The machinery of government has been churning out the consultations at a frightening rate but thankfully, when viewed as a whole, they all hang together well and are, in general, moving Scotland in a positive direction. Much of what we see in the consultations on NPF4, STPR2 and the new Route Map are all driving (pardon the pun) towards meeting climate targets and enabling cycling and active travel.

These consultations package up many of the same policies and commitments, which, when developed, could enable and encourage people to cycle, walk or wheel rather than jumping in the car. These positive motivators to change the nation’s behaviour, or ‘carrots’, are plentiful but they need to be developed by government and grown by local councils.

As we gear up to the local elections we should bear in mind that many councils aren’t as bought into this agenda as they need to be. The pre-election period is therefore a huge opportunity to tell councils, Councillors, parties and candidates that the future is one with low-carbon transport and that they need to get behind the government initiatives. Councils are the ones who will deliver much of this at the local level so its time for them to step up.

This week we also had news of Minister for Transport Graeme Dey’s resignation because of ill health. We wish him well and a speedy recovery. Jenny Gilruth MSP has been moved within the Scottish Government to take up this important post. Congratulations to her.

One of the jobs for the new Transport Minister will be to get her head around all the live consultations – just like the rest of us!

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy 2022 to 2026 – draft

The Scottish Government and NHS Assure have developed a draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022 to 2026 for NHS Scotland.

I haven’t looked through this yet but there must be opportunities to suggest how active travel can be part of this strategy. Comments should be returned on the template in the supporting documents by email.

Closes 10 February 2022

1.2: Scottish Government – Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review Framework

I will look at this consultation in more detail next month. However, whilst the recent budget announcement of £150m for active travel this year is a substantial increase it was below what was hoped for. Therefore, we need to argue for a big boost to funding in the next budget at the end of this year – £235m would be appropriate in order to get Scotland on a straight line trajectory to £320m in 2024/25. I’m not sure how far ahead the Spending Review looks but obviously, we don’t want funding to plateau at £320m – we need to argue for growth to continue.

Closes 27 March 2022

1.3: Scottish Government – Draft National Planning Framework 4

The NPF4 is a major document setting out the direction for national planning policy and national developments for the next decades. The fourth NPF is focussed on meeting the net-zero target and supporting the nature restoration and recovery – good progress from NPF3.

Overall its a positive document aiming to drive planning and national developments towards addressing the climate emergency.

The big news for cycling is the inclusion of a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a National Development, important because this designation as a national development gives it high status. There’s also more detail on creating 20 minute neighbourhoods.

Also relevant to Glasgow is a ‘Clyde Mission’ national development. However, there’s not a great deal of detail on these proposed policies.

I will look into this consultation and provide more suggestions for responses next month

Closes 31 March 2022

1.4: Transport Scotland – 20% Reduction in Car Km Route Map 

The long-awaited Route Map has been published setting out Government’s plans to achieve the target from the updated Climate Change Plan which committed Scotland to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

Its a first time in the UK that a government has targeted demand management in this way. Wales has set up a review of its road building programme in light of the Climate Emergency – many argue that Transport Scotland should also put a halt to road building, such as increasing capacity on the A9 and A96.

The Route Map includes more than 30 interventions aiming to achieve the target but all of these are recycled policies – there’s nothing new.

In my blog post for Cycling UK I also argue that there need to be more ‘sticks’ to directly disincentivise driving. There are lots of positive ‘carrots’ providing alternatives to driving but they all need developing. There’s also analysis in this twitter thread.

Closes 6 April 2022

1.5: Transport Scotland – Strategic Transport Projects Review – STPR2

Hot on the heels of the Route Map came the STPR2 consultation. This is the 2nd part of the STPR2 consultation with Part 1, which featured in National Digest 5, outlining some of the policies already being developed, e.g. Active Freeways.

As with NPF4, STPR2 is focussed at creating infrastructure for the coming decades which will help Scotland to decarbonise transport and meet climate emission reduction targets. This is positive and a change from the first STPR which was notable for locking in high carbon infrastructure such as motorway building and the Queensferry Bridge.

However, STPR2 still has big projects – creating a network of cycle lanes is a big job – but different in that they will be delivered by multiple actors.

Closes 15 April 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

I’m not aware of any more consultations to come. There have been so many recently I’m hoping for time to work on the ones above!

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

This weeks’ Scottish Budget saw the Scottish Government boost the budget for active travel by 30% to a new record of £150m. This is the third increase in successive years and comes after the Programme for Government commitment to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on walking, cycling, and wheeling by 2024/25.

