August opens with Cycle to Work Day and plenty of Traffic Orders from Glasgow, East Ayrshire and East Dunbartonshire. There’s analysis of the event for the eastern side of Argyle St, with accessibility issues raised again. Also, a major city centre plan being pushed by GCC (with several emails to GoBike). It has a few surprises which could help connect the city centre. (Tonight’s Digest was delayed by connection and commuting issues –apologies.)

Forthcoming consultations

The second stage of consultation about the Raeberry Street Quietway is due to open tomorrow (5 August). This follows the first phase consultation from late 2021 and is part of the wider Connecting Woodside project. Also starting soon (about a year after the Traffic Order) is the North Kelvin/North Woodside Restricted Parking Zone.

Contents
(new/updated items in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Paisley Town Centre – Causeyside Street Regeneration
2. Ayr to Prestwick Active Travel Route
3. Connecting Battlefield
4. Kittochside Road Traffic Calming Scheme
5. Carmunnock Road Roundabout 20mph Speed Limit Zone
6. Barras North (Calton Village) TRO
7. Laggan Road filter TRO
8. Rugby Park, Kilmarnock – Parking Consultation
9. George Square & ‘Block C’ Avenues – ‘Our Place’
10. Glasgow City Centre Transformation Plan
11. Greater Pollok Strategic Development Framework
12. Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. A803 & St Helen’s, Bishopbriggs – Traffic Regulation Orders
2. Garnethill Traffic Management and Parking Controls Order
3. ‘Argyle St East’ Avenue webinar notes

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Paisley Town Centre – Causeyside Street Regeneration

Council: Renfrewshire.
Area: Causeyside St and St Mirren St between Paisley Canal and Gilmour St train stations.
Subject: A potentially very useful link on a main road. A segregated cycletrack is proposed between the pedestrianised part of Gilmour St down Causeyside St to just past Stow Brae (where there’s a link to NCN75 at Telford’s). Renfrewshire Council removed some Spaces for People projects and have very little protected, on-road infrastructure. So, even though the proposed cycletrack would be 2-way, it’s a big step forward for the area. Talk of keeping/adding car parking spaces may jar but it’s one less stick for critics to beat it with. There will still be many hurdles to clear, including accessibility and reaction from shoppers/shopkeepers. The plans are by Amey, better known for their trunk road work. That may explain the lack of trees and the convoluted junction south of Stow Brae.
Website links: Causeyside St ‘storymap’ (with survey at end).
Deadline: 7 August 2022.

1.2: Ayr to Prestwick Active Travel Route

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (on behalf of South Ayrshire Council).
Subject: An upgraded “active travel route linking Ayr Esplanade to Prestwick Town Train Station will be proposed. It is envisaged that the proposed route will also connect to existing core paths in addition to future aspirational schemes such as Accessible Ayr, The Culzean Way and the Prestwick to Barassie Active Travel Route.” If it goes ahead, it would replace part of the current NCN7 along the coast, so has potential for cycle tourism as well as local journeys. There are photos of issues along the current route but no plans/visuals. So, it seems to be an early consultation to get comments (and maybe gauge demand?). If so, the more responses the better.
Website links: Ayr to Prestwick survey.
Deadline: 12 August 2022.

1.3: Connecting Battlefield

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Battlefield Road, Grange Road, Langside Road and Queens Drive (between Queen’s Park and Mount Florida).
Subject: Relaunch of the former Battlefield Street Design project after a few years on hold during the pandemic. It features a uni-directional extension to the South City Way cycletrack running alongside Queen’s Park and down Battlefield Road. Also, there would be major changes to junctions at Queen’s Drive, Langside Rd and Battlefield Rest (removing a road between it and the old Victoria Hospital site). The consultation site mentions the Liveable Neighbourhood plans for Langside to Toryglen so hopefully these will dovetail with the Battlefield plans.
Featured: Consultation Extra, February 2020.
Website links: Connecting Battlefield ‘Storymap’ and Connecting Battlefield survey.
Deadline: 14 August 2022.

1.4: Kittochside Road Traffic Calming Scheme

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Northern end of Kittochside Road, Carmunnock (between Glasgow and East Kilbride).
Subject: Installing 13 speed cushions (with bollards) on the wider sections of Kittochside Rd as it comes past housing into the village. On the narrow section south of the village (with hedgerows either side), motor vehicles may have to slow down to pass each other. However, despite having no pavements, the southern part of the road is also used by pedestrians and people cycling. It remains to be seen if this scheme will have any effect on traffic levels and road safety overall.
Website links: Kittochside Rd Traffic Calming area (PDF), Kittochside Rd section 1 (PDF) and Kittochside Rd section 2 (PDF).
Deadline: 19 August 2022.

1.5: Carmunnock Road Roundabout 20mph Speed Limit Zone

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Not in Carmunnock – it’s the roundabout on the main road between King’s Park and Castlemilk (B766).
Subject: Extending the 20mph zone to the shops on the Carmunnock Rd/Brakemire Dr service roads next to the roundabout.
Website links: Carmunnock Rd 20mph TRO documents (combined PDF).
Deadline: 24 August 2022.

1.6: Barras North (Calton Village) TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: North of Gallowgate, between Barrack St and Melbourne St in Calton.
Subject: Parking restrictions and traffic calming in area of new housing. The site, east of the Morrisons supermarket, had lain empty for decades. Wheatley Group is building new flats, called ‘Calton Village’ (for “mid-market rent”) and amending the road layout. Armour St will be filtered at its western end so traffic for Morrisons has to use Barrack St. Various parking bays and build-outs are planned (plus secure bike parking). However, Melbourne St is used as a rat run (to avoid traffic lights) so may be better with a diagonal filter to stop through traffic.
Website links: Barras North/Calton Village TRO documents (combined PDF) and housing development planning application.
Deadline: 25 August 2022.

1.7: Laggan Road filter TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Laggan Rd in Muirend between Langside Dr and Merrylee Rd/Clarkston Rd.
Subject: Proposals for a filter at the north end of Laggan Rd at Coylton Rd. Presumably to stop drivers taking a shortcut between Langside Dr and Clarkston Rd. The filter has bollards and an exemption for cycling so should be permeable.
Website links: Laggan Rd filter TRO documents (combined PDF).
Deadline: 26 August 2022.

1.8: Rugby Park, Kilmarnock – Parking Consultation

Council: East Ayrshire.
Subject: A Traffic Regulation Order to bring in matchday parking restrictions on 30+ roads around Rugby Park, home of Kilmarnock FC. They’re newly promoted back to the Scottish Premiership so bigger clubs, with more supporters, will be visiting. The club and stadium are one of the oldest in Scotland so they’re in the middle of a residential area. The proposed measures seem to be mainly painted lines and signage. More ambitious event day parking zone proposals for Ibrox Stadium and Celtic Park were dropped by GCC in May.
Website links: Rugby Park TRO page (Tell Me Scotland website) and TRO documents (combined PDF).
Deadline: 26 August 2022.

