Major changes are proposed for Cowcaddens Rd/Dobbie’s Loan (visual of Port Dundas Rd, above). Another Avenues project on Pitt St has a Traffic Regulation Order, as does the East City Way on London Rd. It’s last call for St George’s Rd but more from Connecting Woodside in Glasgow’s TROs. 

East Renfrewshire’s Local Action Plans close soon but Balgray Connections is open a bit longer. East Dunbartonshire have extended one consultation and started a major one about the Springburn Rd/Kirkintilloch Rd ‘corridor’. Also, good news from Inverclyde.

1: Current Consultations

1. St George’s Road – Phase 2
2. Giffnock Local Action Plan map
3. Clarkston Local Action Plan map
4. Eaglesham Local Action Plan map
5. Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project Consultation
6. Balgray Connections
7. A803 Corridor Improvements Project (Springburn Rd)
8. Cowcaddens Road & Dobbie’s Loan (Avenues Plus)

2: Consultation Feedback

1. Greenock town centre to Battery Park SfP lane
2. Port Glasgow 20mph zone
3. Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment – October 2022 newsletter

3: Proposed Traffic Calming/Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. Glasgow City Traffic Calming/TROs

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: St George’s Road – Phase 2

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Part of the wider Connecting Woodside project.
Subject: St George’s Rd, including remodelling the dangerous Charing Cross junction. A 2-way protected cycletrack would run from there alongside the M8 (with two options for the crossing at Phoenix Rd). It then crosses from the south to north side of the road at Clarendon Place, which would be stopped up at its south end (and re-opened at north). The route would continue on the north side of St George’s Rd to meet the protected lane already built at Garscube Rd. Also, it would have new pedestrian crossings at Woodside Library, N Woodside Rd and St George’s in the Fields.
Featured: Digest 121, Item 1.13.
Website links: St George’s Rd consultation (foot of page), storymap and survey.
Deadline: 14 November 2022.

1.2: Giffnock Local Action Plan map

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: Three further consultations on East Ren towns (following the five in Digest 112, June 2022). While each varies in size, all are relatively affluent and suburban areas south of Glasgow. All three have drop-in events but Giffnock’s took place earlier in the month. Giffnock includes Fenwick Rd, which had ‘soft segregation’ on its cycle lanes for a while before the temporary bollards were removed in spring (Digest 107). As well as the A77, a rail line goes through the town with only a handful of crossing points. The map has over 150 comments.
Featured: Digest 121, Item 1.14.
Website links: Giffnock Commonplace map.
Deadline: 14 November 2022.

1.3: Clarkston Local Action Plan map

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: Clarkston’s consultation comes after its neighbour across the White Cart Water, Busby, had its turn in the summer. The southern edge of Clarkston includes Williamwood High School, off Eaglesham Rd (B767), the subject of a current cycle lane petition. The map has over 260 comments.
Featured: Digest 121, Item 1.15 and previous Clarkston consultation.
Website links: Clarkston Commonplace map.
Deadline: 14 November 2022.

1.4: Eaglesham Local Action Plan map

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: While many of East Ren’s towns bleed into each other, Eaglesham is more rural, between Whitelee Wind Farm and East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire. Also, it’s less connected, without a rail line or cycle paths to nearby towns. The map has over 60 comments.
Featured: Digest 121, Item 1.16.
Website links: Eaglesham Commonplace map.
Deadline: 14 November 2022.

1.5: Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project Consultation

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: Lennoxtown is known as the site of Celtic FC’s training complex. Despite being at the foot of the Campsie Hills, its Main St is not as picturesque as its setting. It has had some regeneration, including Lennoxtown Hub, housing the library and health services. Now a previous improvement project from 2019 is restarting – an initial survey is due to lead to refreshed concept designs for the Main St.
Featured: Digest 121, Item 1.7.
Website links: Lennoxtown project page and survey.
Deadline: 20 November 2022 (EXTENDED).

1.6: Balgray Connections

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Area: Balgray reservoir in Dams to Darnley Country Park, between Barrhead and Newton Mearns in East Renfrewshire.
Subject: Active travel paths added to Aurs Rd in Barrhead and Barrhead Rd in Newton Mearns. In Barrhead, it seems to be a ‘Quietway’-style route on Springfield Dr, parallel to Aurs Rd. It would have raised road tables at junctions and toucan crossings at Aurs Rd and Springfield Rd. At the Newton Mearns end, there would be a shared pavement around the M77 bridge and Westacre Roundabout. However, east of a toucan crossing, there would be proper segregated cycle lanes. These should go the rest of the way to Mearns Cross but there’s doubt about the design around bus stops (possibly due to accessibility concerns?). The Aurs Rd re-alignment project is the bit in the middle, due for construction in 2023–24.
Featured: Digest 122, Item 1.12.
Website links: Balgray Connections Commonplace map.
Deadline: 21 November 2022.

1.7: A803 Corridor Improvements Project

Organisations: East Dunbartonshire Council, Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Area: Most of the length of the A803, Springburn Rd/Kirkintilloch Rd. It runs from the M8 through North Glasgow to Bishopbriggs.
Subject: Phase 1 of a joint City Deal project about how to improve the A803 corridor. In Glasgow, it’s a dual carriageway which is a barrier between neighbourhoods. It has some shared paths around it but none are very wide (despite having space on some of its verges). Towards Bishopbriggs it narrows to one lane each way and is a busy main road surrounded by housing, car showrooms and shops. There’s potential to link to existing protected cycle lanes at Hawthorn St and Fountainwell Rd. Also, to nearby train stations at Springburn and at Bishopbriggs. The A803 project will tie in with Bishopbriggs Town Centre Regeneration. The survey is a chance to get protected cycle lanes into the plans.
Drop-in event – Bishopbriggs War Memorial Hall on Tuesday 15 November, 12–6.30pm. Also, the survey is available in Springburn Library, Bishopbriggs Library and Leisuredrome Leisure Centre. 
Website links: A803 Corridor Improvements Project – Survey and A803 Stage 1 Consultation Boards (PDF, 71MB).
Deadline: 22 November 2022.

1.8: Cowcaddens Road & Dobbie’s Loan (Avenues Plus)

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: The length of Cowcaddens Rd from Cambridge St to Caledonian Uni. A section of Dobbie’s Loan between N Hanover St and Canal St.
Subject: Part of the Avenues Plus project, which also covers Duke St/John Knox Street and S Portland St (which had a consultation event in May 2022). Cowcaddens Rd and Dobbie’s Loan both link to N Hanover St and have a joint consultation. The plans for Cowcaddens Rd look promising, especially the radical redesign options for the Port Dundas Rd junction (in featured image at top). The Dobbie’s Loan plans also add two-way protected lanes (especially useful for students at Glasgow Caledonian Uni and its nearby halls). However, the lanes stop short of the trunk road junction, which leads under the M8 to Craighall Rd and Port Dundas. The boards include an updated Avenues phasing map (now with Block D added). A very short notice consultation event took place on 31 October.
Website links: Consultation landing page, survey, boards (PDF), plans (PDF), 3D panoramas and 3D fly-through videos.
Deadline: 25 November 2022.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1:  Greenock town centre to Battery Park SfP lane

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: The council voted to make the Spaces for People route permanent (as its SfP update report had recommended). The report also recommended improvements including a kerb between the footway/cycleway, resurfacing and dedicated cycle traffic light phases. There will be a focus on the wider section from Dalrymple Street, Container Way and Custom House Way (where the Coastal Path comes inland around Greenock Ocean Terminal). However, we’ll have to wait and see what Sustrans come up with in future.
Featured: Digest 108, Item 1.12.
Website links: Inverclyde Now article on October 2022 council vote and Inverclyde Now article on March 2022 council vote.

2.2: Port Glasgow 20mph zone

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: Staying in Inverclyde, the proposed 20mph zone in Port Glasgow was also approved by the council. This includes changing the route of NCN75 to go along Auchenbothie Road and upgrading some sections of path.
Featured: Digest 115, Item 1.1.
Website links: Inverclyde Now article on Port Glasgow 20mph decision.

2.3: Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment – October 2022 newsletter

Organisation: Glasgow Uni.
Subject: Work continues in the West End on Glasgow Uni’s new buildings. Also, the landscape outside them, including rain gardens to protect against flooding (pictured, above). The zigzag path could make for a technical descent/climb (but at least it seems to be lit). Hopefully other entrances to the site are a bit more direct. Some at the south-west of the site may be disrupted from January, when Byres Rd’s redevelopment is due to start.
Website links: Campus redevelopment newsletter – October 2022.

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Areas: Bearsden (‘MacFarlane etc Redetermination’) and Bishopbriggs (Linnhe Ave and Schools Orders).
Subject: Orders to redetermine footways and parking restrictions.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs (at foot of Roadworks page).

3.2: Glasgow City Traffic Calming/TROs

Areas: City-wide.
Subject: TROs – Pitt Street‘s TRO is, confusingly, called Holland St Avenue (apparently the lane was going there before a rethink). Pitt St will link between the protected cycle lanes on Sauchiehall St (Avenue) and Waterloo St (West City Way/Connect2). This TRO only sets restrictions but the council’s plans for Pitt St (PDF) are shown too. Apart from the tricky junction at Waterloo St, the red lanes look more straightforward than the buff-coloured section at the new Moda development (old police station site). However, there is a pretty steep slope going north between Bothwell St and W George Lane. GoBike asked the council about some of these issues earlier in the process. We got a detailed response from the council’s Sustainable Transport team justifying their decisions. While “gradients of adjacent streets… are similar”, Pitt St is a few blocks longer than Holland St so is a tougher climb.
London Rd – a proposed TRO would set the scene for permanent phases of the East City Way past the velodrome (as seen in Digest 113, Item 1.4). It has its own complicated junctions at Dunn St and Springfield Rd (but the latter does convert a filter lane into cycling space). The council wants to build the project before the UCI Cycling World Championships in August 2023. Stopwatches at the ready…
Provanmill Rd and Cumbernauld Rd – two other Spaces for People projects near Hogganfield Park with proposed TROs.
Raeberry St – one-ways and a cycling only restriction proposed for the junction of Mount St/Simpson St (part of Connecting Woodside).
The School Streets order (for 19 primary schools) was made on 24 October 2022, as covered in Digest 105, Item 1.2. On the same date an order was also made for the Cardonald area (see Digest 97, Item 1.2).
Traffic Calming – Linkwood Dr, Drumchapel; Wardie Rd, Easterhouse. 
Website links: Glasgow City Proposed TROs, Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

Traffic Orders in this issue include School Streets road restrictions and banned turns on Haggs Rd at Pollok Park. Glasgow’s Active Travel Strategy has gone through changes and council committee.

The first two Liveable Neighbourhoods areas, Langside–Toryglen and Ruchill–Cowlairs, have progressed to planning projects. The next two, Dennistoun–Cranhill and Govan–Kingston, are still online but there’s probably not much time if you want your suggestion included in the first lot of projects…

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Braidcraft Road TRO
2. School Streets, Glasgow TRO
3. Glespin to Douglas pathway survey
4. Haggs Road TRO
5. Drumchapel Local Development Framework
6. Dennistoun to Cranhill Liveable Neighbourhoods
7. Govan to Kingston Liveable Neighbourhoods
8. Malls Mire survey
9. Ardrossan Connections Proposals
10. Raeberry St Quietway (Connecting Woodside)

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Active Travel Strategy approved
2. Ruchill to Cowlairs Liveable Neighbourhoods – Stage 1 report
3. Langside to Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods – Stage 1 report
4. Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment newsletter

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

1.1: Braidcraft Rd TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Braidcraft Rd, Pollok (west of Pollok Country Park).
Subject: Traffic Order to help make Spaces for People temporary infrastructure permanent. Previously out for consultation along with nearby Brockburn Rd. According to the council it’s come out again “due to a naming error” (possibly a mix up between Langton Terrace and Langton Crescent). Previously, there was a reaction against the lanes including a banner and a petition.
First featured: Digest 100, Item 1.6.
Website links: Braidcraft Rd TRO documents (combined PDF file).
Deadline: 7 February 2022.

