…o’ Mice an’ Men, Gang aft agley.” Happy Burns Night! Rabbie lived in Dumfries for a while and this first issue of 2024 includes events on Galloway and Ayrshire’s hopes to become a new national park (before the bid goes to the Scottish Parliament). Also, there are updates on two City Deal plans for “relief roads” with question marks about active travel links around them.

In the Southside, there’s a day of workshops in Govanhill. A few pre-consultations for development plans close soon, followed by the Development Frameworks for Pollok and Easterhouse. Nextbike have a survey about new hire station locations. Traffic Orders have started to re-appear, including ones for Avenues Plus.

Obviously, our plans for the new version of the Digest have “gang agley” (gone awry)…

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

1.1: Local Development Plan 3 Evidence and Data Gathering (EDC)

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: EDC is consulting about an Evidence Report for LDP3. They need “the views of residents, businesses, groups and organisations. The report will focus on the broad concepts that will shape the plan and not, at this stage, the merits of individual sites. Key issues include… Sustainable transport.”Public drop-in sessions have already started in various locations – these run between late November and mid-January.
Website links: LDP3 Evidence Report consultation webpage and LDP3 online survey.
Deadline: 31 January 2024 (5pm).

1.2: My Neighbourhood, My City – Place Standard Survey

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Survey for the new City Development Plan (Glasgow’s land-use plan), which will decide where new homes, schools, businesses and open spaces should be located. The Place Standard tool gathers rates different factors about a neighbourhood to identify issues. Responses will inform the Evidence Report for the plan.
Website links: MNMC Place Standard survey (and City Development Plan 2 web hub).
Deadline: 1 February 2024.

1.3: Future of Travel on North Cathcart Road

Organisation: South Seeds (with Planning Aid Scotland).
Subject: Workshop events in Govanhill about how to improve walking, wheeling and public transport at the northern end of Cathcart Rd (A728). It’s a mostly 4-lane road running from the Five Ways junction (Brazen Head) over the M74 to Govanhill. Cycling isn’t explicitly mentioned (despite the bike icon on the flyer) so maybe a good idea to speak up for protected cycle lanes.
Events – Thursday 1 February:
1pm – 2.30pm at Larkfield Centre,
6.30pm – 8pm at Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre.
Website links: Workshop sign-up link (you can also just turn up on the day).
Deadline: Probably only open to submissions on the day – 1 February.

1.4: Galloway National Park – drop-in sessions

Organisation: Galloway National Park Association (charity).
Subject: Proposal for a national park in Galloway (which would include parts of South and East Ayrshire in its boundaries). Previous consultation took place in 2018 so these sessions are updates about the plans ahead of a submission to the Scottish Government. Not specific to cycling but would affect the area and have potential to create cycle routes.
Drop-in events:
30 January (2–6pm) – Johnston Centre, Kirkcudbright;
31 January (2–7pm) – County Building, Wigtown;
1 February (2–7pm) – Community Centre, Dalmellington;
2 February (2–7pm) – Millennium Centre, Stranraer.
Website links: Further information on the GNPA website (including info on climate change, which mentions cycling).
Deadline: Probably only open to submissions from 30 January to 2 February.

1.5: Greater Easterhouse Strategic Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: “The SDF for Greater Easterhouse identifies key issues and opportunities in the area, and sets the vision and framework for future development in line with the spatial policies of the City Development Plan and the National Planning Framework 4.”
Website links: Greater Easterhouse SDF page and Greater Easterhouse SDF survey.
Deadline: 5 February 2024.

1.6: Greater Pollok Local Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: “The Vision for Greater Pollok includes… movement and travel infrastructure, town centres, local shopping, facilities, housing, and economic development areas… green spaces and initiatives which tackle climate change. Following extensive community engagement, which ended in September 2022, the Draft Greater Pollok LDF document is now complete.”
Website links: Greater Pollok LDF page and Greater Pollok LDF survey.
Deadline: 5 February 2024.