1.9: George Square & ‘Block C’ Avenues – ‘Our Place’

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: George Square and surrounding streets from ‘Block C’ of the Avenues project (including West George St, North Hanover St, Hanover St, Miller St, John St, George St and Cochrane St).
Subject: The next step in the consultation about the square and its surroundings (the last round was in Feb/Mar). New visualisations show the designers have got the message about more greenery. They’re an improvement on the current, quite barren, square but are not final. Which is just as well, since the shared spaces and road treatments at north and south look like they’d need more work. There are display panels at the western side of George Sq showing designs for the square and Avenues. Drop-in sessions will be held next to the panels on…
Saturday 6 August (1pm to 4pm) and
Thursday 18 August (4pm to 7pm).
There are two surveys – one for George Square and one for the proposed Avenues.
Featured: Digest 106, Item 1.5.
Website links: George Sq ‘Our Place’ engagement website.
Deadline: 2 September 2022.

1.10: Glasgow City Centre Transformation Plan

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Another plan about the city centre, with familiar themes from Districts to Avenues, but also some surprises. A few more cycle/pedestrian bridges have appeared in the maps, including across the M8 and River Clyde. Cathedral St is apparently being made bus-only, which raises questions about cycling provision (and traffic on High St).
Also, “Workshops will be held on Microsoft Teams…
Accessibility: Walk/Cycle/Connections – Tuesday 16th August 2022 (at 10:30am).
Greener Glasgow/Streets/Place/Parking/Servicing – Tuesday 23rd August 2022 (morning).
Public Transport: Bus/Train/Subway/Metro/Taxi – Thursday 25th August 2022 (morning).
Open Forum/Aims/All-Topic Discussion – Wednesday 31st August 2022 (afternoon).”
Website links: City Centre Transformation Plan webpage and CCTP survey.
Deadline: 12 September 2022.

1.11: Greater Pollok Strategic Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: South-western corner of Glasgow at edge of M77 and East Renfrewshire. Includes Leverndale, Nitshill, Priesthill and Darnley neighbourhoods.
Subject: The latest SDF follows others for North Glasgow, Inner East, etc. and looks at the economy, environment and transport over the next few decades. This part of Glasgow juts out between Barrhead and Thornliebank so connections with East Renfrewshire are important. It covers part of Dams to Darnley Country Park so has some things in common with the recent Barrhead consultation map. Also, Braidcraft Rd and Brockburn Rd have Spaces for People lanes (as does Corkerhill Rd to north). However, there are some hellish junctions around Silverburn Shopping Centre. Later in the year GCC should write a draft strategy for further consultation.
First featured: Digest 113, Item 1.6.
Website links: Greater Pollok Commonplace map.
Deadline: September 2022.

1.12: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: A Spaces for People temporary route between Greenock town centre and a coastal park. A council vote was 9:2 in favour of keeping the lanes for another six months, with a further review in September. Photos in the consultation survey show a mixture of on-road ‘soft’ segregation and painted lanes on footways and across side roads. While some of the junction and bus stop treatments may not be ideal, there seem to be decent protected sections too.
First featured: Digest 108, Item 1.12.
Website links: Greenock Town Centre to Battery Park – Community Engagement and Inverclyde Now article on council vote.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: A803 & St Helen’s PS, Bishopbriggs – Traffic Regulation Orders

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: Orders for parking restrictions in areas around Kirkintilloch Rd and Wester Cleddens Road. EDC say the TROs “have now been made and will become  effective on Monday, 5 September 2022.”
Featured: Digest 101, Item 1.5 / Digest 106, Item 1.7.

2.2: Garnethill Traffic Management and Parking Controls Order

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: GCC say: “your objection was reported and considered. However, the Council have decided under its scheme of delegated functions to proceed with the proposal as advertised. The Order was made on 15th July 2022.”
Featured: Digest 91, Item 1.3.

2.3: ‘Argyle St East’ Avenue webinar notes

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: East of the Hielenman’s Umbrella/Central Station bridge along Argyle St and Trongate to the junction at Tolbooth steeple.
Subject: Notes from a recent online meeting about the eastern end of Argyle St. The meeting was introduced as “more about information than consultation” as plans have been underway since 2018. The main change would be putting a one-way road through the current pedestrianised blocks of Arygle St, to help speed up bus routes (with protected contraflow cycle lane). Further east, there would be one-way cycletracks on either side of the road. There was quite a lot of support for the cycle lanes but many points in the meeting came from blind people objecting to bus stop bypasses and raised road tables.
Website links: Argyle St East Avenue webinar note.

There’s a wee jaunt along the coast in this issue – taking in Port Glasgow, Greenock, Prestwick and Ayr. Also, a potential route from Paisley’s (dried up) canal to its town centre. In Glasgow there are Southside surveys and George Sq has gardens galore. Also, East Dunbartonshire Council update on some of their plans.

*Addition* Forthcoming consultations

Events about the ‘Argyle St East’ Avenue (Central Station to Barrowfield Park) are taking place early next week:

• Monday 25 July 2022 – 10am to 6pm at St Enoch Centre.
• Tuesday 26 July 2022 – Argyle St East online event, 7–8.30pm.

Contents
(new/updated items in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Port Glasgow 20mph zone
2. Paisley Town Centre – Causeyside Street Regeneration
3. Ayr to Prestwick Active Travel Route
4. Connecting Battlefield
5. George Square & ‘Block C’ Avenues – ‘Our Place’
6. Greater Pollok Strategic Development Framework
7. Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Local Development Plan Newsletter (EDC)

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Port Glasgow 20mph zone

Council: Inverclyde.
Area: Part of upper Port Glasgow, west of Kilmacolm Rd/A761. Includes Bardrainney, Mid-Auchinleck and Slaemuir neighbourhoods.
Subject: As well as a 20mph zone this plan links into changes to NCN75. “The proposal is being supported by Sustrans Scotland as part of a proposal to reroute the National Cycle Route 75 along Auchenbothie Road.” Auchenbothie Road has a pink dashed line on the map, showing where traffic calming is planned. NCN75 already connects to it (red dotted line on map) but currently goes along Montrose Ave and Dubbs Rd (blue dotted line).
Website links: Port Glasgow 20mph zone survey.
Deadline: 29 July 2022.