1.2: 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 this issue).
Website links: School Streets TRO documents (combined PDF file).
Deadline: 18 February 2022.

1.3: Glespin to Douglas pathway survey

Organisation: Community Action Lanarkshire (Rural Development Trust).
Area: Ayr Rd (A70) in rural South Lanarkshire, south of Lanark.
Subject: A consultation about potential routes west from the village of Douglas to the hamlet of Glespin. This came out of work for 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.

1.4: 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. The council say anyone driving south on Haggs Rd, who wants to go into the park, will have to go past the entrance for about 3/4 of a mile to do a u-turn at a roundabout then drive back up to turn in to the left. It seems none of GoBike’s suggestions to an earlier consultation have been acted on. Issues included exemptions for cycling, allowing entry from Shawmoss Rd and a raised road table for the Haggs Rd shared path. See the following link for further details.
Website links: Haggs Rd TRO documents (PDF) and GoBike consultation response (PDF).
Deadline: 25 February 2022.

1.5: 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 now made it past 20 comments (thanks to any of you who commented after the last Digest).
First featured: Digest 102, Item 1.12.
Website links: Drumchapel Commonplace map, Drumchapel survey link and background.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.6: 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 include roads like Duke St, Alexandra Parade, Cumbernauld Rd and Edinburgh Rd plus a few train stations. Apart from a few parks most big destinations are towards the city centre end – Necropolis, Tennents brewery and City Park offices. 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 were postponed – further events are due in February. Over 400 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.

1.7: 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 200 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.

1.8: 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.

1.9: Ardrossan Connections Proposals

Council: North Ayrshire Council.
Subject: The next stage of the Ardrossan Connections project following consultation last year. The draft proposals cover the town centre and link between NCN753, in the west, and NCN73 to the east. They include both 1-way and 2-way cycletracks plus some shared paths. Comments on the proposals page so far seem to be split between people welcoming the measures and others who think they’re unnecessary and affect car parking.
First featured: Digest 78, Item 1.2.
Website links: Ardrossan Connections proposals and online design workshops during late Jan/early Feb 2022.
Deadline: No obvious deadline (but plans are due to be finalised by Spring 2022).

1.10: Raeberry St Quietway (Connecting Woodside)

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Raeberry St, North Woodside (west of Maryhill Rd).
Subject: Further project from Connecting Woodside with junction redesigns at either end of the street and new secure cycle parking. The Maryhill Rd end would be narrower and the crossing moved to make a direct link to Trossachs St (towards Garscube Rd and the canal). The new North Kelvinside/Woodside RPZ sets the car parking bays.
First featured: Digest 99, Item 1.12.
Website links: Raeberry St Quietway ‘storymap’, Raeberry St plans PDF, Raeberry St survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Active Travel Strategy approved

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: The draft strategy from autumn last year has been amended and then approved by a council committee. While strategy documents come and go, not many adopt as many GoBike policies as this one. As well as a finalised document, there are reports about the City Network’s financing and delivery. The eye catching figure of £1.8bn of benefits comes from the former. The latter lays out some of the choices that will have to be made about road space and other issues. It remains to be seen what decisions are made and how the ATS gets on with its big brother, Glasgow’s Transport Strategy.
First featured: Digest 97, Item 1.5.
Website links: GCC Active Travel Strategy article, Glasgow Active Travel Strategy – final version (PDF), ATS Interim Delivery Plan (PDF), ATS Strategic Business Case (PDF) and ATS Consultation report.

2.2: Ruchill to Cowlairs Liveable Neighbourhoods – Stage 1 report

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Consultation for Ruchill to Cowlairs (and Langside to Toryglen) Liveable Neighbourhoods started in late Sept/early Oct 2021. There was no closing date (and the Commonplace maps are still open). However, the council have announced the next stage of the process – a ‘Stage 1’ report split into two documents. The first document shows local history and background about Liveable Neighbourhoods. The second document shows the potential projects planned for the area. Ruchill to Cowlairs had fewer comments (86) than Langside to Toryglen (367). Despite that, both have a similar number of projects (13 projects versus 15). However, Ruchill–Cowlairs has further sub-projects within those on a wide range of things. Examples include the new Possilpoint Community Centre building, Routes to School maintenance and the ‘Milky Way’ between Borron St and Keppochhill Rd (near Graham’s Dairy).
First featured: Digest 96, Item 1.5.
Website links: Ruchill to Cowlairs LN – Stage 1 Report, Part 1 (background), Ruchill to Cowlairs LN – Stage 1 Report, Part 2 (projects) [24MB].

2.3: Langside to Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods – Stage 1 report

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Langside to Toryglen LN also has a Stage 1 report of two halves, along the same lines as Ruchill to Cowlairs. There are some eye-catching projects in the second document, including pedestrianising part of the road around the Battle of Langside memorial. Also, there are a few things to make Cathcart Rd more bearable for cycling and walking, like the Letherby Triangle project.
First featured: Digest 96, Item 1.4.
Website links: Langside to Toryglen LN – Stage 1 Report, Part 1 (background), Langside to Toryglen LN – Stage 1 Report, Part 2 (projects) [32MB].

2.4: Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment newsletter

Organisation: Multiplex/University of Glasgow.
Subject: It seems Multiplex have got a bit behind with their U of G newsletters and we’ve had a few months without any (they may need to ask for an extension!). Their January newsletter has the latest about the campus buildings and demolitions. It doesn’t mention that the experience cycling uphill on University Avenue is even more stressful than usual just now due to roadworks.
Website links: Glasgow Uni campus newsletter January 2022 (PDF) (or see the Powerpoint version on Multiplex’s website).

Cycle parking is one of the topics in this Digest – the bike park inside Cadogan Square multi-storey car park (pictured, above) says something about the state of current facilities. Also, it contrasts with some of the points in Glasgow’s latest consultations; including about where cycling really sits in the transport hierarchy.

As shared paths are blocked around that big climate conference, there are question marks about whether the message on sustainable transport will get through. Drafts of two major strategies could set the tone for Glasgow in the next decade – both the Active Travel Strategy and Transport Strategy just happen to be out for consultation during COP26.

There are seven consultations for neighbouring areas but Glasgow will be hogging the headlines for the next few weeks. GoBike is running a ‘feeder ride’ from Lanarkshire in to the main climate demo on Sat 6 November. See other rides from around the city and beyond on Pedal on Parliament’s COP26 feeder rides page.

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Cardonald Area TRO
2. Secure City Centre Cycle Parking Survey (deadline extended)
3. Milngavie TRO – Waiting & Loading Restrictions
4. Make Your Way: Key Links pathways
5. Draft Active Travel Strategy (GCC)
6. Nitshill Road (40mph Speed Limit) Amendment Order
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. Ayr Road (North): Spaces for People, Phase 2
13. Tarbet to Inverarnan A82 road/active travel improvements
14. Helensburgh to Garelochhead active travel route
15. Rethink Glasgow

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. COP26 Active Travel route closures
2. St Andrews Drive (Sustainable Transport) Order 2021
3. Glasgow Uni Campus newsletter

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

1.1: Cardonald Area TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Cardonald, south-west Glasgow.
Subject: One-way streets, filters and parking restrictions near Cardonald train station, Lourdes Secondary School and elsewhere.
Website links: Cardonald press notice, Cardonald report, Forfar Ave/Kinross Ave map, Kingsland Drive map, Lintlaw Drive map and Tarfside Ave map.
Deadline: 29 October.

1.2: Secure City Centre Cycle Parking Survey

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Secure cycle parking at city centre employers and travel hubs. These would include the main rail stations at Central and Queen St, as well as Buchanan Bus Station.
First covered: Digest 94, Item 1.10.
Website link: GCC city centre cycle parking consultation page and cycle parking survey. 
Deadline: EXTENDED – 1 November.

1.3: Stewart Street Car Parks, Milngavie TRO – Waiting & Loading Restrictions

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Milngavie.
Subject: Removing waiting restrictions at a town centre car park.
First covered: Digest 96, Item 1.3.
Website links: Stewart St Car Parks map, Notice for Revocation Of No Waiting – Stewart St Car Parks, Stewart St draft order and the 2013 Order.
Deadline: 1 November.

1.4: Make Your Way: Key Links pathways

Organisation: Community Action Lanarkshire.
Area: Douglas & Leadhills/Wanlockhead, rural South Lanarkshire (and Dumfries & Galloway). 
Subject: Shared use pathways between Douglas to NCN74 and Leadhills–Wanlockhead. Outdoor events in the local areas from 20–28 Oct.
First covered: Digest 75, 1.3.
Website links: Make Your Way Douglas, Leadhills and Wanlockhead article (for link to online survey). 
Deadline: 1 November.

1.5: Draft Active Travel Strategy

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Active Travel Strategy to replace the previous Cycling Strategy. “The draft Active Travel Strategy and the Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan are both part of a suite of transport related plans and documents which will create a modern, resilient and sustainable transport system for Glasgow.”
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).

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

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: South-west Glasgow.
Subject: A few 40mph signs to be moved on Nitshill Rd to allow for the entrance to a new development. Usual reason given: ‘For preserving or improving the amenities of the area through which the road runs’.
Website links: Nitshill Rd map, Nitshill Rd report, Nitshill Rd press notice.
Deadline: 22 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. Also, GCC say it links in with City Centre Transformation plan.
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: “Liveable Neighbourhoods will be accessible and healthy places that allow people of all ages and abilities, to play and socialise outdoors in their local area, as well as making walking, cycling and public transport the first choice.”
First covered: Digest 96, 1.4.
Website link: Langside to Toryglen LN Commonplace map.
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. See also GCC’s Liveable Neighbourhoods overview and Urban Big Data Centre’s article for further background.
First covered: Digest 96, 1.5.
Website link: Ruchill to Cowlairs LN Commonplace map.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.12: 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.

1.13: 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: 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”.
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: The ongoing saga of active travel diversion routes for COP26. GoBike (and a few GCC councillors) have sent several messages to Get Ready Glasgow without getting many in return. See our recent post for further information. The quality of much of the signage, paths, ramps and segregation on the diversion routes leaves a lot to be desired. While there have been a few minor improvements, routes have been further chopped and changed by the council. The best way to keep up-to-date is to check GoBike’s social media.
First covered: Digest 94, Item 1.2.
Website links: GoBike on Facebook/GoBike on Twitter.

2.2: St Andrews Drive (Sustainable Transport) Order 2021

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: St Andrews Drive from Shields Rd to Pollok Country Park.
Subject: Parking and other restrictions to pave the way for the extension to the South West City Way. This is due to be a ‘soft segregated’ route along similar lines to Wallacewell Rd in the north-east of the city (see photos in info page).
First covered: Digest Extra Nov 2019.
Website links: SWCW Extension info page, GoBike response (Digest 85, 3.2).

2.3: Glasgow Uni Campus newsletter

Organisation: Multiplex.
Area: Glasgow Uni Campus.
Subject: Ongoing redevelopment of uni buildings and public spaces between Byres Rd/Church St and Kelvingrove Park.
Website links: October newsletter.

This Digest covers most points of the compass in Glasgow and neighbouring areas to the west, south and east.

Quite a few local and national petitions have been launched recently so this Digest has an update on those (instead of infrastructure).

