23 April)
5. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Malls Mire newsletter – March 2021

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

1.1: Ardrossan Connections – Design Festival

First covered in Digest 78 (1.2), Ardrossan Connections is about improving links and public spaces in the Ayrshire coastal town. See the webpage about the project or information boards for more background or view comments on the Ardrossan Commonplace map.

The latest phase of the project is a ‘Design Festival’ from 7–27 April. In other words, some design workshops (announced just after the last Digest). GoBike members will probably be more interested in the ‘Connections’ design workshops on 14 and 21 April. There are also ‘Placemaking’ workshops on 20 and 26 April. Each workshop is shown on the Design Festival page – click the one you want to go to its sign-up link.

Alternatively, if you can’t make any of the workshops, you might be able to use the Ardrossan ‘padlet’ to add a design idea as a pin on the map (zoom in – a lot!).

1.2: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our City Centre Districts, (Y)our Ideas & Proposals Workshops

The city centre districts projects have been featured several times, including Digest 74, 1.2. These are about major regeneration, with an emphasis on transport and community. The four districts being consulted on in this phase are Cowcaddens, Townhead, Merchant City and ‘Learning Quarter’ (Cathedral St, etc.). The districts Commonplace map is still open but the focus will be on the outcome of the latest workshops.

Proposals Workshops are coming up for Merchant City on 22 April and ‘Learning Quarter’ on 26 April. Timetables for each online event are on the City Centre Strategy workshops page.

Cowcaddens and Townhead have already had their workshops. The same webpage showcases the themes which came out of those. ‘(Y)our Ideas’, are numbered – clicking each takes you to a PDF summary about it. Underneath the themes is a button to a survey – it asks which ideas you see as highest priority.

In due course, a similar setup will probably appear for Merchant City/’Learning Quarter’ after their workshops.

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation 

This initiative was first covered in Digest 82, Item 1.7. East Dunbartonshire Council didn’t apply for Spaces for People funding but sustainable transport is part of their Climate Conversation webpage. Subsequently, this will feed into three future consultations on the environment, including a new Active Travel Strategy.

The last of their Climate Conversation events is on 22 April (online, using MS Teams). The overall Climate Conversation itself will run until 2 May 2021.

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan consultation 

As mentioned in Digest 83, Item 1.4, this regeneration project is looking at housing and public spaces in Gilshochill, south of Summerston train station.

There are many visualisations on the Maryhill North consultation page, most of which look promising. However, there are some very sharp angles in the zigzag paths, which don’t look very bike-friendly (as seen in the feature photo at the top of this Digest). Also, some of the realigned streets appear to be ‘shared space’, without any pavements. The theory behind shared space is that drivers pay more attention if pavements and markings are removed. However, the reality is often pedestrians get startled by cars and have to dart out the way (or in this case, dive into a hedge!).

If you want to comment on the TRA plans, you have to register first on the above page. Consultation closes on 23 April.

1.5: Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

A few comments in the city centre districts Commonplace map ask about more space for skaters. GUS’s M74 skatepark project would provide that under a flyover near West St subway station. First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, the GUSM74 survey is still open for BMX riders, skaters, or their families, to have their say about the park.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Malls Mire newsletter – March 2021

The first issue of this newsletter featured in Digest 74, Item 3.4. The Malls Mire project is creating play areas and woodland paths between Toryglen and Rutherglen.

The March 2021 newsletter covers the latest construction news about the bike pump track, playgrounds, landscaping and more. See further background about the project on Clyde Gateway’s Malls Mire webpage.

As predicted in the last Digest, there aren’t so many consultations due to the pre-election period. This Digest is split between Glasgow and a few items each from East Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire.

However, there are often more developments on the ground around the city in March, to complete works before the Public Sector’s end of Financial Year. Many of us might be restricted to our own council area right now. So, it can help to see that progress is happening somewhere, as it may not feel like it at times. That’s why this Digest features an Infrastructure Update to bring you up to speed.