1.2: Paisley Town Centre – Causeyside Street Regeneration

Council: Renfrewshire.
Area: Causeyside St and St Mirren St between Paisley Canal and Gilmour St train stations.
Subject: A potentially very useful link on a main road. A segregated cycletrack is proposed between the pedestrianised part of Gilmour St down Causeyside St to just past Stow Brae (where there’s a link to NCN75 at Telford’s). Renfrewshire Council removed some Spaces for People projects and have very little protected, on-road infrastructure. So, even though the proposed cycletrack would be 2-way, it’s still a big step forward for the area. Talk of keeping/adding car parking spaces may jar but it’s one less stick for critics to beat it with. There will still be many hurdles to clear, including accessibility and reaction from shoppers/shopkeepers. The plans are by Amey, better known for their trunk road work. That may explain the lack of trees and the convoluted junction south of Stow Brae.
Website links: Causeyside St ‘storymap’ (with survey at end).
Deadline: 7 August 2022.

1.3: Ayr to Prestwick Active Travel Route

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (on behalf of South Ayrshire Council).
Subject: An upgraded “active travel route linking Ayr Esplanade to Prestwick Town Train Station will be proposed. It is envisaged that the proposed route will also connect to existing core paths in addition to future aspirational schemes such as Accessible Ayr, The Culzean Way and the Prestwick to Barassie Active Travel Route.” If it goes ahead, it would replace part of the current NCN7 along the coast, so has potential for cycle tourism as well as local journeys. There are photos of issues along the current route but no plans/visuals. So, it seems to be an early consultation to get comments (and maybe gauge demand?). If so, the more responses the better.
Website links: Ayr to Prestwick survey.
Deadline: 12 August 2022.

1.4: Connecting Battlefield

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Battlefield Road, Grange Road, Langside Road and Queens Drive (between Queen’s Park and Mount Florida).
Subject: Relaunch of the former Battlefield Street Design project after a few years on hold during the pandemic. It features a uni-directional extension to the South City Way cycletrack running alongside Queen’s Park and down Battlefield Road. Also, there would be major changes to junctions at Queen’s Drive, Langside Rd and Battlefield Rest (removing a road between it and the old Victoria Hospital site). The consultation site mentions the Liveable Neighbourhood plans for Langside to Toryglen so hopefully these will dovetail with the Battlefield plans.
Featured: Consultation Extra, February 2020.
Website links: Connecting Battlefield ‘Storymap’ and Connecting Battlefield survey.
Deadline: 14 August 2022.

1.5: George Square & ‘Block C’ Avenues – ‘Our Place’

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: George Square and surrounding streets from Block C of the Avenues project.
Subject: The next step in consultation about the square and surroundings (last round was in Feb/Mar). New visualisations show the designers have got the message about more greenery. They’re an improvement on the current, quite barren square but are not the finished article. Which is just as well, since the shared spaces and road treatments at north and south look like they’d need more work. There are panels in the square for the public to view. Drop-in sessions will be held next to them on Saturday 6 August (1pm to 4pm) and Thursday 18 August (4pm to 7pm). There are two surveys – one for George Square and one for the proposed Avenues.
Featured: Digest 106, Item 1.5.
Website links: George Sq ‘Our Place’ engagement website.
Deadline: 2 September 2022.

1.6: Greater Pollok Strategic Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: South-western corner of Glasgow at edge of M77 and East Renfrewshire. Includes Leverndale, Nitshill, Priesthill and Darnley neighbourhoods.
Subject: The latest SDF follows others for North Glasgow, Inner East, etc. and looks at the economy, environment and transport over the next few decades. This part of Glasgow juts out between Barrhead and Thornliebank so connections with East Renfrewshire are important. It covers part of Dams to Darnley Country Park so has some things in common with the recent Barrhead consultation map. Also, Braidcraft Rd and Brockburn Rd have Spaces for People lanes (as does Corkerhill Rd to north). However, there are some hellish junctions around Silverburn Shopping Centre. Later in the year GCC should write a draft strategy for further consultation.
First featured: Digest 113, Item 1.6.
Website links: Greater Pollok Commonplace map.
Deadline: September 2022.

1.7: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: A Spaces for People temporary route between Greenock town centre and a coastal park. A council vote was 9:2 in favour of keeping the lanes for another six months, with a further review in September. Photos in the consultation survey show a mixture of on-road ‘soft’ segregation and painted lanes on footways and across side roads. While some of the junction and bus stop treatments may not be ideal, there seem to be decent protected sections too.
First featured: Digest 108, Item 1.12.
Website links: Greenock Town Centre to Battery Park – Community Engagement and Inverclyde Now article on council vote.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Local Development Plan Newsletter (EDC)

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: “This edition includes updates on the following: Proposed Local Development Plan 2 Examination Report; Planning Guidance; Circular Economy Strategy; Parking Management Plan.”
Website links: LDP Newsletter, edition 67.

The Digest returns after an extended break for the local council elections (and some tech issues – apologies). The people in charge of a council have a big say in what gets done so it’s worth noting what has (and hasn’t) changed.

Glasgow City Council continues in minority SNP control, with added support from the Greens. However, Anna Richardson has stepped down from her Sustainability role. Instead, the convenor of the Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction City Policy Committee is Elaine McSporran (Cardonald).

Elsewhere, many neighbouring councils have changed hands:

• East Dunbartonshire – SNP minority (from Lib Dem/Tory).
• East Renfrewshire – Labour/Independents (from SNP).
• North Lanarkshire – SNP minority (from Labour/Independents/Tory).
• South Lanarkshire – Labour/Lib Dem/Independent/Tory (from SNP). New council leader Joe Fagan previously criticised infrastructure works in his East Kilbride ward.
• West Dunbartonshire – Labour (from SNP/Independent).

Forthcoming consultations

A few in-person consultation events have popped up recently (including today’s Avenues Plus event on S Portland St). Unfortunately, the next few are on the same evening:

Woodside Making Places – Information Day

Tuesday 31 May, 3–6pm – outside Cedar Community Hub (Cedar St).
Find out more about the Places for Everyone project led by Queen’s Cross Housing Association. This neighbourhood project links to Garscube Rd, N Woodside Rd and the wider Connecting Woodside scheme. It’s also just unveiled Glasgow’s latest mural.

City Centre Campus/‘Learning Quarter’ and Townhead – Public design session

Tuesday 31 May, 4.30–7.30pm – Technology and Innovation Centre (99 George Street).
Hosted by Stantec, who are lead consultant for the campus project involving Strathclyde Uni, Glasgow Caledonian Uni and City of Glasgow College. Likely to focus on their recent survey (but the name is confusingly similar to a previous District consultation).