Petitions Update

• GoBike – Keep our paths open for COP26 (Glasgow residents only)
• Cycling UK – Help fix our failing road traffic laws
• Living Streets – petition to bring forward the ban on pavement parking (and there’s a launch event for a new Glasgow branch of Living Streets)
• Progress for GoBike member Patricia’s petition on public toilets
• A potential future petition about making cycling infrastructure fit for purpose by the broadcaster/author Ned Boulting

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Glasgow City Council – Auldhouse Area Traffic Management Order (ends 20 Aug)
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Bellshill Entrance/Velo Park Project (until end of Aug)
3. East Renfrewshire Council – Ayr Road (A77): Spaces for People, Phase 2
4. Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation (ends 2 Sep)
5. Rosemount Development Trust – Royston Road Masterplan (ends 3 Sep)
6. Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework (ends 3 Sep)
7. Renfrewshire Council – Improving Barshaw Park Junction, Paisley (ends 5 Sep)
8. East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion (ends 28 Sep)

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – Active Travel Forum Network map
2. Urban Roots – Malls Mire partial opening (and newsletter July 2021)
3. Glasgow City Council – Maryhill Road/North Woodside Road/Hopehill Road
4. Glasgow City Council – TRNSMT Festival and Access to NCN75
5. Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus contact changes (and newsletter August 2021)
6. Glasgow City Council – Garnethill Traffic Management and Parking Controls Order

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

1.1: Glasgow City Council – Auldhouse Area Traffic Management Order

The Auldhouse area order appeared in the last Digest 92, Item 1.8. It applies to a triangle of land in the Southside, just off Kilmarnock Rd and Nether Auldhouse Rd. The TRO deals with parking restrictions and making some lanes access only for motor vehicles. See our GoBike response to the Auldhouse Area order. See the Auldhouse plan PDF or the above link for the rest of the documents (ends 20 Aug).

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Bellshill Entrance/Velo Park Project

As seen in the last Digest 92, Item 1.9, the new velo park would be at the edge of Bellshill (next to Motherwell Rd/A721) with mountain bike trails down into Strathclyde Country Park. The project lead is due to meet local community groups in the next week or so. A GoBike member should be at one of the meetings so we’ll hopefully have feedback next time.

If you cycle in the park or the wider area, see the Bellshill Entrance & Velo Park info page. The page says the process should lead to a Sport Scotland application this month so email the council before the end of August.

1.3: East Renfrewshire Council – Ayr Road (A77): Spaces for People, Phase 2

As covered in Digest 91, Item 1.5, Ayr Rd through Newton Mearns has a phase 2 consultation. It’s about replacing the phase 1 cones with light segregation, removing some segregation and adding parking bays. For examples of the segregation, maps and more details, see the Ayr Road Phase 2 Commonplace page. No obvious deadline on this one.

1.4: Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation

As in Digest 90, Item 1.3 this consultation is about phase 2 of the Low Emission Zone in Glasgow city centre (between the M8, river and High St). Phase 1 applied to local buses but phase 2 will include all vehicles entering the zone area (unless exempt). However, enforcement is only due to start in June 2023.

The short survey asks you about issues like the LEZ area and the grace periods. See the Glasgow LEZ consultation page and LEZ online survey. Closes on 2 September 2021.

1.5: Rosemount Development Trust – Royston Road Masterplan

Projects about Royston Rd seem to be like buses – none for ages then two at once. The last Digest 92, Item 1.2, featured the Flourishing Molendinar project about the area at the eastern (hilly) end of Royston Rd. The western (flat) end of Royston Rd is the focus of this project by Rosemount Development Trust.

This section is a crucial link from the city centre/Sighthill (to the west) up towards Blackhill (to the east). Current plans only mention cycling in passing, which is a concern. If cycleways don’t connect right along Royston Rd it risks cutting off not only Blackhill but also active travel routes from places in North Lanarkshire like Stepps and Cumbernauld.

If you know the area at all, please put a word in for cycling. See the Royston regeneration survey and information boards (ends 3 Sep).

1.6: Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework

East of High St out to Carntyne and Tollcross is the ‘Inner East’ area, covered in the latest SDF (as in Digest 90, Item 1.4). The ‘Connected’ section 4C mentions cycling infrastructure projects but also public transport and roads, including the so-called East End Regeneration Route (EERR) dual carriageway.

See the Inner East consultation page for link to the SDF survey (ends 3 Sep).

1.7: Renfrewshire Council – Improving Barshaw Park Junction, Paisley

In 2017, Sustrans identified this crossroads as a dangerous junction. It’s at the entrance to Barshaw Park in Paisley where Arkleston Rd and Hawkhead Rd meet Glasgow Rd (A761, which becomes Paisley Rd West in Glasgow). Arkleston Rd runs south from the M8 and is used for car parking next to Barshaw Park. The park itself includes a BMX track and a mini street layout for children learning to cycle.

This month, Renfrewshire Council announced they had won Places for Everyone funding for the junction.

The consultation has three options:

1. Glasgow Rd protected lanes (none on Arkleston Rd or Hawkhead Rd) plus ‘early start’ cycle traffic lights (Option 1 PDF)
2. All roads have protected lanes with ‘early start’ cycle traffic lights (Option 2 PDF)
3. A protected junction with protected lanes on all roads and bikes get their own signal phase (Option 3 PDF)

Experience from Edinburgh with ‘early start’ bike traffic lights is that not everyone wants/can get to the front of a traffic queue to make use of them. The last option seems best but it creates a bus stop in-shot with shared path alongside it (where Glasgow Rd would be narrowed from two lanes to one). The plans mention relocating the bus stop as another option (but it is next to the main park entrance). Any further protected cycle lanes on roads would be added in a later phase.

Nearly every comment about the plans on Facebook seems to be hostile to all three options (on posts by Renfrewshire Live, The Mill magazine or Friends of Barshaw Park). The most common point (apart from rants about cycling) was the lack of a right-turn filter/light from Arkleston Rd onto Glasgow Rd. If you know the area at all, see the Barshaw Park junction community survey to rate the options (ends 5 September).

1.8: East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion

This has featured since Digest 86, Item 1.2, with its ‘Ideas Map‘ for the area. It’s an opportunity to focus on active travel (walking, cycling and wheeling). 

Online discussion events restart from 21 August (Bearsden & Milngavie). See a full list of events and background info on the Active Travel Discussion webpage. Closing date – 28 Sep 2021.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Active Travel Forum network map

We last heard from GCC’s Active Travel Forum when it restarted in March (the ATF has stopped and started a few times in its history). The most recent meeting, in June, included a new proposal for a city network, which has now been published online. We’ve seen vague outlines before, like the City Ways map in the last Cycling Strategy. The new map isn’t that easy to follow (compared to similar network maps for South Lanarkshire Council). However, this new Glasgow network map does seem to be more systematic than any previous ones.

The presentation about the network map talks about the method behind producing it, including an algorithm for key destinations and roads >10m wide. Slides also mention soft segregation and filters as part of the network. So, it wouldn’t necessarily all be segregated but might go in quicker. The recent announcement about the Liveable Neighbourhoods project (and its Toolkit) may play a part in that.

Slide 10 talks about the density of the network, sets a timescale and another disclaimer:

“CITY Network Map

• Proposed city network to be in place by 2030
• Represents the required density of routes for a functional City Network
• Not all of these streets identified here will form the City Network as delivered but form the start of the planning and prioritisation process
• Delivered City Network must be of equivalent density and coherence by 2030 to enable easy everyday active journeys “

So, the current routes on the map may not be the final ones (and there’s no key).

Main route corridors (striped lines, clockwise from north):

• Springburn Road (A803)
• Alexandra Parade/Cumbernauld Road/Edinburgh Road (A8)
• Cumbernauld Road (A80)
• London Road (A74)
• Eglinton Street/Pollokshaws Road/Kilmarnock Road (A77)
• Paisley Road West (A761)
• Victoria Park Drive South/Dumbarton Road (A814)
• Great Western Road (A82)
• Maryhill Road (A81)

All of the above are (at least) four lane A-roads but it’s not clear if these are intended as the main cycle routes. However, London Rd already has a section of permanent cycleway at either end with more phases planned. London Rd also has sections of soft segregation (with large gaps), as do parts of Cumbernauld Rd and Gt Western Rd. The empty area in the city centre would presumably connect to Avenues project routes. Most of the striped routes reach the city boundary, apart from London Rd and Edinburgh Rd.

The pink routes on the map include permanent infrastructure like the recently completed Garscube Rd cycleway and the very much ongoing South City Way.

The following slide shows ‘iterations’ and distance/coverage (and has a key!).

Iteration/Distance map

The map seems to show a fairly widespread first iteration/version of the network. It would be followed by additions to fill in gaps between these routes for later versions. The colours show pretty good coverage for most areas of the city compared to now (from ‘iteration 6’, presumably in 2030). Most of the pink areas (>800m distance) are not residential – they include the Seven Lochs and Pollok Park.

All of this has to be taken with a big pinch of salt (especially the bits outside the GCC boundary at Renfrew and Thornliebank!). It also remains to be seen how it fits in with other council plans and priorities. For example, cycle routes seem to avoid the High St, despite the fact it’s not an Avenue but has its own High St Area Strategy project (as well as being part of the ‘Learning Quarter’ district plan and Inner East SDF). Elsewhere, there are bus priority lanes in the works for Paisley Rd West – will they trump cycle lanes?

The presentation also mentions themes and objectives for the forthcoming Active Travel Strategy (slide 17 onwards). Slide 21 has more detail on ‘Proposed Theme 1: Infrastructure & Networks’. Only time will tell how both the strategy and network map are put into practice. However, the map seems like a step towards a more comprehensive network. The proposals should go to committee later in the year.

3.2: Urban Roots – Malls Mire

Malls Mire gets a bit higher up the running order this time as the west and central areas of the new community woodland are due to open in mid-August. These will add much needed greenspace and a network of traffic-free paths in the Toryglen/Polmadie area. When the eastern end of the woodland opens, it will provide extra east-west links between the Southside of Glasgow and Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.

Woodland paths aren’t a complete solution to the connection issues in the city network map but they’re certainly welcome. In future, Malls Mire may link to enhanced routes in South Lanarkshire Council’s Cambuslang/Rutherglen active travel network, like NCN756 towards Shawfield and Glasgow Green.

See the Malls Mire July 2021 newsletter for more information about the latest developments. Well done to Gemma and the rest of the team for all the progress so far.

3.3: Glasgow City Council – Maryhill Road/North Woodside Road/Hopehill Road

First covered in Digest 86, Item 1.1, this novel junction layout caused a bit of head scratching due to its minimalist drawing. Options for the crossing had already been in a consultation for Connecting Woodside. However, there was another more detailed drawing for the new junction layout (PDF).

GoBike sent a letter of objection and received the following reply:

“In response to your comments regarding the desire line to travel north from Hopehill Road to Maryhill Road. I would advise that the design for the above junction does not prohibit cyclists wishing to travel, on the carriageway, from Hopehill Road northbound onto Maryhill Road. Cyclists wishing to travel on the carriageway are both encouraged and supported through the inclusion of Advanced Stop Lines (ASL) at all arms of the junction, to support their journey along either Maryhill Road or Hopehill Road.

Please note, whilst it is the objective of the proposed to improve the conditions for cycling on North Woodside Road and, encourage the uptake of cycling in the local area by introducing additional infrastructure that is suitable for use by all ages and abilities. It is not our objective to dissuade or restrict confident cyclists from using Maryhill Road to continue their journey and as such, we have incorporated dropped kerbs within the design of the junction to make this possible.

As you have stated, should cyclists ‘routinely ignore’ the TRO restricting their movements whilst on the proposed cycle crossing, this would be a matter for Police Scotland. As we advised previously, once approved, a TRO is a legal order and is enforceable by law. If you do however have concerns regarding the speed of vehicles travelling on Maryhill Road, or any of the surrounding roads, I would be happy to bring this to the attention of our Road Safety Team to investigate further.”

It remains to be seen how intuitive, or not, this new junction turns out to be. Also, whether Police Scotland take any more interest in anyone ignoring the rules than they do with cars parked in bike lanes. Further phases of Connecting Woodside or results of the city network plan may have a bearing on the junction in future.

3.4: Glasgow City Council – TRNSMT Festival and Access to NCN75

The busy NCN path in Glasgow Green was recently kept open during the Euro 2020 Fanzone in the park. GoBike member Bob wrote to GCC about keeping access to the path in Glasgow Green while it holds the TRNSMT music festival (pronounced ‘Transmit’, kids). The last edition of the festival, in 2019, had closed the route with very poor signage of the diversion. This led to a previous petition about keeping NCN75 open.