1.7: Nextbike – new station survey

Organisation: Nextbike by TIER.
Subject: New bike hire stations are being planned and Nextbike has a survey for users of their mobile app. The survey link is in a news item on the app (if you don’t have it on your phone, you can download from the Nextbike website). It has some suggested locations to choose from (Penilee, Eastfield, Barlanark, Bishopbriggs, Fernhill or Clydebank). You can also suggest your own location using a grid square reference from What3Words.
Website links: Nextbike survey tweet.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Dunglass terminal redevelopment, Bowling

Subject: Further planning approval granted on a long-running project to redevelop the former Esso/ExxonMobil oil terminal at Bowling and create a new road into Dumbarton. This may change part of NCN Route 7, which runs parallel between the A82 (Great Western Rd) and railway. NCN7 crosses the A814 (Dumbarton Rd) near the Dunglass roundabout. However, it’s not clear if NCN7 would be diverted through the new business park to a longer riverside path around the central and western edges of the site. On the plus side, the City Deal-funded project should create new crossings on the A814 and A82. The A82 has been affected by “unstable verges” near the roundabout in the recent past.
Website links: Article and planning application.

2.2: Westerhill Development Road – route chosen

Subject: Another City Deal project, this time north of Glasgow inside the Westerhill Regeneration Area (which had a consultation in 2023). East Dunbartonshire Council have chosen a route for the new road north of Bishopbriggs (previously referred to as Phase 5 of the Bishopbriggs Relief Road). It extends Westerhill Road from the former Aviva offices past Low Moss prison to the A803 Kirkintilloch Road. It’s due to include pedestrian and cycling paths – possibly extending the Westerhill Way shared path. Design work will continue into 2025 so construction is still some way off.
Website links: EDC article.

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs. Orders for disabled parking spaces and some experimental School Streets.

3.2: Glasgow City TROs & Traffic Calming

Website links: Glasgow City Proposed TROs and Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes. Orders for recent consultations including two Avenues Plus projects – South Portland St and Cowcaddens Rd.

“But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!”

The cut-down Digest will continue on Thursdays.

There is obviously quite a lot happening around Glasgow just now as well as a few consultations each for East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Argyll & Bute.

Forthcoming consultations:

Glasgow Transport Strategy: Policy Framework – following on from previous consultations last year.

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Bike Share Survey
2. Cardonald Area TRO
3. Milngavie TRO – Waiting & Loading Restrictions
4. Make Your Way: Key Links pathways
5. Draft Active Travel Strategy (GCC)
6. Draft Parking Management Plan (EDC)
7. Ayr Road (South) Active Travel Improvements 
8. Langside to Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods
9. Ruchill to Cowlairs Liveable Neighbourhoods
10. Ayr Road (North): Spaces for People, Phase 2
11. Tarbet to Inverarnan A82 road/active travel improvements
12. Helensburgh to Garelochhead active travel route
13. Rethink Glasgow

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. COP26 Active Travel route closures
2. Malls Mire newsletter – September 2021
3. Local Development Plan Newsletter No.65

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

1.1: Bike Share Survey

Organisation: CoMoUK (on behalf of Nextbike, etc.).
Area: Glasgow (or another local bike share scheme if you use one).
Subject: Survey “to understand the value of shared bikes and how services can be improved.” [Note – you must accept privacy policy to complete survey.]
Website links: Nextbike Bike share survey (includes offer of £2 Nextbike credit and entry into draw for £50 shopping voucher).
Deadline: 25 October.

1.2: 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.

1.3: 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: A plan “to supersede the existing Strategic Plan for Cycling 2016-2025 and designed to achieve significant modal shift across the city to walking, wheeling and cycling.”
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: 24 November.

1.6: Draft Parking Management Plan

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

1.7: 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.
Website link: ERC Ayr Road South consultation page.
Deadline: 24 December.

1.8: 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.

1.9: 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.

1.10: 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.

1.11: 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). Plans follow on from previous route selection process (and earlier local A82 campaign).
Website link: Tarbet to Inverarnan ‘storymap’.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.12: 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.

1.13: 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.
Subject: After GoBike presented our petition to a city council committee, councillors instructed officers to look again at COP26 diversion routes and keep us informed about progress. We’ve had to ask a few times for an update but there seem to be a few (unconfirmed) bright spots in an overall dark picture with the diversion routes. Keep an eye on our social media accounts for further info.
First covered: Digest 94, Item 1.2.
Website links: GoBike on Facebook/GoBike on Twitter.

2.2: Malls Mire newsletter – September 2021

Organisations: Urban Roots/Clyde Gateway.
Area: Toryglen, Glasgow/Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Newly opened community woodland park in area between Toryglen Asda and Rutherglen Glencairn football ground.
Website link: Malls Mire Sept 2021 newsletter.