Contents
(new/updated items in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Shawlands Arcade – Consultation Round 2
2. SWG3 Transport Survey
3. Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods
4. Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane
5. *ADDITION – East Renfrewshire Programme

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. City Centre Traffic Management Order (Variation 31) George Square 2022
2. Parking and 20mph TROs, East Dunbartonshire

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Shawlands Arcade – Consultation Round 2

Organisation: Clydebuilt developers.
Area: Shawlands Arcade between Kilmarnock Rd and Pollokshaws Rd.
Subject: Further consultation about the regeneration of the shopping arcade. Revised proposals add a few storeys to the height of buildings so they’d be taller than surrounding tenements. The north/south ‘Avenue’ between the two phases of development has a level change with stairs and a lift but no ramp – so it’s not permeable for cycling. There may be cycle access via the service road around the east of site (but it’s not clear in plans). The blurb talks about the South City Way being 2 minutes away but there’s no protected cycle route to get there. There seems to be space to add protected cycle lanes along Kilmarnock Rd, instead of the split level pavement, but that’s not included in the plans. Car parking provision will be around 10% with some secure bike parking.
Website links: Shawlands Arcade consultation 2 – proposals (page may take time to load large, inaccessible images) and Shawlands Arcade survey 2.
Deadline: 31 May 2022.

1.2: SWG3 Transport Survey

Organisation: SWG3 venue.
Area: Eastvale Place, Finnieston next to the railway viaduct.
Subject: SWG3 is a former whiskey bond that’s evolved into a complex of events venues. Well established for its club nights and gigs but on a long cul-de-sac that can be awkward to get to. Big events have a lot of cars doing u-turns at the end of the road outside the venue as people queue in the street. Cycling is one of the better transport options but the only places to lock your bike are railings or gates on the railway arches. SWG3 are asking how people get to the venue and there’s a section about Nextbike and cycle parking.
Website links: SWG3 Transport Survey.
Deadline: 7 June 2022.

1.3: Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From Yorkhill, Kelvinhaugh, Stobcross, Sandyford, Finnieston to Anderston.
Subject: The latest Liveable Neighbourhoods consultation covers the area between the River Clyde, River Kelvin, Kelvingrove Park and M8. Popular active travel infrastructure in the area includes NCN7/75 and the West City Way. Also, the (almost finished?) lanes funded by City Deal on Bunhouse Rd and Old Dumbarton Rd. Further segregated cyclepaths are due for Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Cycling Village. These include Minerva St and Haugh Rd (where Bike for Good have their West hub). However, there are still plenty of gaps, as shown when the riverbank was shut during COP26. A new bridge across the Clyde at the Riverside Museum is due to start construction. Meanwhile, the SEC’s redevelopment may close off the red ‘smartie tube’ bridge at Exhibition Centre station. The M8 motorway remains a barrier to destinations like the Mitchell Library and Anderston station.
First featured: Digest 107, Item 1.11.
Website links: Yorkhill to Anderston LN (Commonplace).
Deadline: June 2022.

1.4: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: A Spaces for People temporary route between Greenock town centre and a coastal park. A recent council vote was 9:2 in favour of keeping the lanes for another six months, with a further review in September. Photos in the consultation survey show a mixture of on-road ‘soft’ segregation and painted lanes on footways and across side roads. While some of the junction and bus stop treatments may not be ideal, there seem to be decent protected sections too.
Website links: Greenock Town Centre to Battery Park – Community Engagement and Inverclyde Now article on council vote.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.5: *ADDITION – East Renfrewshire Programme

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Areas: Barrhead, Busby, Neilston, Newton Mearns and Thornliebank.
Subject: Consultations about improvements for five neighbourhoods, each with a Commonplace map. These started earlier in May (but were forgotten by your author, sorry – explains the nagging feeling there were more consultations to cover!). More details to follow about each in the next Digest.
Website links: East Renfrewshire Programme website.
Deadline: 20 June 2022.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: City Centre Traffic Management Order (Variation 31) George Square 2022

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: This Traffic Regulation Order was apparently made on 3rd May 2022. The TRO sets restrictions in and around George Square to allow the temporary Spaces for People changes to be made permanent. These include filtering the west and east sides to remove motor traffic and add planters and seating. The map is unchanged from the version put out to consultation earlier in the year.
First featured: Digest 99, Item 1.6.
Website links: George Sq map.

2.2: Parking and 20mph TROs, East Dunbartonshire

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: Half a dozen Traffic Regulation Orders for towns across East Dunbartonshire, mostly adding parking restrictions. However, one order removes restrictions (Stewart St, Milngavie) and there’s another for a 20mph zone in Maxwell Ave, Bearsden. The schools TRO restricts parking at the start and end of the school day at Clober Primary School, Milngavie and Westerton Primary School, Bearsden. The TRO for Townhead, Kirkintilloch covers the new development at Civic Way, site of EDC’s former headquarters. All TROs would come into effect on Monday, 11 July 2022.
First featured: Digest 92, Items 1.5–1.7.
Website links: Bearsden & Milngavie Schools – Waiting & Loading Restrictions (PDF); Maxwell Avenue Area, Bearsden – 20 mph Zone (PDF); Dalkeith Ave, Wellington Rd & Westerhill Rd, Bishopbriggs (PDF); Townhead, Kirkintilloch (PDF); Lenzie Road, Kirkintilloch (PDF) and Stewart Street Car Park, Milngavie (PDF).

The Public Sector is getting close to its ‘end of year’ in March. That may explain why half a dozen new Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) have just been published. Also, an older Order was passed for 20mph on Byres Rd in the West End. A few TROs are for Spaces for People measures in Glasgow. Obviously, none of East Dunbartonshire’s TROs are for SfP (as the only mainland Scottish council not to put in a bid).

‘What do we want for our city’s front room?’ – asks the latest George Square consultation. Elsewhere, North Lanarkshire is sounding people out about two active travel hubs and East Renfrewshire is sticking to its guns.

Contents
(new/updated items in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. School Streets, Glasgow TRO
2. Glespin to Douglas pathway survey
3. Haggs Road TRO
4. Motherwell and Ravenscraig Active Travel Hubs
5. George Square and ‘Block C’ Avenues
6. Bilsland Drive & Hawthorn Street TROs
7. St Helen’s Primary School, Bishopbriggs TRO
8. A81 Milngavie Road/Maryhill Road TRO
9. Electric Vehicle Charging Places – East Dunbartonshire TROs
10. Drumchapel Local Development Framework
11. Dennistoun to Cranhill Liveable Neighbourhoods
12. Govan to Kingston Liveable Neighbourhoods
13. Malls Mire survey

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Byres Road 20mph TRO
2. Automated Vehicles: conclusions and next steps event
3. Response to petition about Ayr Road, A77 (North)

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

1.1: School Streets, Glasgow TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Traffic Order covering streets near 19 primary schools across the city. Makes temporary road restrictions for School Streets permanent. These come into effect at the beginning and end of the school day (as shown in signs at St Anne’s Primary School at the top of previous issue).
First featured: Digest 105, Item 1.2.
Website links: School Streets TRO documents (combined PDF file).
Deadline: 18 February 2022.