The council’s (edited) reply:

“…closure and diversion of the NCR 75 will only take place on the ‘Live Concert’ dates of this event. That will be Thursday 9 September – Sunday 12 September (4 days in total) and that all other dates during the build and break for the event, the NCR 75 will in the main be remain open.

…I would also like to advise that more permanent signage is in place around the diversion routes which when required can be opened to ensure users have a clearly marked route to follow in both directions. These signs will be supplemented with additional free standing signage at some locations. I believe those measures are fair and reasonable for the short term diversion of the route which are in line with other diversionary arrangements.

Lastly I note your objections to any closures but I should can advise that those proposed are governed under the delegated powers granted to the City and managed by Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability and are not by their duration subject to consultation.”

TRNSMT takes place from Friday 10 – Sunday 12 September 2021 but it sounds like NCN75 will close on Thursday 9 Sep, while they set up.

GoBike convenor Thomas posted a thread on Twitter with photos of the diversion route along Adelphi St to the St Andrews suspension bridge. It includes the Gorbals section of riverbank which collapsed in 2017 and remains fenced off. While passable, it’s not geared up for the level of pedestrian and cycle use NCN75 gets on an average weekend.

We’ll try to find out why NCN75 was open for the Fanzone but closed for TRNSMT.

3.5: Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus newsletter

The latest update from the Glasgow Uni campus August 2021 newsletter. It sounds like people in the West End are due to see more activity during August as the foundations of the new Business School are laid.

The contact for the project has changed to Fergus Shaw. Best wishes to the previous contact Kieran Ronnie, who helped us with an issue with the temporary traffic lights on University Ave.

3.6: Glasgow City Council – Garnethill Traffic Management and Parking Controls Order

In Digest 91, Item 1.3, we covered the parking controls for Garnethill. GoBike member Tim sent an objection to the plans. He had a response from the council on some of the points raised:

“I can advise that to accommodate the number of resident permits that are purchased for the Garnethill area we could not reduce the number of parking bays in the Garnethill area.

Please note that the reduction in permit price is being proposed to bring the Garnethill zone in line with all other restricted/controlled parking zones out with the City Centre(excluding Hillhead).”

Garnethill is one block from Sauchiehall St so most people would probably think of it as part of the city centre. It is close to main bus routes, train and underground stations but didn’t get any Bikehangar secure cycle parking. It’s also close to a large motorway junction at Charing Cross, which may have a bearing on the number of cars in the area.

The response also repeated previous statements about Police Scotland ruling out contraflow cycling on one-way streets.

Glasgow City Council’s consultation on its Spaces for People projects is in its last few weeks. There are also consultations and feedback about a few projects in the city. Elsewhere, there’s SfP in East Ren, ‘Discussion’ in East Dunbartonshire and a new road and potential new paths for Lanarkshire.

Infrastructure works continue in Glasgow and beyond for temporary lanes, permanent routes and secure cycle storage. So, there’s another round-up…

Infrastructure Update

• Bunhouse Rd and Old Dumbarton Rd seem nearly complete while work continues on Benalder St and Ferry Rd (for Yorkhill & Kelvingrove Cycle Village).
• Finnieston saw its first on-street secure ‘bikehangars’ (by Cyclehoop) with more due in the Southside and elsewhere. However, some people questioned why the city centre, North and East End were less well covered.
• Royston Rd pop-up lane works continue – might be finished by the end of SfP consultation!
• Some of South Lanarkshire’s towns and villages get 20mph zones, like in Bothwell. The council have also introduced mandatory 20mph zones around schools.
• Strathclyde Park’s widened path is complete near the playpark. Also, the east gate on spine road has moved to allow car access to the Beach car park (while stopping through traffic).

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way surveys for Crawford + Elvanfoot, Glespin, Rigside + Douglas Water (ends 13 June)
2. Glasgow City Council – Maryhill Road/North Woodside Road/Hopehill Road (Traffic Regulation) Order (ends 18 June)
3. Glasgow City Council – Spaces for People survey (ends 20 June)
4. Waverley Park Collective – Liveable Streets Waverley Park (amended deadline: 21 June)
5. East Renfrewshire Council – Davieland Rd, Giffnock Spaces for People project
6. North Lanarkshire Council – East Airdrie Link Road, Stage 2 survey
7. East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion (ends 28 Sept)

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – Planning decision about site to the south of Crawford St/Rosevale St/Beith St
2. Dennistoun Community Council – Update on Spaces for People scheme
3. Urban Roots – Malls Mire newsletter May 2021
4. Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus newsletter June 2021

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

1.1: Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way surveys for Crawford + Elvanfoot, Glespin, Rigside + Douglas Water

The Make Your Way project looks at sustainable travel in rural South Lanarkshire. It started in 2016 creating active travel maps (see: www.makeyourwayclydesdale.com). Since then it has evolved to offer Bikeability training, wayfinding and infrastructure. Previous MYW consultations appeared in Digest 75, Item 1.3. These led to plans for active travel routes to connect villages to the nearby NCN74.

A new lot of villages is due to follow similar steps. Crawford and Elvanfoot are both next to NCN74, south of Biggar. Glespin is off to the west (past Douglas) and Rigside/Douglas Water are to the east (south of Lanark). Some of these places may be familiar from Cycling UK or other group rides. Find the surveys at the following links:

• Crawford and Elvanfoot survey (C+E under 16s survey).
• Glespin survey (Glespin under 16s survey).
• Rigside and Douglas Water survey (R+G under 16s survey).

Surveys are also available from the box outside Crawford Village Hall, Elvanfoot phonebox, Glespin Community Group (glespincommunitygroup@hotmail.com) and Atwal’s Rigside.

The above surveys close on Sunday 13 June.

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

It’s third time lucky to explain this novel junction proposal for Maryhill Rd, which was first covered in May. However, there had been an earlier Stage 1 process to which GoBike responded. Sadly, none of our suggestions were taken on board.

The key features appear to be: the middle crossing is for bikes only, it’s diagonal and it’s completely separate from the surrounding toucan crossings. The issue may be that anyone cycling across who turns onto Maryhill Rd could cut across the line of people walking on the crossings at each arm of the junction (on their own green man) potentially with cyclists coming from behind their shoulder. That seems to be why the council wants to ban left and right turns onto Maryhill Rd from the diagonal cycle-only crossing.

There are other diagonal bike crossings being installed as part of the protected junction layouts on Garscube Rd (for the same project, Connecting Woodside). However, the segregated cycle lanes there will make a big difference and reduce numbers cycling on the carriageway. There’s also the issue about how practical this prohibition might be – will people ignore the ban (or maybe use a toucan crossing to turn onto Maryhill Rd instead)?

Regardless, we have the above proposal and prohibition, which the latest GoBike response about Maryhill Rd TRO objects to. We await to see if there will be any constructive dialogue. The TRO files were in Digest 86, Item 1.1 and closing date is Friday 18 June.

1.3: Glasgow City Council – Spaces for People survey

This consultation covers every temporary Spaces for People project in the city. These have been grouped into headings like ‘City Centre‘, ‘Neighbourhoods‘, ‘School Car Free Zones‘ and ‘Pop-up Cycle Lanes‘. There’s a wide range from across the city, a few of which have been in place in some form for about a year now. In contrast, others are still being finished (like Royston Rd in the Update, above). The quality varies, particularly around junctions, but most make cycling or walking across the city a bit less stressful and more accessible.

Do we want to go back to life without them? If not, there are plenty of ‘Retain it’ checkboxes to tick in the GCC SfP survey (and boxes to comment in too).

A closing date has been announced – you have until Sunday 20 June.

1.4: Waverley Park Collective – Liveable Streets Waverley Park

We first covered this Southside neighbourhood project in Digest 81, Item 1.8. The Liveable Streets project is run by the Waverley Park Collective and had 650 contributors to that first stage. Great to see this from a grassroots group – the depth of consultation and engagement is something the city council could learn from.

The next stage is consulting about three design options to improve road safety. These would use different combinations of filters, traffic calming and ‘pinch points’ to slow down/re-route motor vehicles.

See the Waverley Park options page for summaries of the designs with sliders and comment boxes under each one to give feedback. One of which asks which street you live in so it’s obviously aimed at locals. There are also videos about the options and overall process. It looks like a lot of time and thought has gone into the options and the website.

There’s no obvious closing date but the last stage didn’t last too long.

1.5: East Renfrewshire Council – Davieland Rd, Giffnock Spaces for People project

This Spaces for People project aims to deal with road safety and accessibility issues from bad parking to speeding. As in Digest 87, 1.4, it’s about Davieland Rd next to Rouken Glen Park in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire.

It proposes temporary measures to protect pedestrian and cycling space while retaining car parking. It also has an eye on the future as well. The survey asks about future priorities as well as a reaction to the current proposal.

The background and survey are both on the Davieland Rd consultation page.

1.6: North Lanarkshire Council – East Airdrie Link Road, Stage 2 survey

This project first came up in Digest 56, Item 2.1 (when the planned workshops were cancelled due to COVID-19). It was formerly known as the Airdrie Bypass plan, which is pretty much what it does (to take through traffic away from Chapellhall and Airdrie). However, it will now also connect to the new Monklands Hospital when it’s built at Wester Moffat.

Stage 1 of the project considered various routes. Now, Stage 2 has a preferred route, which is the longest option (going furthest north towards Cumbernauld). There was a workshop about active travel on the route but very few details in this consultation.

See the East Airdrie Link Road, Stage 2 survey for maps and videos of the route to give feedback. No obvious closing date but detailed design is due to start in autumn 2021.

1.7: East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion

This wide-ranging project first appeared in Digest 86, 1.2. The ‘Ideas Map‘ for the East Dunbartonshire area has over 300 contributions so far.

There are a few more online consultation events this week (including tonight for Bearsden/Milngavie) then the rest in August/September. See a full list of events and background info on the Active Travel Discussion webpage. The closing date for the whole thing is 28 September.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Site to the south of Crawford Street/Rosevale Street /Beith Street planning decision

This development first got a mention in Digest 50, 3.7. The site is next to NCN 7 on the way into Partick. It’s since come back with the city council emailing GoBike about the latest planning decision (Planning Application Reference: 19/02063/PPP). It gives the go ahead for the flats despite local objections – no real surprises there.

However, it comes with a long list of recommendations, including making it a car free development. Also, point ‘p’ is about active travel routes:

“p. A survey of pedestrian and cycle movements on the part of National Cycle Route 7 that falls within the site and that immediately adjacent shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The survey shall identify any enhancements to the path required as part of the proposed development to accommodate increased cycle and pedestrian movements associated with the development. Where enhancements are required to maintain pedestrian and cyclist safety, these shall be specified in the survey report. The approved measures shall be completed before any of the dwellings are occupied.”

It’s rare for a UK planning decision to ask for active travel paths to be dealt with before people move in. Paths usually come well after the fact (if at all).

3.2: Dennistoun Community Council – Update on Spaces for People scheme

This detailed update by Dennistoun Community Council was posted in May. Apologies to GoBike member Wesley for its belated appearance in the Digest. Nonetheless, it gives an insight into what went wrong with the Spaces for People scheme in Dennistoun. It never was the ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’ the city council claimed as the design didn’t stop ‘through traffic’ (it only had one filter). Severe delays in installation, removing cycle contraflows and chopping/changing the layout (even before it was finished) managed to alienate almost everyone in the area.

What is left are a few one-ways and extended pavements near schools. These have settled down and seem to work reasonably well. However, it is a long way short of what it could have been. After this experience there are question marks about how locals might react to changes in future. It looks like we won’t have long to wait as Dennistoun has been named as part of a ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’ pilot area.

3.3: Urban Roots – Malls Mire newsletter May 2021

Malls Mire, between Toryglen and Rutherglen has been making steady progress since first appearing in Digest 74, 3.4. This latest Malls Mire newsletter has news about new paths and other greenspace work across the site.