Infrastructure Update

• Glasgow City Council have just installed Spaces for People segregation on the Howard St bike lane.
• South City Way now has electronic bike warning signs installed on side streets off Victoria Rd (to alert drivers – triggered by bikes going past).
• GCC have completed a section of segregated cycleway on Garscube Rd from M8 to Sawmillfield St. Work is well underway on combined crossings at junction with Possil Rd/St George’s Rd. The next section of route, going north on Garscube Rd, has also started.
• GCC is also working on phase 1 of East City Way on London Rd/Hamilton Rd near Mount Vernon station. Its new Nextbike station has already been installed.
• Nextbike Glasgow announced 10 new hire stations (and the end of the free 30 minutes scheme).
• North Lanarkshire Council are installing a wider shared path at the western end of Strathclyde Park Loch (but it peters out near the playpark). The new path is west of the closed section of the park’s ‘spine road’ – see map in Item 1.1, below.

Ahead of the election in May, see the Cycling for everyone election petition by Cycling UK in Scotland (extended until 1 April) and Pedal on Parliament’s ‘Light the Way’ campaign (24 April).

Contents
(new consultations in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. North Lanarkshire Council – Strathclyde Park road closure consultation (ends 31 March)
2. Kinning Park Complex – Sustaining Choices events (1, 3 or 6 April)
3. East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation (online event 22 April)
4. Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan consultation (ends 23 April)
5. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our ‘Learning Quarter’ and Merchant City Proposals Workshops

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Iceni Projects (Glasgow Harbour) – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 response
2. Glasgow City Council – Active Travel Forum follow-up
3. South Lanarkshire Council – South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership meeting, 22 March
4. East Dunbartonshire Council – Local Development Plan Newsletter

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

1.1: North Lanarkshire Council – Strathclyde Park road closure

In summer 2020, North Lanarkshire Council used Spaces for People funding to install gates to close off a 2km section of Strathclyde Country Park’s ‘spine road’ to motor traffic. It goes from the roundabout at Bothwellhaugh Rd to the car park entrance near Haughview Rd, Motherwell. It includes part of the course for the 2014 Commonwealth Games triathlon.

NLC are now consulting about whether or not the closure should be made permanent. Most SfP measures in North Lanarkshire have ended (including other temporary road closures). So, the Strathclyde Park gates are potentially the area’s only active travel legacy from the pandemic.

The road was previously used as a rat run by cars/vans, especially to avoid congestion on the M74 between junctions 5 and 6. Speeding in the park led to wide rubber speed bumps being fitted (but it could still be an issue in between). The road has no pavement, except near M&D’s theme park. There are narrower paths around the loch and surrounding area but they often become crowded. A wider path is under construction at the western end of the loch (see Infrastructure Update, above).

Since the motor traffic has gone the road has become even more popular with pedestrians and people on bikes (bicycle tyre tracks are visible in the mud either side of the west gates). The park attracts people from surrounding towns in both North and South Lanarkshire. So, keeping the closure would be a boost to active travel in the wider area.

See the survey on the Strathclyde Park masterplan website but you need to be quick as it ends TODAY 31 March.

1.2: Kinning Park Complex – Sustaining Choices events

Kinning Park Complex ran many community events before the pandemic. The physical centre is closed just now but they’re still working with the community. These events target areas around the section of Paisley Road West north of the motorway (and a wee bit south of the M8 too).

KPC say they’re: “Bringing local people together to determine how walking, wheeling, and cycling can be made easier in Kinning Park, Plantation, Cessnock, and Ibrox.”

The events are part of a wider project called Because We Say So! looking at wider community issues (with a nicely designed website).

Events take place on 1, 3 and 6 April – see Sustaining Choices Eventbrite page to signup.

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

This initiative first got a mention in Digest 82, Item 1.7. After missing out on Spaces for People funding, East Dunbartonshire Council are getting ahead of the COP26 game with their Climate Conversation surveys and events.

Their Climate Conversation webpage says: “The Climate Conversation is the first stage in preparing an area-wide Climate Action Plan (CAP) for East Dunbartonshire… We are also commencing work during 2021 on new strategies that will support the objectives of the CAP: the Open Space Strategy; Circular Economy Strategy; and Active Travel Strategy.” The last one will obviously be of most interest to GoBike (but the other two are also welcome).

EDC have various surveys to fill in – one general, one for businesses and one for young people (all want an email address upfront). There’s also the last of their Climate Conversation events online on 22 April (using MS Teams). The overall Climate Conversation itself will run until 2 May 2021.

