In this issue we have two chances to input on public transport. The first is closing tomorrow, for the SPT, which is very active and public transport oriented, and the second is a Get Glasgow Moving petition. A strong voice on the Get Glasgow Moving input could influence official thinking on both the SPT and transformational frameworks such as that for the Glasgow Broomielaw featured below. Plus a late entry – a survey on a possible bike hire scheme in Motherwell! However, 2 further late entries to this Digest throw a cloud on the long-promised Sauchiehall Street avenue concept.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest Issue 30, 19 March 2019: Get your views in now to the SPT regional survey and the Get Glasgow Moving petition, and is transformation possible?”Consultation Digest Issue 29, 05 March 2019: The Good the Bad and the Ugly news from all around.
A variety of news again, glimmers of hope with reducing motor traffic in Glasgow city centre, the regeneration of the Broomielaw, and the next phase of the Battlefield consultation, but concern about delays with Byres Road and the disappearance, hopefully temporarily, of the Renfrew to Shieldhall cycle lanes consultation. This, and lots more, below.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest Issue 29, 05 March 2019: The Good the Bad and the Ugly news from all around.”**UPDATE** Side Streets
We have been asked to comment in an article for The Evening Times about the dangerous side streets on the South City Way. These have recently opened and have been the subject of a lot of complaint and near misses. The article was published today with an initially pleasing headline (warning: don’t get your hopes up!):
Continue reading “**UPDATE** Side Streets”Notice of Works on Union Rail Bridge, Adelphi Street
We have been notified of works that will be taking place on the City Union Bridge at Adelphi Street, between the Central Mosque and the Nautical College.
Network Rail will be doing some refurbishment works on the rail over bridge at Adelphi Street between 18/2/19 and 7/4/19.
Continue reading “Notice of Works on Union Rail Bridge, Adelphi Street”Consultation Digest Issue 27, 05 February 2019: University Avenue and Bears Way under threat, no cycle lanes for Union Street, Glasgow, but a wee bit of good news as well.
We’ve got wind of potentially terrible news for University Avenue, and in other bad news, the Bears Way cycle route through Bearsden is under ongoing attack, with the latest move by East Dunbartonshire Council to extend car parking at Milngavie Station, rather than extend the Bears Way. It needs its friends back.
In other news Glasgow City Council have rejected yet another plea for northbound cycling on Union Street, but read on for more news, some of it good.
**UPDATE** South West City Way Repairs
Following our GoBike Board of Shame stunt on the SWCW in December, Glasgow City Council have started moving into action on effecting the required repairs and improving the standard of maintenance on the segregated cycle lanes of the South West City Way.
Since our last update, the gritting on the lanes had been much improved and more effective, and we are thankful for the action on that. The repair action is now moving slowly. The first repair began on one of the Shields Road bus stops but was unfortunately then halted for five days with a full blockage of the cycle path remaining in place during that time. It seems that the understanding for the respect for our main commuting route from Glasgow City Council still has some way to go.
This work is now complete though, and we hope that the drainage will be improved there from now on. Elsewhere, near the other Shields Road bus stop, the flooding was drained but swiftly returned, demonstrating that a more permanent repair was required. We have been continuing to ensure that GCC are working on moving forward with the SWCW repairs, and have some of the following info to share with you:
To GCC from GoBike:
We’ve been sent on info from an FOI on the flooding on SWCW that suggests that the bridge would first need strengthening by Network Rail before the required resurfacing can take place. We would imagine that the timeline for this would actually be really significant, and so if this is indeed the case, we would like to suggest the requirement for a program of flooding maintenance at the site until this permanent repair can happen. We have also been made aware though, that heavy machinery such as (…..) vehicles have routinely been seen working on the bridge. Can you explain this?
The FOI also illustrates that there were 13 fault reports specifically on the flooding to the council over a period of a year and a half until the first investigative site visit happened in August 2018. Injuries have occurred at this site due to the neglect to attend to the repair timeously. This week repairs started at the other bus stop on Monday the 7th, which closed off the full cycle lane with barriers blocking cycle lane access, yet no signage and no diversion in place, just a ramp useful only to people with prams and wheelchairs. Work then ceased, incomplete, after the 7th, and the barriers still remain in place, now six days later. I attach an image to illustrate. Frankly, for a flagship route, one of the only truly safe routes we have in the city for people on bikes, the priority for it’s upkeep within the council is quite clearly insufficient.
To GoBike from GCC:
Thank you for your email regarding the South West City Way Cycle route.
We are currently investigating what options are available to resolve the issues with the surfacing on the bridge, taking account of the weight restrictions and work operations that are permitted to be undertaken on the bridge due to its condition. Vehicles should not be using the cycleway and thank you for bringing this to our attention. I will arrange for this issue to be raised with (….) at the next Roads Authorities and Utilies Committee (RAUC) meeting. The Council is also currently reviewing how these initial complaints were initially dealt with.
I can confirm repairs at the bus stop south of the railway bridge started on site on 7th January 2019. The works were to amend the drainage channel inlets, open them up to allow more flow of surface water and make future maintenance more accessible. The contractor has been made aware of the importance of maintaining the traffic management at all times and to resurface the ramp as a priority. I can only apologise it’s taken longer than expected.
The bus stop north (see image) of the railway bridge with the drainage issues has been investigated by LES and the contractor Mac Asphalt Ltd who were involved with the works to resolve the drainage. Due to the lack of existing drainage gullies on Shields Road a further investigation was undertaken on the existing gullies and manholes to allow for an additional 3No. gullies are to be installed within the cycle lane. Work is due to commence on site on Monday 21st January 2019. The cycle lane from the start of Shields Road at St Andrews Drive to the railway bridge will be closed for 7 working days to allow for the drainage to be installed. An alternative route using the footway will be signposted.
I hope this is of assistance.
So that work is due to start today, which is positive. Please let us know whether the diversion is adequate.
Thanks again to the council for working to get this sorted although it is unfortunate that it took such action before anything was done, when the issue had been so widely reported. We have been sent details of just how many reports were made in this FOI sent in from a super helpful member which makes for very interesting reading. But we hope that from here, the council will appreciate the importance of keeping our safe cycling spaces (which as we know, are few and far between) clear, working, maintained, and well…. safe.
Perhaps next, we can look at the issue of parking in the segregated cycle lanes too eh? We will be watching the repairs unfold and wont be resting easy – we already have our next target in mind for the GoBike Board of Shame. Watch this space.