1.2: Glespin to Douglas pathway survey

Organisation: Community Action Lanarkshire (Rural Development Trust).
Area: Ayr Rd (A70) in rural South Lanarkshire, south of Lanark.
Subject: Potential routes west from the village of Douglas to the hamlet of Glespin. This came out of the Make Your Way project and would connect to the local primary school as well as other services. Also, it fits into strategic plans to link the River Ayr Walk in East Ayrshire with the Clyde Walkway in South Lanarkshire. However, a route on the eastern side of Douglas, on Ayr Rd towards NCN74, failed to win Sustrans funding in late 2021.
First featured: Digest 104, Item 1.3.
Website links: Glespin to Douglas survey and background about Make Your Way.
Deadline: 21 February 2022.

1.3: Haggs Road TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Haggs Rd by Pollok Park.
Subject: Changing a former one-way exit road from Pollok Park into a two-way entrance to the Burrell Collection (which reopens in Spring). Proposals would ban going straight on into the park from Shawmoss Rd and right turns from Haggs Rd. Southbound traffic on Haggs Rd is meant to go past the entrance for about ¾ of a mile, u-turn at a roundabout then come back up to turn left into park. It seems none of GoBike’s suggestions to an earlier consultation have been acted on (see link, below). Update: The Friends of Pollok Park (FoPP) are due to meet GCC this week to discuss.
First featured: Digest 105, Item 1.4.
Website links: Haggs Rd TRO documents (PDF) and GoBike consultation response (PDF).
Deadline: 25 February 2022.

1.4: Motherwell and Ravenscraig Active Travel Hubs

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Areas: Motherwell town centre and Ravenscraig.
Subject: NLC want to test the water for an active travel hub in Motherwell, similar to those in Ayr, Falkirk and Stirling. The hubs in Ayr and Stirling are next to train stations but Motherwell’s £14.5m station redevelopment hasn’t included one in the plans. A building which had come up was the former Masonic Hall on Hope St. However, it’s separated by a busy roundabout and may not work for the whole community. A unit in the town centre, like Falkirk’s hub or Socialtrack‘s unit in Wishaw, might make more sense. Ravenscraig is the mostly empty former steelworks site. It’s recently got a new playpark near the Regional Sports Facility so that would be an obvious place for a bike project.
Website links: NLC Active Travel Hubs survey.
Deadline: 4 March 2022.

1.5: George Square and ‘Block C’ Avenues

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: George Square and surrounding streets from Block C of the Avenues project: 
Phase 1 – Dundas St, Dundas Lane and John St (2021‑26);
Phase 2 – St Vincent St, St Vincent Place, Hanover St, Miller St and George St (2023‑28).
Subject: Yet another look at what to do with George Square. However, the starting point for this one has the Spaces for People measures (with two filtered streets). Also, a previous survey in favour of a traffic-free square was part of the ‘Conversation’ in 2019. According to the new ‘Our Place’ website, a design phase has already started. The ‘Story so Far’ page shows how many different layouts the square has had since the 1800s. The surveys are under ‘How to Get Involved’ – the Avenues survey only has four questions. In contrast, the George Square survey has 36 questions! However, you don’t have to answer them all. The last few questions are about active travel.
First featured: most recently for the TRO in Digest 99, 1.6.
Website links: ‘Our Place – How to Get Involved’ surveys page and GCC article.
Deadline: 11 March 2022.

1.6: Bilsland Drive & Hawthorn Street (B808) TROs

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Bilsland Drive & Hawthorn Street through Ruchill, Possilpark and Springburn.
Subject: Traffic Order to help make Spaces for People bike lanes permanent. The two roads form the B808 west–east across most of north Glasgow. However, the protected lanes aren’t continuous – they have similar issues to other SfP lanes (stopping short at junctions/side roads, drainage at bus stops, etc.). Equally, there’s potential for a continuous route to be a huge boost to cycling across a large area.
Website links: Bilsland Dr TRO (combined PDF) and Hawthorn St TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 14 March 2022.

1.7: St Helen’s Primary School, Bishopbriggs TRO

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Wester Cleddens Rd and Pentland Dr, Bishopbriggs.
Subject: Parking restrictions around St Helen’s Primary School.
Website links: St Helen’s PS TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 18 March 2022.

1.8: A81 Milngavie Road/Maryhill Road TRO

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Southern part of Bearsden between Kessington Public Hall and Garscube Estate.
Subject: Short sections of footway at the corner of MacFarlane St and Killermont St and along Maryhill Rd near Cluny Park. The current layout dates from 2016 during the fallout from the decision to halt the Bearsway. These bits of shared path are useful links to get to Garscube Campus and follow paths along the River Kelvin into Glasgow. It’s not clear why the TRO has come out now but, given the recent history, local members may want to contact EDC to support it.
Website links: A81 footway redetermination TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 18 March 2022.

1.9: Electric Vehicle Charging Places – East Dunbartonshire TROs

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: EDC are installing EV charging points all over the place. East – Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Lennoxtown, Lenzie, Milton Of Campsie, Torrance and Twechar. West – Milngavie. The drawings don’t show if the chargers will be on the carriageway or footway.
Website links: West EV chargers (combined PDF) and East EV chargers (combined PDF).
Deadline: 21 March 2022.

1.10: Drumchapel Local Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: The latest framework consultation, following previous strategic ones for Glasgow North, ‘Inner East’, etc. Drumchapel is known as one of the ‘big four’ post-war council housing estates (along with Castlemilk, Easterhouse and Pollok). The Drumchapel Cycle Hub is based near the sports centre but there’s very little cycling infrastructure around the area. The map has made it past 25 comments.
First featured: Digest 102, Item 1.12.
Website links: Drumchapel Commonplace map, Drumchapel survey link and background.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.11: Dennistoun to Cranhill Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From Dennistoun (including the Necropolis but not GRI), Milnbank, Haghill, Riddrie, Carntyne to Cranhill.
Subject: Transport links including roads like Duke St, Alexandra Parade, Cumbernauld Rd and Edinburgh Rd plus a few train stations. Most big destinations are towards the city centre end, while Glasgow Royal Infirmary is just outside western edge of area. Dennistoun has held on to a few Spaces for People measures (from its failed LTN) but there’s very little infrastructure elsewhere. Consultation events have been rescheduled for 22–25 February. After those, the process may move on to producing reports, like the ones for Langside–Toryglen and Ruchill–Cowlairs LNs. Over 420 comments on the map so far.
First featured: Digest 100, Item 1.9.
Website links: Dennistoun to Cranhill LN Commonplace map, Dennistoun to Cranhill Place Standard survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.12: Govan to Kingston Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From ‘Greater Govan’ (including Cessnock, Kinning Park, Plantation) and Ibrox to Kingston.
Subject: ‘Everyday journeys’ around major transport links including Govan bus station, subway stations, Paisley Road West, Clyde Tunnel, Squinty Bridge/Clyde Arc and the forthcoming footbridge. Major destinations include Ibrox Stadium and the Southern General/Queen Elizabeth Uni Hospital. There’s some cycling infrastructure around Festival Park/Pacific Quay but no proper links to major routes like the nearby South West City Way. There have been over 220 comments on the map so far.
First featured: Digest 100, Item 1.10.
Website links: Govan to Kingston LN Commonplace map, Govan to Kingston Place Standard survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.13: Malls Mire survey