3.4: Multiplex – Glasgow Uni campus newsletter June 2021

Also progressing, but with a lot more steel and concrete, is Glasgow Uni’s new campus development. They’re already on their June 2021 campus newsletter with news about what’s going in ‘University Square’ and their latest piles.

This is the third Digest during the quieter pre-election period. If you want to know what some of the candidates had to say about cycling, you can watch a video of GoBike’s Hustings event. You can also see Pedal on Parliament getting their message across.

This Digest has news about Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire. There’s also some feedback about developments in Glasgow.

Since COVID-19 restrictions are easing, the usual editor is away and the previous editor is filling in. So, there are no links to jump to the topics this time (knowledge update required!). However, things are still a bit quiet so it shouldn’t take long to scroll through.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation (until 2 May)
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Town Hubs location surveys
3. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – Hill Street Temporary Traffic Regulation Order
2. Glasgow City Council – St. Andrews Drive Sustainable Transport Route
3. Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way, Key Links consultation
4. Multiplex – Glasgow Uni newsletter April 2021

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

1.1: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

EDC’s ongoing Climate Conversation was first covered in Digest 82, Item 1.7. It is due to feed into a Climate Action Plan then, following on from that, an Active Travel Strategy. So, it should set the tone for any future active travel development in East Dunbartonshire (assuming there is any after EDC ignored Spaces for People and stopped the Bears Way).

The workshops have all finished now but the consultation is still open. This is your last chance to comment before it closes on 2 May.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Town Hub Location Survey

The Town Hub consultation first featured in Digest 81, Item 1.2. Following the workshops in March, the next phase is gathering opinions about the site options. The Hubs are about using school refurbishments (or other redevelopment) to deliver wider community facilities. While not strictly about cycling, the new hubs should be made easy to access by bike/active travel. The areas involved are: Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Motherwell, ‘Northern Corridor’ (Chryston), Shotts and Wishaw.

It’s a bit unusual to see a council consultation like this during the ‘purdah’ pre-election period, especially as some of the potential hub locations are on land that isn’t owned by the council! For example, one option for the Airdrie hub is the site of the current University Hospital Monklands. The hospital isn’t due to move to its new site at Wester Moffat until the late 2020s. Most of the other locations are current schools, except for a few, such as Cumbernauld town centre, Wishaw Sports Centre and Ravenscraig (Motherwell). The latter will arguably have better active travel access from Craigneuk/Wishaw than from Motherwell itself.

Each area is covered in one of the videos on the consultation webpage (without subtitles, sadly). It may be easier to watch them 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, but do get your views in soon!

1.3: GUS – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, the GUSM74 skate park would redevelop the area under a flyover 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

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Hill Street Temporary Traffic Regulation Order

This Temporary TRO seems to be new and we have no record of any consultation prior to implementation. It’s possibly to do with St Aloysius College, which is a private school at 45 Hill St on the block mentioned in the order, between Scott St and Dalhousie St (just north of Glasgow School of Art). It seems this single block will become two-way, while the rest of Hill St stays one-way.
The streets in Garnethill are narrow with parked motor vehicles adding to the lack of space for cycling, so do take care in the area.

Here are the details of the Order:

3.2: Glasgow City Council – St. Andrews Drive Sustainable Transport Route

This extension to the South West City Way was first announced in a Consultation Extra in November 2019. The official order for the route was in Digest 81, Item 1.1 and GoBike submitted this response:

We had already submitted a very detailed letter in response to an earlier consultation:

Our detailed comments do not, sadly, form part of the TRO Consultation and GoBike is rarely involved in cycleway design. Here is the response of 20 April to our reluctant acceptance of the limited TRO:

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF CHRISTINE FRANCIS, HEAD OF TECHNICAL SERVICES.
NEIGHBOURHOODS REGENERATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Ms Fort
THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (St. ANDREWS DRIVE) (SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ROUTE) ORDER 20__

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the above named Traffic Regulation Order.
We note your letter of “No Objection” this will be considered and included within the final report which will inform the decision. Once a decision has been taken in regards to these proposals I shall write to you again and advise of the outcome.
We further note your points raised in your letter as these are not under the TRO process these will be replied to under separate cover.

Yours sincerely, etc“

We look forward to the promised response under “separate cover”!

3.3: Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way, Key Links consultation

This project first came up in Digest 75, Item 1.3. The Key Links projects is about creating new active travel routes in Abington, Douglas, Leadhills and Wanlockhead in rural South Lanarkshire. Make Your Way had won funding for a feasibility study in summer 2020.

An update on the CAL website has feedback about the consultation (and a ringing endorsement from one of the local candidates).

3.4: Multiplex – Glasgow Uni newsletter April 2021

Multiplex have released their latest update about the Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment – April 2021 newsletter. It doesn’t mention a change to the temporary traffic lights on University Avenue. GoBike member Iain had taken this up with the developers after several members found the green light phase wasn’t long enough. That meant they couldn’t cycle past the roadworks before oncoming traffic got a green light. The phase has now been lengthened – please let us know if you have any further issues with it.

The next Digest will be after the Scottish Parliament election, when normal service may be resumed.

In this Digest there’s a mix of consultations from Glasgow and from all directions outside the city. Most are over before late March, which will mark six weeks until the Scottish Parliament election. This is the Public Sector’s ‘purdah’ pre-election period when projects tend to avoid new announcements (which could get caught up in electioneering).

That may be why there’s been a flurry of news about the next lot of Glasgow’s Spaces for People projects – including Howard St, Cambridge St and Royston Rd. GoBike first heard about these at the revived Glasgow Active Travel Forum, which met for the first time online earlier this month (previous meeting was Sept 2019!).

Ahead of the election in May, see the Cycling for everyone election petition by Cycling UK in Scotland (closes 26 March) and Pedal on Parliament’s ‘Light the Way’ campaign on 24 April.

If you’re in the city, see Andy’s three infrastructure routes around Glasgow to take in Spaces for People infrastructure. Andy has also started to inform GoBike about closures and diversions; if you hear of any please do let us know.

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

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Renfrewshire Council – Inchinnan cycling and walking route – closes 17 March
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events – events 16–18 March
3. Scottish Canals – Stockingfield Junction art survey & public meeting – 18 March
4. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Townhead Proposals Workshops – 18 March
5. Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 – closes Friday 19 March
6. North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall – closes Sunday 21 March
7. East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation – online events 22 & 30 March/22 April
8. Flourishing Molendinar (North East Glasgow) – Public workshops 23–25 March
9. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order
2. Glasgow City Council – London Road/Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order
3. Multiplex – Glasgow University Newsletter March 2021

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

1.1: Renfrewshire Council – Inchinnan cycling and walking route

Greenock Rd (A8) runs between Inchinnan Business Park and Renfrew. This proposed route will be on the north side of the road, apparently starting as a shared path before becoming a segregated cycleway. It will pass McGills bus depot and a few scraps of current infrastructure before going south to Glasgow Airport. It will lead to the new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Black Cart Water, one of the projects in Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA), as mentioned in Digest 39, Item 3.3.

The new bridge sits on the southern side of the road (after enhancing its active travel credentials when it fell off a loader and crushed a white van!). Renfrewshire Council’s Inchinnan webpage says a toucan crossing will be installed near the bridge. However, it doesn’t say why the route has now switched to the northern side, especially as the Business Park is also south of the road. Perhaps to avoid the airport’s approach lights (or someone else’s land)? Or for future connections into Inchinnan itself? If you want to comment you’ll need to be quick – the Greenock Rd survey closes on Wednesday 17 March.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events

These events first featured in Digest 81, 1.2. North Lanarkshire Council have “ambition to replace every school not replaced or remodelled since 1996, our vision is to make these places for the whole community rather than only the school community.“ So, that should include active travel.

Most of the events have already passed but it you get your skates on you can catch the last two for Wishaw and Shotts. The link for each town goes to an Eventbrite sign-up page to register for the event:

• Wishaw – Wednesday 17th March – 6:30pm
• Shotts – Thursday 18th March – 6:30pm

1.3: Scottish Canals – Stockingfield Junction art survey & public meeting

Details about the Stockingfield Junction public meeting on 18 March were in Digest 81, Item 1.5. Since then a survey about Stockingfield has opened asking what kind of artwork people want around the new bridge. There are different views about what form the bridge should have taken so there are sure to be plenty about what (if any) artworks should surround it. Many of us will probably pass through the area once it’s finished so we might as well chip in our 2p’s worth.

Scottish Canals want to hear what represents the local communities of Gilshochill, Maryhill and Ruchill (be kind!). Just don’t say The Big Man!

1.4: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Townhead Proposals Workshops

Also on Thursday is the next lot of meetings about the District regeneration projects. GoBike received an email about Townhead:

“An Action Plan and Framework for the regeneration of Townhead is currently being prepared by a consultant team appointed by Glasgow City Council. We want your input to help shape and influence the priority projects to improve Townhead.”

There is a series of workshops throughout a ‘Co-Design Day’ on Thursday 18 March:

• Co-Design Day Launch (1000 – 1030)
• Getting Around – Workshops (1030 – 1230)
• City Centre Communities – Workshops (1300 – 1500)
• Reimagining (Y)our Townhead (1530 – 1730)

These suggest a much more collaborative approach than many of these events. Obviously, the most interesting one for us is the morning ‘Getting Around’ workshop:

“A participatory workshop considering how to make Townhead more accessible and better connected. Potential projects include:

• Connecting to ‘Townhead Island’
• Active Travel : walking, wheeling, cycling
• Junction 15 on M8
• Cathedral Street
• Stirling Road Triangle
• Canal to Cathedral : Dobbies Loan to St James Road
• …?”

Plenty to get our teeth into there. Alternatively, the Districts Commonplace map is still available if you want to see what suggestions have been made so far or add your own.

1.5: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2

This development first sprung up in Digest 73, Item 1.1. It’s now nearing the end of a pre-application period before actual plans are submitted to the council.

The Next Steps and Feedback page has a webform you can use to send comments. Or you can email: yorkhillquay@iceniprojects.com by Friday 19 March.

1.6: North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall

North Lanarkshire Council is consulting about traffic in the villages of Calderbank and Chapelhall, between Airdrie and the M8 (as covered in Digest 81, Item 1.7). See the Chapelhall Traffic Study and Calderbank Traffic Study for a survey link at the end of each. If you know the areas you have until Sunday 21 March to respond.

1.7: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

As many of us know, East Dunbartonshire Council was the only mainland Scottish council not to bid for Spaces for People funding. However, they do seem to be trying to engage their residents about climate change. It almost seems timed as a response to a nearby city having some sort of globally important climate event (which isn’t mentioned).

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 are also Climate Conversation events, on 22 March, 30 March and 22 April. The events are all online (on MS Teams) so it’s likely to be more civil than previous public meetings where the police were called. Perhaps EDC will have their own version of Jackie Weaver to guide proceedings?

1.8: Flourishing Molendinar (formerly North East City Ways) – Public workshops

This initiative, started by On Bikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum, was first mentioned in a GoBike blog. Their original name, North East City Ways, may have been inspired by a certain city council. The new name, Flourishing Molendinar, comes from the stream that runs from Hogganfield Loch past Blackhill (mostly in a culvert) towards the city centre.

Along with the new name comes a change in focus from the wider area to Provanmill Rd and Langdale St. Both these streets had Spaces for People projects installed over the summer and showed potential for active travel routes. FloMo (it’s easier to spell!) are looking to build on that with public workshops on 22, 23 and 24 March. They still have their survey about getting around the North East of the city. Also, there’s the Streets for All Commonplace map (which On Bikes share with GoBike and Glasgow Eco Trust).