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan Consultation

GoBike member Colin passed on a link to this consultation for the Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area. According to Glasgow City Council’s page on Maryhill TRA, the Maryhill North area is really Gilshochill. It’s north of Maryhill Rd between the canal locks and Summerston train station. This Glasgow Live article about the TRA has some more background about the consultation and the masterplan. The main point of the regeneration seems to be improving housing in the area but it includes public spaces and connectivity as well.

The masterplan has a few new paths. The longer one (marked ‘B’ in above visual) goes along the ridge north of the Fearnmore Rd tower blocks. Access seems to be from sets of steps and a zigzag path up the hill near Sandbank St. It’s not clear if it links to Cumlodden Drive (near St Mary’s Primary School).

Most of the visuals show existing pavements but there aren’t any in the image for Barrisdale Rd. It’s just a visualisation but looks like a ‘shared space’. These remove the kerbs that white stick users and guide dogs rely on. There’s also some sort of water feature next to the trees, which may be more attractive to midges than the locals.

See bigger versions of the above images and more on the Maryhill North consultation page. You have to register to leave comments – closes 23 April.

1.5: Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

A different kind of active travel project, which includes improving derelict space. First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, it’s for a skate park under the M74 (near West St underground station). The GUSM74 survey is still open for skaters, or their families, to have their say about what they want to see in the park.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Merchant City and ‘Learning Quarter’ Proposals Workshops

Workshops have been announced for the next few city centre districts – Merchant City (22 April) and ‘Learning Quarter’ (29 April). These follow on from the Townhead and Cowcaddens workshops in 24 March. See the Workshops page on the City Centre Strategy website for further details.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Iceni Projects (Glasgow Harbour) – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 response

This high rise development near the Riverside Museum featured most recently in Digest 82, Item 1.5. Tricia and other GoBike members put in email responses during its pre-application period. Points raised included building housing on a previously industrial site, lack of connectivity to Yorkhill/Finnieston and the height of the proposed buildings.

Iceni Projects (who represent Glasgow Harbour Ltd and other partners) sent out a short acknowledgement:

“Thank you to you and GoBike members for taking the time to review the consultation proposals for the Yorkhill Quay site and for your comments. These will be reviewed by the project design team as plans for the site are developed.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any additional queries.”

The next stage should be a full planning application to Glasgow City Council.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – Active Travel Forum follow-up

Tricia followed up some points about Spaces for People after the ATF’s first online meeting in March. An email from Neighbourhoods Regeneration and Sustainability said:

“The project team are currently fully committed to installing a 2nd batch of measures (George Square and Merchant City planters, etc). After this will be a period of monitoring to assess use and impact of the works, accompanied by recording all correspondence of support or objection.
The department has been instructed to take all permeance decisions to the City Administration Committee. Therefore the monitoring work will accompany the report to committee, at which a decision will be made as to what projects are removed/revisited/made permanent, etc.”

It also says there’s no timescale for the above just yet. However, the current SfP TROs will run out in December 2021. Any measures that are continuing would really want to have a new order ready by then.

3.3: South Lanarkshire Council – South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership meeting, 22 March

Fewer consultations in this Digest mean there’s space for feedback from the last SLCP meeting. While Glasgow’s Active Travel Forum feeds into committees with published minutes and articles in local media, SLCP is a bit more under the radar. There is an SLCP website but it’s very generic and never really updated about what the partnership does.

Background

SLCP is made up of roughly half council personnel, including a few councillors plus officers for Roads & Transportation, Access, Air Quality, etc. The other half are from organisations including Sustrans, Cycling UK, Bike Town, NHS, SEPA, local cycling groups and development trusts. Various GoBike members have attended for a range of organisations. Jimmy Keenan has been GoBike’s official rep for many years. More recently your editor has represented GoBike (especially since the meetings went online in 2020).

Active Travel Studies

In recent years, SLC have had a transport consultancy do an active travel study for each town/area in turn. A public consultation leads to stakeholder workshops then a final network map. The consultation and network maps are used to plan where initial active travel routes will go. SLC bids for funds for design (by Sustrans) and then construction.

The three network maps published in February brings the total to five. Consultations took place in Jan/Feb 2021 for three more areas (see Digest 79, Item 1.2) with workshops to follow. An ongoing project for an improved active travel link from Bothwell to the Raith Interchange will be looked at in the Blantyre/Bothwell/Uddingston study.

East Kilbride’s AT study was in 2018, which led to the first phase of segregated cycleway on West Mains Rd in 2020. The next phase is under construction (before a combined crossing junction planned for later in the year). Designs for Whitemoss Ave are due to go to consultation in the next few months.