Organisation: Urban Roots.
Area: Woodland park between Toryglen Asda, Polmadie Recycling Centre in Glasgow and Rutherglen Glencairn Football Club in South Lanarkshire.
Subject: An evaluation about the newly created park and paths. The site wraps around a regenerated housing estate, linking former wasteground with the woodland and ponds. Trails, outdoor play equipment and a bike pump track have been installed. Also, there are 3m wide shared paths to create a lit, mostly traffic-free route. It links Prospecthill Circus west to Polmadie Rd and east to the corner of Toryglen Rd/Pinkerton Ave in Rutherglen (about half a mile from Bike Town‘s workshop).
First featured: Digest 74, Item 3.4.
Website links: Malls Mire survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Byres Road 20mph TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Byres Road, Church Street, Torness Street and Highburgh Road.
Subject: As Glasgow Uni get to the latter stages of their campus redevelopment, the council seems to have started the next steps for Byres Rd itself. This TRO was out for consultation in early 2020. Apparently, the “Traffic Regulation Order was made on 04/02/2022 to introduce a 20mph speed limit… to improve road safety and bring speed limits into line with surrounding residential areas.” The map also shows “Proposed & Existing Pedestrian Crossings” in beige. The existing crossings are on Highburgh Rd and the north-eastern part of Byres Rd. The proposed ones will be on the new one-way section of Byres Rd near Dalcross St (on way to Kelvinhall underground station) and across Church St (between the old school and the former Western Infirmary site). Later in the year, construction is due to start for Byres Rd’s redevelopment.
First featured: Byres Rd TROs.
Website links: Byres Rd 20mph TRO area map.

2.2: Automated Vehicles: conclusions and next steps event

Organisations: Scottish Law Commission and the Law Commission of England and Wales.
Area: UK-wide.
Subject: Event to report the Law Commissions’ findings from their Automated Vehicles Review. “The Law Commissions will be co-hosting the event with our Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) colleagues. We plan to cover the following topics: key recommendations in the Law Commissions’ joint report; CCAV update; open Q&A; and closing remarks.” Takes place online on Tuesday 15 March between 2 and 4pm.
Website links: ‘Automated Vehicles: conclusions and next steps’ – event sign-up.

2.3: Response to petition about Ayr Road, A77 (North)

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: Spaces for People measures on Ayr Rd (A77), Newton Mearns and the petition against the bollards/wands. The council have acknowledged the petition but come back with a robust response: “ERC will not be removing the bollards at this time. We will instead continue monitoring and progress… an outline ‘masterplan’ for Ayr Road.” Also: “Reduction of parking on Ayr Road is a desirable outcome of the project.”
It’s refreshing to hear a council making the case for active travel as firmly as this. Also, it’s quite brave, a few months ahead of local elections, so ERC deserve credit for it. Hopefully this is a template for council responses elsewhere, such as nearby Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and beyond.
First featured: Digest 104, Item 2.1.
Website links: ERC letter and table of responses.

The route of the March for Climate Justice on Saturday 6 November started on Kelvin Way and passed more Spaces for People measures in George Square. An order has come out to help make the temporary Spaces for People measures around the square permanent.

The march couldn’t get anywhere near the COP26 venue at the SEC. It has just lodged a planning application for its sometimes public cycle/footbridge. Looking further to the future, this Digest also includes two long term strategies for Glasgow and another for South Ayrshire.

Image credit: Julia L via Pedal on Parliament Flickr group

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. South Ayrshire Active Travel Strategy
2. Tarbet to Inverarnan A82 road/active travel improvements
3. Glasgow’s Active Travel Strategy (Consultation draft)
4. Nitshill Road (40mph Speed Limit) Amendment Order
5. SEC Arrival Hall & Minerva St pedestrian/cycle bridge (planning application)
6. George Square: City Centre Traffic Management Order 2010 (Variation No. 31)
7. Draft Glasgow Transport Strategy: framework
8. Draft Parking Management Plan (EDC)
9. Ayr Road (South) Active Travel Improvements 
10. Langside to Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods
11. Ruchill to Cowlairs Liveable Neighbourhoods
12. Raeberry St Quietway (Connecting Woodside)
13. Ayr Road (North): Spaces for People, Phase 2
14. Helensburgh to Garelochhead active travel route
15. Rethink Glasgow

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. COP26 Active Travel route closures
2. City Deal Avenues: Programme update

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

1.1: South Ayrshire Active Travel Strategy 2021–2031

Council: South Ayrshire.
Subject: Active Travel Strategy for South Ayrshire Council region, covering Ayr, Prestwick, Troon, Girvan, etc. Includes a list of infrastructure proposals but not much detail on the standards they might use for construction. Apologies this almost slipped through the net – email any last minute comments about the strategy to: saats@sweco.co.uk.
Website link: South Ayrshire Active Travel Strategy consultation page, South Ayrshire Active Travel Strategy (PDF).
Deadline: 12th November.

1.2: Tarbet to Inverarnan A82 road/active travel improvements

Organisation: Transport Scotland.
Area: Loch Lomond north west shore (A82) in Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.
Subject: New shared path added to re-aligned/improved A82. Scenic route north from Tarbet to Inverarnan (at head of Loch Lomond).
First covered: Digest 97, Item 1.11.
Website link: Tarbet to Inverarnan ‘storymap’.
Deadline: 19th November.

1.3: Glasgow’s Active Travel Strategy

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Active Travel Strategy to replace the previous Cycling Strategy. It certainly talks the talk’ and has some good case studies. However, will it be robust enough to ‘walk the walk’ and be implemented properly?
First covered: Digest 97, 1.5.
Website links: GCC Active Travel info and downloads and GCC Active Travel Survey.  There’s also, an Active Travel ‘Storymap’ and now a CommonPlace map for the proposed city network. 
Deadline: 22 November (not 24th as previously stated).

1.4: Nitshill Road (40mph Speed Limit) Amendment Order

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: South-west Glasgow.
Subject: A few 40mph signs to be moved along Nitshill Rd for a new development.
First covered: Digest 98, Item 1.6.
Website links: Nitshill Rd map, Nitshill Rd report, Nitshill Rd press notice.
Deadline: 22 November.