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

A different kind of active travel project but also driven by young (and not so young) people. First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, it’s for a skate park under the M74 extension 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 Cowcaddens, ‘Learning Quarter’ and Merchant City Proposals Workshops

The email for item 1.4 also said: “Townhead, alongside Cowcaddens, the Learning Quarter and the Merchant City, is the focus of the current phase of (Y)our City Centre District Regeneration Frameworks.” So, workshops for the other three will no doubt follow sometime soon.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order

Some swift feedback from the city council about Tricia’s points in the GoBike response to the ECW order. Let’s skip the ‘thank you’ and ‘COVID-19 happened’ bit and go to the following paragraph:

“The left turn from London Road to Hamilton Road has been banned for all traffic to allow the slip road to be closed and provide a large and safe pedestrian area for crossing. A segregate cycle route will be provided on the south side of London Road and Hamilton Road and will have signal controlled crossing facilities for pedestrians and cycles at Mount Vernon Junction which will link to all potential movements. This junction had no cycle or pedestrian facilities prior to these works. Cycle counts undertaken July 2017 recorded that 4 cycles per day made the left turn from London Road to Hamilton Road which included cyclists on the footway. A classified traffic count, counting all traffic categories, undertaken in October 2017 supported this.”

It’s not clear if the first part really is talking about the turn from London Rd eastbound to Hamilton Rd westbound, as Tricia asked. However, the count gives us an idea of how many people it might have affected in 2017. Will last summer’s surge in cycling numbers make a difference to that? And will the new junction attract all eastbound cyclists across the road to the 2-way lane? I guess we’ll find out in the near future.

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

GoBike also received a shorter response from GCC about Tricia’s GoBike response to the 30mph order. Not a lot of detail in this one – it thanks us for our support then basically says East City Way will be done in stages and the police enforce speed limits. It’s just as well we’ve got GCC officers to keep us right on these things.

3.3: Multiplex – Glasgow University campus newsletter

Having just missed our publication time for the last Digest I’m sure everyone will be delighted to see the latest Glasgow Uni campus newsletter this time. There are some nice pictures of large steel frames. However, it doesn’t include that University Place has closed to pedestrians and cycling for three months. Nor does it mention a change to the road layout on University Ave:

In this Digest there are two projects by housing associations to improve active travel connections. The South Lanarkshire, (Y)our Districts and Woodside consultations are each from a wider ongoing series of events but could play a big part in shaping the areas they cover. Lastly there’s a follow-up about East Renfrewshire and a few newsletters.

If you’re in the city, see Andy’s three infrastructure routes around Glasgow to take in new Spaces for People infrastructure. He’s also started to inform GoBike about closures and diversions; if you hear of any please do let us know.

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

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Connections Project, closes 3 February
2. South Lanarkshire Council – Active travel online consultations, all close 8 February
3. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops – ‘Learning Quarter’, rescheduled online sessions Thursday 18th February
4. Queens Cross Housing Association – Woodside Making Places: updated masterplan and online public meeting – 25 February

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Fenwick Rd, East Refrewshire – online meeting follow-up
2. New Gorbals Housing Association – Planning application 20/03363/FUL
3. Sustrans – Glasgow Cycle Counters
4. Urban Roots – Malls Mire newsletter
5. Multiplex – Glasgow University campus newsletters
6. North Lanarkshire Council – Local Development Plan Progress Update

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

1.1: North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Connections Project (closes 3 February)

As covered in Digest 78, Sustrans are running a Commonplace consultation about Ardrossan town centre for North Ayrshire Council and Ardrossan Community Development Trust. This project seems to focus on the on-road bit between NCN73 and NCN753. If you know the area, see the Ardrossan Connections Commonplace map. You’ll need to be quick as it closes tomorrow, 3 February.

1.2: South Lanarkshire Council – Active travel online consultations (all close 8 February)

Not one but three consultations, as covered in Digest 78. They’re for Blantyre/Bothwell/Uddingston; Larkhall and Strathaven/Stonehouse (and surrounding villages). NCN74 passes through these towns (except Strathaven) on a mixture of roads and shared paths. None have segregated cycleways for bikes only. What routes could be upgraded and added on to form a network? This is a great chance to ask for improvements.

Strathaven has a former rail line going east-west behind Sainsbury’s which could make a great cycle path. Most routes in Stonehouse are on road, including NCN74. The A71 cuts off part of its former rail line but it does have others towards Strathaven, Larkhall and Blackwood. In Larkhall, NCN74 moves onto shared paths from the back of the town centre towards Ferniegair and Chatelherault Country Park.

Blantyre currently has a section of NCN74 alongside the East Kilbride Expressway and Glasgow Rd. The latter could easily be widened before the section through Stonefield Park. It then links Station Rd, Blantyre via the David Livingstone Bridge over the River Clyde to Station Rd, Bothwell. The ‘Nature Trail’ here shows what can be done with a former rail line. A new section of NCN74 is due to link from the Raith Interchange to Laighlands Rd, Bothwell. This section currently features a hay bale acting as a filter to stop drivers using the shared path as a rat run!

NCN74 continues into Uddingston on Wilkie Rd, where a new toucan crossing on Bellshill Rd has improved the route. It also links to NCN75, which goes past the train station and Uddingston Grammar School. SLC have already drawn up a network plan for Cambuslang and Newton after a similar consultation. That raised the prospect of finally re-routing NCN75 to avoid the climb up Westburn Rd – a missing link in the Clyde Walkway route that would benefit many, including local school children. Equally, a segregated route along Glasgow Rd from Uddingston towards Glasgow would be very popular.

See SLC’s active travel consultations page for links to each survey/map. You’ve got less than a week to respond – deadline for all three is 8 February.

1.3: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops – ‘Learning Quarter’

GCC’s ongoing Districts consultations were recently mentioned in Digest 78. The planned ‘Learning Quarter’ workshops were postponed with a new date to follow.

The new workshops have been announced for Thursday 18th February. There’s an afternoon session (2–4pm) and an evening session (6–8pm) both using Zoom. You can still comment on the Districts Commonplace map.

Other relevant consultations about the wider area appeared in Digest 74, including Strathclyde Uni’s proposed active travel project and the North Glasgow Strategic Development Plan.

1.4: Queens Cross Housing Association – Woodside Making Places: updated masterplan and online public meeting – 25 February

The Woodside Making Places project last appeared in Digest 65. It covers an area around St George’s Rd, between Maryhill Rd and Garscube Rd. These are mainly residential streets with large blocks of low, mid and high rise flats (plus a few tenements). As well as the new segregated cycleway on St George’s Rd, crossings will be added on N Woodside Rd and other measures include gardens and outdoor play areas (there are three schools nearby).

GoBike received an email from the Making Places team:

“Plans to transform the landscape of Woodside have been advancing since the last phase of community consultation in Summer 2020, and you can now see on the updated Woodside Making Places website how the masterplan has evolved in response to your comments, as well as consultations with stakeholders and statutory bodies. 

Please explore the updated masterplan design – which you can now zoom-in to and post additional comments directly onto. Your ongoing comments are valued, and will help us to further refine the design; you can see how we have responded to those submitted during the previous stage.”

The masterplan design is on an interactive map site called Placechangers (similar to Commonplace/Placecheck). Early comments seem to be from residents about anti-social behaviour and other concerns with the current environment, rather than the future plans. It should make for an interesting online public meeting on Thursday 25th February.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Fenwick Rd, East Refrewshire – online meeting follow-up

Digest 78 covered the Fenwick Rd situation in Giffnock . This meeting took place on 18 January, right before its issue, and some local GoBike members took part. The meeting’s chair was Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw, whose background as a car salesman didn’t inspire confidence. However, it did represent active travel issues as mentioned in his email response:

“A number of reasonable concerns were expressed, not about the principle of the temporary secure route but more specifically about its width and appearance and how it might subsequently be extended beyond Church Road. I am grateful for the constructive comments and suggestions from active cyclists in the immediate area who have been able to engage with neighbours and others locally. Having previously lived immediately adjacent to this scheme for some twelve years with young children, I do appreciate the various views.”

He mentions meeting Lorraine Macmillan, East Renfrewshire Council’s Chief Executive:

“I did feed in the positive support for safer streets initiatives, preferably segregated where possible, but noted the views expressed that when the temporary arrangements at Fenwick Road end and when a more permanent scheme might be considered, that this learn from the experience gained and views of those locally. I also noted the need to ensure that any proposal to extend the scheme should not prejudice local trading but ensure that this is secured together with the interests of all users.

I also took the opportunity to note the considerably increased wider cycling and pedestrian use of local streets over the last year which we have all witnessed. Some key routes which attract many are frankly not currently as safe or suitable as they might be at present. Making them so should be an objective for the immediate future. Many years ago (I am reaching back to the late 1960s here!) I can recall sections of Mearns Road being equally unsuitable and a solution achieved then was for a strip of land on the other side of the previous pavement/hedge boundary to be secured for pedestrians and cyclists. This may be a way forward and worth exploring on certain popular routes now.”

While we might not be asking Mr Carlaw for design tips, at least it’s a fairly pragmatic response and not the one-sided view it might have been. It remains to be seen how the rest of the Spaces for People trial progresses and what happens when it’s removed. You can still have your say on that – see ERC Spaces for People surveys. 

3.2: New Gorbals Housing Association – Planning application 20/03363/FUL

This came in from Tricia via a former colleague who writes: “New Gorbals Housing Association has submitted designs to create a pedestrian link by opening up a railway arch between Laurieston Road and Cleland Lane. It’s part of a phased project aimed at improving pedestrian connections and public realm in the area, including turning adjacent greenspace into a park and reducing the width of four-lane Laurieston Road. Acting alongside Network Rail, which has planning permission to introduce commercial uses to a set of arches at Cleland Lane, the latest proposal will establish an east-west link to Gorbals Street, augmented at a later date with new paving and street crossings.”

The arch is just past the Five Ways junction (Brazen Head) on the South City Way. While the link isn’t strictly a cycle route there could be benefits for cycling between Laurieston and the Gorbals. There seems to have been a short consultation period, which unfortunately closed for comments on Tuesday 26 January. See the archway plans on GCC’s Planning portal, where you should be able to follow its progress.

3.3: Sustrans – Glasgow Cycle Counters

GoBike member Peter has been in touch with Sustrans about cycle counters over the past few months. Glasgow has had two public counters (with the digital numbers, etc.) for a number of years. The one at Glasgow Green (near Saltmarket) has been setting record-breaking figures throughout 2020. The other, at the spiral on the West City Way, hasn’t been counting anything for the past few years since it stopped working. The expectation was a new counter would appear elsewhere to replace it.

That is happening but we’re getting two new counters – one for the WCW counter and another to replace the current Glasgow Green counter. According to a reply from Sustrans:

“Further to your email below I can confirm that the two replacement cycle counters were installed in the following locations: 

1. NCN75 at St. Andrew’s Suspension Bridge 
2. NCN75 at Cuningar Loop Footbridge.”

Assuming the first location is on the north bank, that is a very busy path. However, not everyone would use it depending on where they were going in the East End. Whereas most of Glasgow cycled on the path near Saltmarket at one time or another last year.

The second location needs a bit of explaining. Cuningar Park (not officially a ‘Loop’ anymore) is on the Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire side of the Clyde. After the Commonwealth Games the footbridge linked it to the former Athletes Village in Dalmarnock. While more people discovered the park during lockdown in 2020 it’s still a bit obscure. A lot more people might use it if the bridge actually linked directly to NCN75 below it, but it doesn’t (although there is a way to get there round the houses, literally). If the counter is actually on the NCN/Clyde Walkway itself, near the bridge, then it makes a bit more sense.

If any of you have seen these in the wild, feel free to tweet/send in photos of how the figures are doing. Meanwhile, we wish the Glasgow Green/Saltmarket counter a well earned rest and a happy retirement!

3.4: Urban Roots – Malls Mire newsletter

We featured the first issue of the Malls Mire newsletter in Digest 74. The January 2021 issue has a rough timetable for the project with milestones to look forward to in spring and summer. The rest is about NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) and Urban Roots themselves. The area looks like it could shape up to be a nice link between Toryglen and Rutherglen.