Spaces for People

A Spaces for People funded route is due to go from EK train station to Brouster Hill and Cornwall St in the town centre by May. SfP are also funding mandatory 20mph areas to be set up in the next few months at around 90 schools and some smaller town centres (Carluke, Lanark, Uddingston, Larkhall, Bothwell and Strathaven). Also, SfP money was spent on vegetation cutting on NCN75, which should be complete this month.

Make Your Way

Sarah from Rural Development Trust’s Community Action Lanarkshire programme presented to the meeting. She spoke about the Make Your Way: Key Links projects in Abington, Douglas and Leadhills/Wanlockhead (Digest 75 Item 1.3). These use Sustrans Places for Everyone funding (70%). Stage 2 concept designs are due soon with construction planned for 2022.

Tinto Hill Improvements

The list of capital projects included an eye-catching £140,000 of Cycling Walking Safer Streets funding on car park improvements near Tinto Hill. Officer said irresponsible parking had caused knock-on effects for Thankerton/Carmichael/A73 (including for passing pedestrians and cyclists). Also, it helped access to a popular hillwalking route and the work included some cycle parking.

Clyde Cycle Park

Clyde Cycle Park is a project to re-develop land as a national-standard road racing cycle circuit. The site is between Bogleshole Road and the River Clyde (near the Liberty steel plant). Planning is complete and ground investigation has started. Aiming to have track open by summer. SLC to look at connections to new facility as part of south bank route.

3.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Local Development Plan Newsletter

Another appearance from East Dunbartonshire Council. The latest newsletter from their Land Planning Policy team includes an update on their proposed LDP2. The consultation finished in January with 2,000+ responses. Also, they cover their Historic Environment Review, Forestry & Woodland Strategy and Climate Action Plan. The countdown to their Active Travel Strategy presumably starts now…

It’s like buses – wait for ages for a consultation about the north of the city then loads come along at once. In this case, workshops for a few northern city centre ‘districts’, a future consultation about the uni/college campuses around Cathedral St and a strategic document about North Glasgow.

This Digest also includes links in the Contents page so you can, hopefully, jump straight to a topic if you want to.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November
2. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops, Townhead: 2 December / Cowcaddens: 7 December
3. Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan/”River Clyde blue corridor vision”, closes 4 December
4. East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021
5. Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF), *deadline extended* – closes 29 January 2021
6. Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)
7. OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. University of Strathclyde – Early Engagement Information: Creating people first infrastructure, a city centre context

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council (Maxwell Park area) Traffic Calming Scheme
2. Glasgow City Council (Ryehill Road) Traffic Calming Scheme
3. East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 Newsletter
4. Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project

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

1.1: Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November

If you’ve ever had an annoying experience trying to get around roadworks, here’s a chance to get it off your chest. Thomas at GoBike was contacted by Megan from Steer Energy, who are doing a survey about the effects of roadworks on different groups; including cyclists. Her message says:

“Steer Energy are carrying out research to engage with people who can give their expert opinion on what the challenges people may face when encountering streetworks in their everyday life. We are targeting the following groups:

• People living with disabilities  
• People living with dementia    
• People with mental health issues      
• Neurodiverse people [including people on the autism spectrum]
• Carers      
• Cyclists

The aim is to gather opinions and ideas from people with lived experience journeying through street works that may have found the experience challenging.

We would be keen to include the experience of cyclists across Scotland and encourage you to share with any other groups and communities you work with:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/steerstreetworks

Our aim is to gather as much information as possible about the current impacts of streetworks and how they can be better designed with more people in mind.”

We asked for a few more details about what this involved and got a very quick response:

“The design of all streetwork in the UK is carried out using the same national guidelines which is basically a manual used in training and design. Steer Energy is challenging that manual and asking that it be amended to become more accessible and include better designed streetworks to decrease isolation and disruption to peoples lives, especially those who do not use cars and those groups who require more space to move around in public (wheelchair users, people with mobility problems, disabled people, neurodiverse people, etc).”

If you’d like to take part, see the SurveyMonkey link, above – preferably before the end of November to allow time for the report to be put together.