2.3: Local Development Plan Newsletter No.65

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: Proposed Local Development Plan 2, Planning Guidance, Business Survey, Draft Parking Management Plan and Local Housing Strategy Review.
Website link: LDP2 newsletter 65.

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

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

Infrastructure Update

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

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

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

1.1: North Lanarkshire Council – Strathclyde Park road closure

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

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

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

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

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

1.2: Kinning Park Complex – Sustaining Choices events

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

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

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

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

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

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

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

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

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan Consultation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Background

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

Active Travel Studies

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

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

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

Spaces for People

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

Make Your Way

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

Tinto Hill Improvements

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

Clyde Cycle Park

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

3.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Local Development Plan Newsletter

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

Not many new consultations to start the year. However, it’s a last chance to comment on some existing consultations and a planning application at the Science Centre/BBC has some feedback.

The weather hasn’t helped but have you been able to try any of Andy’s three infrastructure routes around Glasgow?

There’s still time to sign the petition for segregated cycle lanes at the Kelvin Way-University Avenue junction (until 28 January). It’s near Hillhead Primary School, with 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.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow Science Centre – Planning application 20/02068/FUL

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 order makes trials into permanent School Streets at six primary schools: Bankhead PS, Broomhill PS, Hillhead PS, Lourdes PS, Our Lady of the Rosary PS and St Blanes PS. GoBike backs this move and hopes members can show support too.

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

The deadline is approaching for East Dunbartonshire Council’s proposed LDP2 (as seen in Digest 72, Item 1.8). If you want to comment on how EDC could include active travel in future developments, you’ll need to email them soon. Their track record includes the first phase of the Bearsway and not very much since. Certainly no Spaces for People projects as they were the only mainland council not to bid for funding. 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)

This featured in Digest 74, Item 1.5 with the GoBike response written by Brenda. It covers a large area north of the M8 to Possil and from Maryhill Rd to Springburn. It’s about to lose some of the canal path during the Stockingfield bridge works. Recent gains include St Rollox Dr (past Sighthill Cemetery) and the Spaces for People lanes (on Bilsland Drive and Hawthorn St). 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). These are a trial for two years and the consultation doesn’t have a deadline. So, you should be able to submit comments about the new junctions at any time. They’re a first in Glasgow that GoBike would like to see repeated elsewhere.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None forthcoming this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow Science Centre – Public realm improvement works/alterations to road layout and car park (Planning Application 20/02068/FUL)

This planning application first featured in Digest 69, Item 1.5. The plans make some changes to the public space between the Science Centre and BBC building. Just now, you have to dodge concrete barriers between the Millennium Bridge and Pacific Quay service road. A direct path between them would help, since it can be a busy area.

However, this plan is for planting and seating outside the Science Centre with a new cycle path next to the road (in pink, above). This will run along the edge of the car park (replacing about 50 parking spaces) and across a side entrance road. It continues on what is currently a narrow grass strip, then goes across the pavement at a corner. It’s not clear if the pavement is shared use or if the cycle path joins the road.

The northern end of the cycle path leads to a curved shared space (marked 5), which people will walk across to get to the car park. This path will be built on what is currently a road within the car park. The turning circle between the Science Centre and BBC building will also be reduced. There is a ‘sheltered cycle hub’ with 94 bike parking spaces (marked at point 8). This seems to replace the small existing bike shelter for staff/visitors (maybe with double-deck bike parking). However, the existing Nextbike hire station is not shown at all. Update: seems Nextbike station is being retained (but isn’t marked on plan).

The plans do convert car parking spaces and some road space and into space for people walking and cycling. Overall, the scheme looks like it’s been planned for people visiting the Science Centre rather than people who cycle to work or for transport. The same company, Austin-Smith:Lord, are running the consultations about city centre districts.

See the documents on Glasgow City Council’s planning portal, including a GoBike response objecting to the route being less direct. These don’t seem to have been taken on board as the council has approved the plan, subject to conditions (GCC don’t give any further details).

Looking forward…

Further into 2021, new Spaces for People routes are due in Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire. Also, new cycle/pedestrian bridges are being built to Sighthill in Glasgow and Inchinnan, Renfrewshire. Perhaps we’ll have more next time.