3.5: Multiplex – Glasgow University campus newsletters

Your editor forgot to include Multiplex’s January newsletter (mainly about traffic management). So, it’s a double helping of Glasgow Uni campus news (four whole pages!). However, their February issue contains drainage works (from January) and a building named ARC (about 20 years after the Glasgow Caley ARC building). Where would we be without these West End avant garde types, eh?

3.6: North Lanarkshire Council – Local Development Plan Progress Update

GoBike received a brief update from North Lanarkshire Council:

“Our Local Development Plan – Modified Proposed Plan is currently progressing through the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) examination process.

The DPEA have made a number of requests for further information. We are working to provide all information requested, meantime you can follow progress online.”

Just in case you were wondering how the plan was doing; now you know.

Our blog post called it a ‘Low-ish Traffic Neighbourhood’. Does it qualify as an LTN? It’s included in one of Andy’s three infrastructure routes so you may get the chance to see for yourself if you’re in Glasgow.

There’s also a recent petition for segregated cycle lanes at the Kelvin Way-University Avenue junction (open for signing until 28 January). It’s near Hillhead Primary School, which also features for its School Street…

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

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Glasgow City Council – School Streets, Glasgow (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) Order 202_, (closes 11 January 2021)
2. East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021
3. Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF), closes 29 January 2021
4. Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – Spaces for People: Dennistoun Area – Low Traffic Neighbourhood (Temporary Traffic Regulation Order)
2. Glasgow City Council – Lourdes Primary School, Glasgow (Temporary Traffic Regulation) Order 2020
3. NHS Lanarkshire – New Monklands Hospital, preferred site
4. Multiplex/University of Glasgow – Campus Development, December 2020 Newsletter

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

1.1: Glasgow City Council – School Streets, Glasgow (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) Order 202_, (closes 11 January 2021)

As covered in Digest 75, Item 1.4 this traffic order makes School Streets trials into a permanent fixture at six primary schools. They are Bankhead PS, Broomhill PS, Hillhead PS, Lourdes PS, Our Lady of the Rosary PS and St Blanes PS. GoBike supports Schools Streets and hopefully we have members near some of these schools who can show support.

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

If you’re at a loose end over the festive period, and know the East Dunbartonshire area, you still have time to comment on their proposed LDP2 (as seen in Digest 72, Item 1.8). Since EDC installed the first phase of the Bearsway they’ve become the Grinch of active travel as the only mainland council not to bid for Spaces for People funding. If you want to urge them to do better in future developments, see www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2 and email: development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk. 

1.3: Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF),
(closes 29 January 2021)

North Glasgow SDF is another long term document, which covers a large area north of the M8 to Possil and from Maryhill Rd to Springburn. It’s a part of the city which doesn’t have much cycling infrastructure, unless you count the canal path. Since Stockingfield junction is about to be closed off, it will soon have even less. However, the new lanes on St Rollox Dr (past Sighthill Cemetery) and the recent Spaces for People lanes (on Bilsland Drive and Hawthorn St) show potential. The more of us who tell the council about that, the better. This featured in Digest 74, Item 1.5 with the GoBike response written by Brenda. See the North Glasgow SDF consultation document (PDF) and the online survey. The deadline was extended to 29 January 2021.

1.4: Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)

GCC have a consultation open about the new protected junctions on the South City Way (as seen in Digest 74, Item 1.6). A recent response from Sustrans on Twitter clarified an issue with a CCTV mast (it was supposed to be moved pre-pandemic). Even if they’re not perfect, they’re a first in Glasgow that we’d like to see repeated elsewhere.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None forthcoming this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Spaces for People: Dennistoun Area – Low Traffic Neighbourhood (Temporary Traffic Regulation Order)

This is a follow up from the recent GoBike blog about changes in Dennistoun, which quoted this Temporary TRO (as it came in too late to make the last Digest). The order covers the area between Alexandra Parade and Duke St, known locally as The Drives (from the names of most of its east-west streets – Circus Dr, Roslea Dr, etc).

The above is where your editor has lived for about 15 years and was involved in a plan to reduce ‘through’ traffic in The Drives in 2019, along with Michael from Spaces for People Dennistoun (before Sustrans nicked that name). That plan was a grassroots response to all the 1-way streets in GCC’s earlier Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) plan for Dennistoun and Royston. Which in turn followed concerns about more parking being displaced into Dennistoun by the Celtic Park/Emirates Event Day Parking Zone plans. There’s also a history of other parking issues, including around Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the City Park building plus commuters using the area as a ‘park and ride’ to the city centre. Many streets in the Drives have the familiar rows of parked cars down both sides, reducing the road width and visibility.

The parking plans have been shelved since all the Roads staff in GCC were redeployed to the Sustrans-funded Spaces for People program. This probably explains the similarities between some 1-ways in the RPZ plan and the new Dennistoun Spaces for People measures.

It may also explain the use of 1-way streets to re-route ‘through’ traffic. Many active travel advocates would expect an LTN to stop rat running altogether. The Sustrans definition of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood is:

“…a scheme where motor vehicle traffic in residential streets is greatly reduced. This is done by minimising the amount of traffic that comes from vehicles using the streets to get to another destination. This is often referred to as ‘through-traffic’ or ‘rat-running’.

Private motorised vehicles still have easy access to all homes and businesses without driving directly through the neighbourhood.

This opens up networks of streets so people can safely travel through the area on foot, bicycle, by wheeling or by bus. Emergency vehicles can also be prioritised to reach their destinations quicker.

Traffic is reduced by using temporary or permanent barriers called “modal filters”. These can include putting up bollards or planters. Or they can be camera operated. Residents and businesses still have access to the neighbourhood by motor vehicle using different routes, but through-traffic is greatly reduced.”

Glasgow City Council’s TTRO contains the grand total of one modal filter (on Ark Lane). In your editor’s opinion, this is four filters short of an LTN. Stopping drivers taking shortcuts through the area would cut down traffic to just residents and deliveries. Allowing it through spreads traffic around the neighbourhood without properly calming the streets. Also, some drivers don’t follow established ‘No Entry’ signs let alone new ones.

The most eye-catching parts of the scheme are probably the extended pavement sections outside Alexandra Parade and St Denis’s primary schools. A row of planter boxes in the road will stop car parking around the school gates on Armadale St and Meadowpark St. This should improve road safety for schoolchildren. Outside the barriers, a painted cycle contraflow lane will go next to the existing road lane. Elsewhere the 1-way sections will allow contraflow cycling but without any marked lanes; just signage.

The rest of the order is mostly about short 1-way sections and double yellow lines near schools and nurseries. However, it also extends lines further on Ark Lane and Broomfield Drive than on the original drawing. There was no explanation but an educated guess is it might be to let bin lorries turn.

Like other SfP projects, the council used emergency powers so they didn’t have to consult local people (they may count Glasgow’s Spaces for People Commonplace map as consultation). This created a lot of confusion around the plans. The reaction online saw some support on Twitter but a lot of negative posts on Facebook. Many complained about loss of car parking and lack of consultation. The council’s ‘map’ (really a technical drawing) didn’t help so your editor produced a new map instead.

Work on signage, barriers, etc. was supposed to be finished before Christmas (but seems to be behind schedule). The temporary trial will last about three months. It remains to be seen how people in cars and on bikes will react to the new cycle contraflows. However, it is a first step towards making the Drives a better place to walk and cycle (if a faltering one). Time will tell if GCC’s scheme brings the benefits recorded in many London LTNs.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – Lourdes Primary School, Glasgow (Temporary Traffic Regulation) Order 2020

Following on from the permanent orders, above, is this Temporary TRO for Lourdes Primary School in the Cardonald area. It seems to add double yellow lines to part of the entrance road to the school (after the roundabout). That’s about it, really.

3.3: NHS Lanarkshire – New Monklands Hospital, preferred site

The latest part of the process to choose a new hospital site was mentioned in Digest 71. A GoBike response in the next Digest was in favour of the Wester Moffat site for active travel.

On 16th December, Lanarkshire NHS Board approved Wester Moffat as its preferred site.

A hospital being built at Wester Moffat brings a lot of potential for improvements to NCN75. The site is just east of Airdrie between the current Wester Moffat community hospital (off Towers Rd) and Easter Moffat golf course. NCN75 is currently on the busy A89 past the site. The off-road route following the Airdrie-Bathgate rail line begins near Caldercruix. If a new off-road path could link Drumgelloch station to the new hospital and Caldercruix it would greatly improve safety and encourage more people to cycle to work, appointments or visiting.

The new East Airdrie Link Road is due to cut through the site (north-south) and was much more of a factor than cycling. However, the Fairer Scotland Duty report, which GoBike referenced, was mentioned a lot in the Board meeting. The new hospital could help regeneration in nearby neighbourhoods like Craigneuk and villages like Plains.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeane Freeman, has the final decision. Even if it’s approved, it will be several years before the hospital and any new transport links are built.

3.4: Multiplex/University of Glasgow – Campus Development, November 2020 Newsletter

Another few pages of updates in the December 2020 Newsletter. If nothing else, the newsletter helps identify Uni buildings that you’ve seen but never knew what they were called. This month it’s the Pontecorvo building, the Brutalist concrete tower on the corner of Church St and Dumbarton Rd. If you don’t like it, don’t worry; it’s about to be demolished!

Talking of seeing the back of things, this is the last 2020 Digest. This year’s horrendous circumstances obviously overshadow everything. However, the Spaces for People programme created around 10km of ‘soft segregated’ cycle lanes in Glasgow. These have offered protection to hundreds of new Nextbike users and thousands of people who returned to cycling in and around the city.

If you’re wondering where to ride in Glasgow over the festive period, why not try out some of the above on Andy’s three infrastructure routes?

Take care and hope you can still have a Merry Christmas and a Guid New Year.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. **NEW** NHS Lanarkshire, new Monklands Hospital, closes 18 October
2. **NEW** East Renfrewshire Council, Community online consultation on proposals for Barrhead South, closes 21 October
3. UK Department of Transport, Review of the Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, closes 27 October
4. Glasgow City Council, Connecting Communities, Transport Strategy Public Conversation, Your Views, closes 30 October
5. **NEW** Glasgow City Council (City Centre) (Traffic Management) Order 2010 (Variation NO.27) Order 202, waiting and loading, plus EV parking, closes 30 October
6. **NEW** The Guardian Newspaper, Why we need media reporting guidelines for road safety, closes 08 November
7. **NEW** The Scottish Government, Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland – Consultation on Phase 1 Proposals, closes 08 November
8. Transport Scotland, Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 – Draft public consultation, closes 01 December

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council, 01 October, confirmation of speed cushion installation on 6 schemes, Ladyloan Avenue, Muirhead Road, Gartocher Road, Maxwell Drive, Prospecthill Circus and Warriston Street
2. Glasgow Science Centre, Planning Application, acknowledgement of GoBike response
3. Multiplex University of Glasgow Campus Development – October 2020 Newsletter
4. City Deal Renfrewshire, Glasgow Airport Investment Area – traffic management works second phase
5. Glasgow City Council, 08 October, confirmation of speed cushion installation on 2 schemes, Newlands Park and Greenfield Road Area
6. North Lanarkshire – East Airdrie Link Road: Active Travel Stakeholder Group, report of 30 July meeting
7. North Lanarkshire – City Deal funding approved for Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access project

Section 1: Current Consultations, in date order for responses

1.1 **NEW** NHS Lanarkshire, new Monklands Hospital, closes 18 October

We are aware that Monklands Hospital in Airdrie is due to be replaced and a new hospital built at another site, at one of the 3 options shown above. These are, from left to right: Gartcosh, Glenmavis and Wester Moffat. We understand that active travel links will be considered, whichever option is selected – and the request is out for the public to give their views.

The information from NHS Lanarkshire is here:  https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/get-involved/consult-engage/monklands-engagement/
Here’s the email address for your submission: MRP.Team@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

If you live, work or are otherwise interested in this area, please do respond and get the active travel view in.