1.5: SEC Arrival Hall & Minerva St pedestrian/cycle bridge (planning application)

Organisation: Scottish Event Campus.
Area: SEC and Minerva St, Finnieston.
Subject: Proposal for the pedestrian/cycle bridge from Minerva St at Exhibition Centre train station. It will keep the same footings north of Stobcross Rd, so will still have its hazardous right-angle corners (but might lose the gates at the southern end). A new ‘arrival hall’ building will be added at the SEC end of the bridge (starting roughly where the current ‘kink’ is, south of Stobcross Rd). This is part of the wider redevelopment plans for the SEC.
Website links: SEC Arrival Hall & Minerva St bridge planning application.
Deadline: 25 November.

1.6: George Square: City Centre Traffic Management Order 2010 (Variation No. 31)

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Order to make Spaces for People temporary measures permanent in George Square. These include walking/cycling only areas on the west and east sides of the square and at the junction with Hanover St. Also, the southern side is restricted to bus, taxi and cycles from 7am–7pm. There are other restrictions and disabled parking bays on the streets next to the square plus a few restrictions on parts of West Nile St.
Website links: George Sq map, George Sq City Centre TRO Report, George Sq press notice, George Sq Statement of Reasons.
Deadline: 26 November.

1.7: Draft Glasgow Transport Strategy: Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: “The new transport strategy will be city-wide, and provide a framework for investment and decision-making on transport issues up to 2030.” Note: specific transport projects won’t be covered until the ‘Glasgow Transport Strategy: Spatial Delivery Framework’ in 2022.
First covered: Digest 98, Item 1.7.
Website links: Glasgow Transport Strategy page, Draft framework document (39MB!), GTS ‘Story Map’ (some parts load slowly or are broken), GTS online survey.
Deadline: 26 November.

1.8: Draft Parking Management Plan

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: A “coordinated, operational plan for parking management.”
First covered: Digest 97, Item 1.6.
Website links: Draft parking management plan consultation page and survey.
Deadline: 30 November.

1.9: Ayr Road (South) Active Travel Improvements

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Area: Ayr Rd south from Newton Mearns.
Subject: Build a replacement shared-use path on the north/west side of Ayr Road, between North Hillhead Road and the M77 overbridge.
First covered: Digest 97, Item 1.7.
Website link: ERC Ayr Road South consultation page.
Deadline: 24 December.

1.10: Langside to Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods consultation

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From Langside (at edge of Shawlands) across Battlefield, Mount Florida and part of King’s Park to Toryglen (and Polmadie).
Subject: GCC says Liveable Neighbourhoods are to “rebalance the way streets are designed and used, to make them more people friendly” and “to place active travel and public transport as a first choice”. See also GCC’s LN overview and UBDC’s article.
First covered: Digest 96, 1.4.
Website link: Langside to Toryglen LN Commonplace map, About the Langside to Toryglen LN.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.11: Ruchill to Cowlairs Liveable Neighbourhood consultation

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From Ruchill (at edge of Maryhill) across Possilpark, Hamiltonhill, Rockvilla, Craighall, Keppochhill and Port Dundas to Cowlairs (plus Sighthill Park).
Subject: As above. One model that Liveable Neighbourhoods may follow is Quietways – see the next item for an example.
First covered: Digest 96, 1.5.
Website link: Ruchill to Cowlairs LN Commonplace map, About the Ruchill to Cowlairs LN.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.12: Raeberry St Quietway (Connecting Woodside)

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Raeberry St, North Woodside (west of Maryhill Rd).
Subject: Quietway on Raeberry St, part of the wider Connecting Woodside project (via GoBike member Alasdair). Key points include junction redesigns at either end of the street and new secure cycle parking. The eastern end (above) is narrowed at Maryhill Road and the crossing moved to make a direct link to Trossachs St (helping access to the Garscube Rd cycleway and the canal). Car parking bays in the street are set by the new North Kelvinside/Woodside Restricted Parking Zone (which should reduce the amount of vehicles in the area).
Website link: Raeberry St Quietway ‘storymap’, Raeberry St plans PDF, Raeberry St survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.13: Ayr Road (North): Spaces for People, Phase 2

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Area: Ayr Rd through Newton Mearns.
Subject: Phase 2 consultation about replacing the phase 1 cones with light segregation.
First covered: Digest 91, Item 1.5.
Website link: ERC Ayr Road Phase 2 Commonplace page.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.14: Helensburgh to Garelochhead active travel route

Council: Argyll and Bute.
Area: Gare Loch east shore (A814/B872).
Subject: Active travel route between Helensburgh and Garelochhead (by Faslane naval base).
First covered: Digest 95, 1.5.
Website link: Helensburgh to Garelochhead active travel consultation.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.15: Rethink Glasgow

Organisations: Lateral North/OnePlanet/After The Pandemic
Area: Glasgow.
Subject: A “region-wide conversation to re-think a new vision for Glasgow’s future”. After The Pandemic have held a few events during COP26 and have a display in Strathclyde University Students Union until 12 November.
First covered: Digest 95, 1.6.
Website link: Rethink Glasgow, Commonplace site.
Deadline: No obvious deadline. 

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: COP26 Active Travel route closures

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: NCN7/Clyde Walkway (Riverside to Lancefield Quay), West City Way (bridge over M8), Finnieston, etc.
Subject: Further (and final?) response about active travel diversion routes from Get Ready Glasgow.
On signage: “We can confirm that the routes were re-signed on Thursday 4th November.”
On ramps at security gates for accessibility: “Cyclists approaching the gates should dismount. Ramps will not be provided.”
On a site visit with Cllr Christy Mearns and GoBike: “Unfortunately there is no-one available for a site visit as we are all in our operational roles.”
First covered: Digest 94, Item 1.2.
Website links: GoBike on Facebook/GoBike on Twitter.

2.2: City Deal Avenues: Programme update

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: City centre.
Subject: Report for an upcoming council meeting on progress with the Avenues project. Part of Sauchiehall St has already been upgraded to add cycle lanes, trees, etc. However, the timetable for other city centre streets has been seriously delayed. Appendix A shows there will be no new Avenues completed in 2022. Only one (Cambridge St) might be completed by July 2023, when Glasgow hosts the World Cycling Championships. The timetables for some others stretch to 2028.
Website links: Avenues GCC committee document.

Around the north of the city, plans for Maryhill Road’s squinty crossing are dwarfed by proposals for Canniesburn Toll roundabout in East Dumbartonshire.

In the city centre, another Bank Holiday building fire means the road is fenced off on High St at the junction of George St/Duke St.

The Scottish Parliament election has passed but it’s still a bit quiet on the consultations front. However, there are plenty of temporary and permanent projects going on so we have another Infrastructure Update. Most of them are in the city but East Kilbride is also getting in on the Spaces for People action.