1.2: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops (Townhead: 2 December/Cowcaddens: 7 December)

We received emails about upcoming consultations and events for the District Regeneration Frameworks project by Glasgow City Council. These are very wide-ranging consultations covering housing, business, leisure, etc. as well as transport. The ‘districts’ are areas around the city centre – some have already had plans completed, including Blythswood, Central, Broomielaw and St Enoch – see the Districts page on the City Centre Strategy website (under their huge map).

The project’s CommonPlace map for all Districts can be found at the links, below.

“You can check out what’s been said so far and contribute your thoughts online at https://yourcitycentre2020.commonplace.is/ and http://www.yourplacemap.org/.”

The next two areas with consultation events arranged are Townhead and Cowcaddens (with Merchant City and the ‘Learning Quarter’ to follow at some point).

Townhead district covers the area you might expect from Cathedral St to the M8. The “potential bridge” in the map is the new pedestrian/cycle bridge to Sighthill (due Spring 2021). The “route of potential Avenues” on Castle St and Springburn Rd isn’t in the current version of the Avenues Programme (but would be very welcome if GCC want to update it).

(Y)our Townhead Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Wednesday 2 December

• Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Townhead Workshop, Afternoon session
• Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Townhead workshop, Evening Session

Cowcaddens district goes from Buchanan Bus Station to an area north of the M8 at St George’s Cross. This is where the ‘Underline’ from GCC’s Avenues Programme was due to go (from Cambridge St) but it’s missing from the map.

(Y)our Cowcaddens Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Monday 7 December

• Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Afternoon Workshop.
• Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Evening Workshop.

“Each session will be facilitated by the (Y)our City Centre project team. We hope to map out with you issues and ideas you feel will help make the difference and improve Cowcaddens in the future.

Sign Up on Eventbrite and join in with these Workshops. If you do not have access to the internet contact the Freephone line number listed below to enable you to #ShareYourIdeas.

Further Workshops will be scheduled in early 2021 and we hope to arrange some [physical] events… when Covid restrictions allow.”

These events, and the forthcoming consultation under item 2.1, mean big changes could be coming for the north of the city centre. They also tie in with the North Glasgow SDF – see item 1.5.

1.3: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan

This was covered in Digest Issue 73, Item 1.1. However, it arrived just before the Digest went out and we missed a few details. The consultation is by Glasgow Harbour/Peel L&P (not the city council – apologies).

It’s about potentially building high-rises on the strip of land at the river between Riverside Museum and the new distillery. The intro video talks about a “long derelict site” without mentioning Peel (formerly Clydeport) have used it for storage for several years. It’s a pre-planning consultation as no planning application has gone in yet. There’s a summary of the possible proposal (on Urban Realm), article by Peel L&P, Yorkhill Quay ‘boards’ (PDF) and consultation website [removed Dec 2020]. Deadline for “formal” comments is 4 December (but deadline to view plans/ask questions is 30 November – email: advice@mcinally-associates.co.uk).

1.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2),
(closes 15 January 2021)

As covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.8. You’ve to email EDC if you want to comment about local development issues, like the lack of Spaces for People projects or phase 2 of the Bearsway, for example. See the EDC website: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2.

1.5: Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework

This document is about a huge area north of the M8 from the length of Maryhill Rd across to Milton, Springburn and Royston. It’s looking decades ahead and has already been five years in the making. Brenda has written a detailed GoBike response to the North Glasgow SDF. See the North Glasgow SDF consultation on GCC’s website. The deadline has been extended to 29 January 2021.

1.6: Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation

This consultation is about the new protected junctions on Victoria Rd, at Calder St and Allison St, as part of the South City Way. It was covered in Digest 73, Item 1.5. If you want to show support for the new junctions, or just find out more, see GCC’s Protected Junctions webpage for further images, a video, a PDF document and a contact link. The junction trial will last two years but there’s no deadline mentioned for feedback.

1.7: OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme

This multiple choice survey (as covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.1) was originally looking for quick feedback but remains open. OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum are working on a Places for Everyone project to improve active travel infrastructure in parts of North East Glasgow like Smithycroft, Riddrie and Blackhill.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: Glasgow – Early Engagement Information: Creating people first infrastructure, a city centre context

This is potentially a lot more important than the vague title would suggest. We received an email from Stantec (a multi-national design/engineering company) on behalf of the University of Strathclyde. They want to develop active travel routes through their campus and the ‘Learning Quarter’ around Cathedral St and North Hanover St:

“The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow City Council have secured Sustrans’ Places for Everyone funding for the project ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’. Stantec are assisting the project team in this exciting endeavour.