1.2 **NEW** East Renfrewshire Council, Community online consultation on proposals for Barrhead South, closes 21 October

2 years ago, on 24 October there was a consultation event for the Barrhead Travel Links, which we mentioned in several Digests, the last being Digest 21, Item 1.1. There is now an online consultation, which you may access here. It’s a very simple questionnaire, with just one box for your views, so will only take a few minutes of your time.

1.3 UK Department of Transport, Review of the Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, closes 27 October

This is the final outing for this consultation. It is hoped that you have read the blog we published on this topic. You still have time to do so – and do please respond. All the information is in this blog and we need to ensure that views from those of us who cycle, walk and perhaps even ride a horse, outnumber those commentators who maintain that they own the roads because they pay “road tax”. Here’s the letter, penned by Brenda with some assistance from Calum, that GoBike sent in last Tuesday.

We received this email acknowledgement for our submission on 09 October:

“Many thanks for submitting a response to the Highway Code consultation to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. Your views are very important to us and your comments will be considered when we undertake full analysis of all replies.

A summary of responses, including the next steps, will be published within three months of the close of the consultation.

Highway Code Review 2020
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR
Follow us on twitter @transportgovuk”

So don’t expect overnight changes then!

1.4 Glasgow City Council, Connecting Communities, Transport Strategy Public Conversation, Your Views, closes 30 October

All the details for this online consultation were in Digest 70, Item 1.9 and here’s the link to how you may participate; it’s very easy to find out what the City Council is saying and to put in your views. Please do.

1.5 **NEW** Glasgow City Council (City Centre) (Traffic Management) Order 2010 (Variation NO.27) Order 202, waiting and loading, plus EV parking, closes 30 October

GoBike responded to the Stage One (limited) consultation on this back in March this year with this letter. We have now received the full public consultation with the following email that arrived on 08 October. Changes have been made since the initial proposals were issued:

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF KEVIN HAMILTON, HEAD OF ROADS
NEIGHBOURHOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Sir or Madam,

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (CITY CENTRE) (TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT) ORDER 2010, (VARIATION NO.27) ORDER 202_

Further to my consultation email of 13 February 2020 regarding the above named Traffic Regulation Order, and in accordance with statutory procedures, I now enclose a copy of the press notice of the proposed Order, relevant maps, statement of reasons and detailed report.

There has been some changes to the proposals which are specifically:

• The previous definition of Hanover Court has now been split into two sections namely North Frederick Street and North Frederick Path as per the attached plan;
• The previous proposed new electric vehicle only parking spaces on Bell Street, Bothwell Street, Collins Street, Holland Street, Ingram Street, Rose Street and Rottenrow East have been removed from the proposals;

Details of the proposals will also be available on the Glasgow City Council website at www.glasgow.gov.uk/proposedtro . 

As stated in the attached documentation, any person wishing to object to the proposed Order should send details of the grounds for objection in writing to Kevin Hamilton, Head of Roads, Exchange House, 231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX  or by e-mail to lestraffic@glasgow.gov.uk by Friday 30 October 2020.

Yours faithfully

Kevin Hamilton
Head of Roads, Neighbourhoods and Sustainability“

Here are the drawings that were attached to the email:

11.01-Publication-of-Proposals-Press-Notice-Advertised-09.10.2020
09.01_-_Draft_Report
08.01_-_Statement_of_Reasons
Publication-Douglas-Lane
Publication-Electric-Bays-Inner-Area
Publication-Electric-Bays-Outer-Area
Publication-Hanover-Court-renamed
Publication-Motorcycle-Bays
Publication-Proposed-Candleriggs-Development

This appears to be an improvement on the initial proposals, although there is no mention of the contraflow cycling for Candleriggs that was promised at Stage One, so we will be asking about that in the GoBike response.

1.6 **NEW** The Guardian Newspaper, Why we need media reporting guidelines for road safety, closes 08 November

This is a fascinating survey and one that affects us all; the use of language in reporting what happens on our roads. GoBike member, Derek M, sent it in and here’s the link to the Guardian newspaper.

This is just one quote from the article:
There is excellent reporting out there – , but there is also less thoughtful output. For example, the majority (61%) of coverage of cyclists is broadly negative, focusing on road danger, criminality or bad behaviour, although studies have shown cyclists are generally far more law-abiding than motorists.

Do please read the article and put your thoughts in the short open-question survey.

It’s no doubt that it’s the use of pejorative language in the media that affects us all who cycle and could well be relevant in the recent suffering of GoBike member and ex-co-Convenor and Pedal on Parliament campaigner, Dave Brennan. See here for details from our sister organisation Cycling UK.

1.7 **NEW** The Scottish Government, Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland – Consultation on Phase 1 Proposals, closes 08 November

This consultation, advised to us by GoBike member, John, and Cycling UK Scotland, relates to cycle storage for houses, tenements and on-street – a topic close to many people’s hearts. It’s Section 7 of this document that relates to active travel and it’s easy to fill in the survey section – if you agree with the proposals. Do please support this relaxation in planning requirements.

1.8 Transport Scotland, Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 – Draft public consultation, closes 01 December

This consultation first appeared in Digest 69, Item 1.13 and it’s certainly worth taking a look at the proposals. There’s quite a bit about improving road safety, but not a lot of detail about how it will be done. Indeed, training of motor drivers is outwith the current remit of the Scottish Government, but it is a move in the right direction.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None that we have been made aware of, but plenty of current ones to keep you busy and the hint of one in our very last item, 3.7, below, concerning road links from Ravenscraig to Motherwell.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Glasgow City Council, 01 October, confirmation of speed cushion installation on 6 schemes, Ladyloan Avenue, Muirhead Road, Gartocher Road, Maxwell Drive, Prospecthill Circus and Warriston Street

Yes, the most-used photo of the year, more speed cushions confirmed for these 6 streets. The proposals have been approved as we first published them in Digest 66 and Digest 67 with the exception of:

• Muirhead Road: Proposed set of speed cushions situated at number 27/29 will now be situated at number 31
• Warriston Street: Proposed set of speed cushions situated at number 154 will now be situated at number 162.

The amended information is shown on these drawings:

RS.20.58-Muirhead-Road-TC-proposals-Full-view-after-consultation
Warriston-Street-Full-view-of-proposals-after-consultation

Sadly, no information is given as to why residents do, or do not, want speed cushions outside their house!

3.2 Glasgow Science Centre, Planning Application, acknowledgement of GoBike response

The consultation to reroute the cycle route past the Science Centre featured as Item 1.5 in Digest 69 and here’s the letter of objection that GoBike submitted on 15 September. This letter was based on a much longer and much more detailed letter that GoBike member, Brenda, had written and the funny thing is that there are only 2 public comments on the planning application portal – one from Brenda and one from GoBike! Thus, if public comment counts for anything, this planning application will be rejected ….

Here’s the acknowledgement letter that was received on 02 October.

3.3 Multiplex University of Glasgow Campus Development – October 2020 Newsletter

Here’s the link to this month’s newsletter, received on 06 October.

3.4 City Deal Renfrewshire, Glasgow Airport Investment Area – traffic management works second phase

Here’s the update we received on 07 October:

Note that because of the nature of the works the bridge will be closed to people walking and cycling – it’s a popular route for cycling so do please be aware and plan your route accordingly.

3.5 Glasgow City Council, 08 October, confirmation of speed cushion installation on 2 schemes, Newlands Park and Greenfield Road Area

Here’s that photograph again confirming that we heard on 08 October that these 2 schemes will go ahead as proposed; details were first in Digest 66. Item 1.9 for Greenfield Road and Digest 67, Item 1.12 for the Newlands Park area. However we are informed that for the Newlands Park area “During the consultation process, it was highlighted by residents that they felt St Bride’s Road should be included within this scheme in order to avoid it becoming a potential rat run. I can advise that a standalone, formal consultation process will be undertaken for this location.” This demonstrates that the Council is listening to people who ask the right things!

3.6 North Lanarkshire – East Airdrie Link Road: Active Travel Stakeholder Group, report of 30 July meeting

In Digest 66, Item 3.3, was news of North Lanarkshire’s Active Travel Stakeholder Group and GoBike member, Derek Y, has now received minutes of the meeting of 30 July. There’s a lot of information included so if your leisure, work or general interest takes you into North Lanarkshire, do please have a look.

3.7 North Lanarkshire – City Deal funding approved for Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access project

Here’s the latest, received on 08 October, from North Lanarkshire and the City Deal project that we have reported on before. Let’s hope that pressure builds for active travel in the area, with the current construction activity:

“Funding approved for Ravenscraig project

Investment of £61.9 million for the Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access (RIA) project has been approved by the Glasgow City Region Cabinet.

We are matching this with £65.3 million over six years to create new and improved transport infrastructure connecting Ravenscraig north to the M8 and south to Motherwell and the M74. A total of £127.2 million is therefore being invested.

This includes:

• a new dual carriageway from the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility to Motherwell, crossing the west coast main line railway, with new provision for walking, cycling and wheeling throughout;
• a new roundabout with traffic signals at Airbles Road and Windmillhill Street, connecting to the dual carriageway;
• completion of the dualling of Airbles Road; and
• the dualling of the A723 from Ravenscraig to the M8.

The RIA is a key component part of the council’s Plan Lanarkshire Orbital Route, combined with investment currently underway at Motherwell Town Centre Interchange and the future East Airdrie Link Road, to create a transformational road and infrastructure travel spine through North Lanarkshire.

The Pan Lanarkshire Orbital Route will improve connectivity from Motherwell to Cumbernauld across a range of transport modes and support better movement between towns and communities. It will create an active travel highway for cyclists, runners and walkers to navigate safely across the area. These plans will impact positively on the environment and road safety locally, removing traffic congestion points in neighbouring communities, such as the A73 at Chapelhall, and helping to improve air quality.

Within  the Ravenscraig site itself, the RIA is one of a number of infrastructure projects the council is working to deliver, including a new seven hectare park which is currently under construction and, working with Sustrans, plans for new cycling and walking links to Craigneuk, Wishaw and New College Lanarkshire Motherwell campus.

The regeneration of the overall Ravenscraig site is a key element of the council’s vision for the area, which will see £3.5 billion invested over the next 10 years, creating around 12,000  jobs and generating an additional £1 billionfor the local economy.

“Despite the coronavirus pandemic, we are continuing to invest in the future of North Lanarkshire, with a clear plan for economic growth,” said Des Murray, Chief Executive of North Lanarkshire Council.

“Ravenscraig is an important part of our long-term plan as it will bring new homes, schools, businesses, jobs and leisure facilities over the next 25 years. To achieve this, we must invest in new roads and active travel improvements, including cycle routes and public transport links – the Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access project will deliver that.

“Overall, the Pan Lanarkshire Orbital Transport Corridor will transform the way we use our transport network, encouraging healthy active travel options, creating new opportunities for development and digital infrastructure along the route, and creating potential for low carbon energy networks.

“With the funding from Glasgow City Region City Deal secured, we can now move forward with this exciting new project to transform derelict land into vibrant new communities for the people of North Lanarkshire.”

UK Government Minister Iain Stewart said: “I am pleased the regeneration and transformation of Ravenscraig has reached another milestone. This project is essential to the future prosperity of the region and is a fantastic example of how the Glasgow City Region Deal is improving transport links and developing communities. 

“The UK Government has now committed more than £1.5 billion to City Region and Growth Deals across Scotland, creating jobs, opportunities, and sustainable growth.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “The infrastructure created aims to meet the active travel needs of residents, alongside improving road infrastructure, to facilitate the regeneration of Ravenscraig and contribute to creating the environment for a healthy and vibrant community to thrive.

“The Scottish Government is a full partner in the Glasgow City Region City Deal, contributing £500 million over 20 years to the Infrastructure Investment Fund. This is a significant development within the Glasgow City Region Deal, demonstrating once again how Scottish Government investment supports transformative projects such as this.”

The next stage in the RIA project will be submission of a planning application for the southern connections to Motherwell and the M74, which will include a public consultation.

_______________________________________________________________________________

An interesting collection of consultations and feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly – wonder what there will be next?