Infrastructure Update

• Benalder St, Glasgow is having a cycleway installed over the River Kelvin after works on nearby Bunhouse Rd and Old Dumbarton Rd (for Yorkhill & Kelvingrove Cycling Village).
• Cambridge St, Glasgow – Spaces for People cycle lanes are up and running (including bike traffic lights at Renfrew St).
• East City Way phase 1 at London Rd/Mount Vernon may be nearly there – see 3.1, below.
• East Kilbride has Spaces for People lanes installed between EK train station and shopping centre (via Brouster Hill) including double decker planters on Cornwall St.
• Garscube Rd segregated lanes, for the Connecting Woodside project, have almost reached new bike traffic lights at Firhill St (installed but not put into service yet).
• George Square gets planter boxes and outdoor seating (mostly for The Counting House).
• Royston Rd, Glasgow – work started on Spaces for People lanes.

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Glasgow City Council – Maryhill Road/North Woodside Road/Hopehill Road (Traffic Regulation) Order 2021, (ends 18 June)
2. East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion
3. East Dunbartonshire Council – Canniesburn Toll Signalisation Study
4. North Lanarkshire Council – Town Hubs location surveys
5. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Glasgow City Council – Pollok pop-up lanes consultation (Spaces for People)

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Dr to Daldowie Rd) Order 2021
2. Glasgow City Council – London Road and Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order 2021
3. Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus, May newsletter
4. Urban Roots – Malls Mire, April Newsletter

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

1.1: Glasgow City Council – Maryhill Road/North Woodside Road/Hopehill Road (Traffic Regulation) Order 2021

This traffic order has a long title for a short stretch of junction. It creates a diagonal cycle crossing on Maryhill Rd between the two filtered sections of N Woodside Rd. This is part of the wider Connecting Woodside project (which is installing other squinty crossings on Garscube Rd).

The accompanying report says it includes “the installation of a signalised pedestrian and cycle crossing at the junction of Maryhill Road, North Woodside Road and Hopehill Road”. It also restricts people cycling on the crossing from turning onto Maryhill Rd midway across. Presumably, in an effort to protect pedestrians who may be crossing alongside bikes.

The eastern side will have a 2-way cycle carriageway (according to the very small annotation, above). The order also prohibits motor vehicles from using the new cycle carriageway (the current road has been used for car parking).

There are the usual documents: TRO plan, TRO report, TRO press notice and (short) TRO statement of reasons. The deadline for responses is Friday, 18 June 2021.

1.2: East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion (11 May – 28 Sept)

This item came up just before publication and we’ll no doubt have more to say about it. However, for now, we’ll just highlight the online events starting on 18 May (for the Lennoxtown, Milton of Campsie, Haughhead and Clachan of Campsie areas). There are about a dozen online events in the next few months for different areas (using MS Teams). Paper forms are also available from local libraries.

See a full list of events and background info on the Active Travel Discussion webpage. EDC have set up an online map to gather suggestions, with links to highlight paths, etc. in the area. This consultation will feed into a new Active Travel Strategy later in the year.

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Canniesburn Toll Signalisation Study

Canniesburn Toll is a main junction between Bearsden and Glasgow, which links Switchback Rd and Drymen Rd to the A81 (Maryhill Rd/Milgavie Rd). East Dunbartonshire Council is going to add traffic lights and pedestrian crossings around the roundabout itself. At the same time EDC are proposing to add a cycle lane (using space gained by removing pavement around the centre of roundabout).

There are two options being put forward for the bike lane – one on the carriageway and one on the footway. While it’s good that EDC is looking at cycling infrastructure again (after ignoring Spaces for People), there are some obvious issues with both options.

Option 1, on the carriageway, seems to give priority for people cycling round the edge of the roundabout. However, there’s an obvious risk of a ‘left hook’ collision, when cycling ahead from cars turning left across your path.

Option 2, on the footway, should be safer but slower with multiple waits at traffic lights to cross each arm of the roundabout.

It’s not clear if either option is trying to recreate a Dutch roundabout, which tend to be smaller, single-lane roundabouts with a cycle lane in a separate ring outside it (leaving a gap for cars to stop on each arm). There may not be enough space all the way around the roundabout to add bike lanes further out. However, there is a huge area in the middle of it.

The Canniesburn Toll consultation website has background info and a link to the survey, which takes general feedback and for each option. It’s apparently had a few technical issues which the consultants (Stantec) say are being resolved. If you have any issues with it you could try emailing canniesburntoll@stantec.com. There’s no obvious closing date for this one. However, a ‘Technical Note‘ by EDC for their councillors says detailed design will start in June 2021.

1.4: North Lanarkshire Council – Town Hubs location surveys

As covered in Digest 85, Item 1.2. The Hubs are about creating community facilities through school refurbishments (or other redevelopment). While not strictly about cycling, the new hubs should be accessible by bike/active travel. The areas involved are: Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Motherwell, ‘Northern Corridor’ (Chryston), Shotts and Wishaw.

Each area is covered in one of the videos on the consultation webpage. You can watch them on the page or by clicking the red link to open them in a new tab/window. There are also videos at the foot of the page explaining the thinking behind the project. Each area has a link to a survey to give your views. There’s no obvious closing date for this one.

1.5: GUS – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, the GUSM74 skate park would transform an area under the motorway near West St underground station. The GUSM74 survey is still open for BMX riders, skaters, or their families, to have their say.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: Glasgow City Council – Pollok pop-up lanes consultation (Spaces for People)

The city council added pop-up cycle lanes in Pollok on Braidcraft Rd and Brockburn Rd (as mentioned in the Spaces for People Update in Digest 84). As in other areas, the new lanes used ‘soft segregation’ (black & white ‘zebras’). They generated a lot of discussion on social media, especially Facebook. A Facebook post by Cllr David McDonald talked about a future GCC consultation. It was apparently due to start on 7 May but there doesn’t seem to be any further information so far.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Dr to Daldowie Rd) Order 2021

This was covered in Digest 80, Item 1.5 with further responses in Digest 82, 3.1. GCC have emailed to confirm it’s going ahead as proposed. Hopefully, this and the image in the Infrastructure Update, mean the first phase is just about complete.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – London Road and Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order 2021

This order has gone hand-in-hand with the above since Digest 80, Item 1.6. It’s also been approved. Both orders were made on 30th April 2021 with adverts in the Evening Times on 6th May 2021.

3.3: Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus, May newsletter

Quick off the mark this month are Multiplex with their May newsletter about the Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment.

3.4: Urban Roots – Malls Mire, April Newsletter

First covered in Digest 74, Item 3.4, we’re a wee bit late with the April newsletter. Apparently some paths may be rerouted to allow work to take place. On the plus side, the bike pump track is looking good!

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.