The vision of this project is to create an attractive, safe and walkable ‘learning quarter’ in the north-east of the city centre through the design of an innovative urban realm, which improves the physical environment and allows the general public, residents, students and staff to travel to, and move freely between the University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College, nearby Glasgow Caledonian University and the rest of the city centre.

The improvements that are being explored in the project area will provide significant value to the extended community. By aligning this project with other projects being delivered by Glasgow City Council, ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’ will also benefit a range of other people who live, work and travel through the city centre. The Avenues Programme and Spaces for People are examples of Glasgow City Council’s ambitions to rebalancing streets in favour of people walking cycling or wheeling in the city centre.

The key routes to be enhanced in the learning quarter as part of this project have been identified through a feasibility and options appraisal process and are shown in the figure below.”

“In the next few weeks we will be launching a public consultation website to present and receive feedback on proposals developed for the learning quarter so far. This site will be updated as the project progresses, proving an important resource. We hope that you will be able to contribute to this consultation to help shape the project for your local community by viewing proposals, leaving feedback and sharing the consultation website with your networks.

For any further information in the meantime please contact the project team at PfEGlasgow@stantec.com

Kind regards,
The Project Team”

This may be of interest to current and former students of the universities/colleges in this area. It sounds quite wide-ranging but seems to emphasise walking rather than cycling. A lot of change is due in the next few years, including Strathclyde Uni demolishing the current ‘Strathy Union’ on John St as part of their ongoing campus redevelopment (see their Campus Update for more details).

This consultation is also relevant to the ‘(Y)our Learning Quarter’ district consultation due soon. Nearby streets are earmarked as ‘Avenues’ and the ‘Avenues Plus’ project (due to be built between 2023–25). So, there’s a lot of potential to transform the area north-east of George Square. Once Stantec update us about the website, we’ll pass on the link.

Section 3: Consultations Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Maxwell Park area, Traffic Calming Scheme

We have a few more responses from the city council about traffic calming. Firstly, this one for the Maxwell Park area was first covered in Digest 68, Item 1.8. I wonder if GCC have changed their mind about the speed cushions?

“Further to my preliminary email of 25^th August 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.

I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:

• 5 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Dolphin Road,
• 6 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Fotheringay Road,
• 11 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Springkell Avenue
• The installation of 44 bollards

Roads affected by the proposed Scheme:

• Dolphin Road
• Fotheringay Road
• Springkell Avenue

I enclose a plan of the scheme.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”

Nope, nothing has changed despite GoBike’s letter of objection. The previous plans were in Digest 68, as above if you want to see them.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – Ryehill Road, Traffic Calming Scheme

Here’s another one from the following Digest 69, Item 1.9. Maybe this response will be the one where GCC have a ‘road to Damascus’-style revelation and change their minds?

“Further to my preliminary email of 10^th September 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.

I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:

• The installation of 12 speed cushions
• The supply and installation of 8 bollards

I enclose a plan of the scheme.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”

Nope, no changes there either. Again, see Digest 69 to pore over the unchanged plans.

3.3 East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 November Newsletter

On the subject of councils not changing their minds about things, here are EDC again with a nice LDP2 newsletter, November edition (PDF). Previous issues on EDC’s LDP2 Newsletters webpage in case you want some light reading for the winter nights.

3.4: Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project

GoBike received an email from Dr Gemma Jennings at Urban Roots about an ongoing project:

“Dear All,
I am excited to share with you the latest news from the the North Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project, which following our community consultation has been rebranded simply as ‘Malls Mire’. Work begins on site this week and will run until summer 2021 – please find attached the first Malls Mire newsletter from Clyde Gateway for details. I have also attached details of path closures and diversions that will be in place for the first phase of works. 
We will share ongoing project updates on social media via our Malls Mire facebook and twitter pages – both @MallsMire.”

Malls Mire is the name of the greenspace between Rutherglen and Toryglen. While it’s possible to trudge your bike over the hill next to the woods, upgrading the paths will make a big difference to the area. As mentioned, Urban Roots sent us drawings of closures and diversions – works on the west of Malls Mire and works on the east of Malls Mire. There’s also a short newsletter about the Malls Mire project.

Hope you like the changes in this Digest. New editor, new improved ideas, says the previous editor!