That’s just two years’ away so many were hoping for more from this budget to put Scotland on a straight line increasing trajectory to £320m (see red line in diagram below). That would have needed approximately a £70m boost this time but an extra £34.5m is not to be sniffed at. Rather we have to look to the promised Spending Review in May (see consultation 1.5 below) to make the case for even bigger budgetary increases over the next two years and beyond.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Transport Scotland – NTS2 Delivery Plan – Impact Assessments Consultation

Impact assessments are being undertaken on 37 strategic policies within the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) Delivery Plan and Transport Scotland would like to get your views on the initial screening of impacts through a survey.

Closes 5 January 2022

1.2: Scottish Parliament – Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)

The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee is leading an inquiry into the draft NPF4. Responses to this are needed early in January, whereas the Government’s consultation closes at the end of March – see 1.6 below.

The NPF4 is a major document setting out the direction for national planning policy and national developments for the next decades. The fourth NPF is focussed on meeting the net-zero target and supporting the nature restoration and recovery.

For the first time NPF4 includes a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a national development, which should be welcomed. Also relevant to Glasgow is a ‘Clyde Mission’ national development. However, there’s not a great deal of detail on these proposed policies.

The Committee is seeking opinions on some different questions to those asked on the Government consultation so its worth bearing these in mind as you write your opinions.

The four questions, posed by the Committee, are useful for calling for better provision for cycling – see suggestions to include in answers in italics.

• What does your ideal home look like and what surrounds it? – Cycling parking, local cycle access to services.
• How can we design our environments to address climate change? – Dense networks of cycling infrastructure, and 20-minute neighbourhoods.
• How do you use space to stay healthy and well? – The importance of cycling to stay healthy and well and the need for planned high quality infrastructure to achieve this.
• How can planning encourage people to live in rural areas? – Rural areas also need cycle routes but also lower speed limits. Community travel hubs can also help guide people to sustainable travel solutions.

You can respond to the Committee in one of two ways – either use the survey type format or answer the above questions in writing (they welcome pictures or videos too). See the Committee’s page for more information.

The online survey-style response format seeks opinions on each section of the draft NPF4 to ask to what extent the policies in the draft document meet a list of criteria, including:

• support efforts to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets
• improve health and wellbeing
• improve equality  
• interact with other Scottish Government strategies 
• conflict with other outcomes and state how these conflicts will be managed 

Closes 10 January 2022

1.3: Scottish Parliament – Inquiry into the role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland

The Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee have a new inquiry looking into the role of local government in delivering Scotland’s net zero target. Ahead of the local election in May this is inquiry could make useful recommendations about the delivery of active travel infrastructure and cycling projects by Local Authorities.

The Committee is looking to find out the main barriers at a local level, to Scotland reaching its net zero targets. It will consider what practical steps councils are taking to break them down, in partnership with business, the voluntary sector, and local communities. It will also highlight areas where change will be needed if councils are to play a full role in the helping us achieve the goal of a net zero Scotland.

GoBike and GoBike members are probably well placed to provide the Committee with useful experience of working with councils – especially to answer question 10: How are councils working with cross-sectoral partners to decarbonise transport (including encouraging active travel) and to improve air quality?

There are 12 questions posed by the Committee to be answered in an online format – but as usual you don’t need to answer all of them.

Closes 21 January 2022

1.4: Scottish Government – NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy 2022 to 2026 – draft

The Scottish Government and NHS Assure have developed a draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022 to 2026 for NHS Scotland.

I haven’t looked through this yet but there must be opportunities to suggest how active travel can be part of this strategy. Comments should be returned on the template in the supporting documents by email.

Closes 10 February 2022

1.5: Scottish Government – Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review Framework

I will look at this consultation in more detail in 2022.

Closes 27 March 2022

1.6: Scottish Government – Draft National Planning Framework 4

There’s a good few months to respond to the Government about the NPF4. Overall its a positive document aiming to drive planning and national developments towards addressing the climate emergency.

The big news for cycling is the inclusion of a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a National Development. There’s also more detail on creating 20 minute neighbourhoods.

I will look into this consultation and provide more suggestions for responses in the new year.

Closes 31 March 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

I expect Transport Scotland to publish its ‘route map’ for how it will achieve its target for a 20% reduction in car journey kilometres by 2030. It’s not clear how Government will consult on this plan.

Also next year Transport Scotland is likely to consult on the second part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

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** OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum, short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme, please respond as soon as possible!
2. Glasgow City Council, Connecting Communities, Transport Strategy Public Conversation, Your Views, closes 30 October
3. Glasgow City Council (City Centre) (Traffic Management) Order 2010 (Variation No 27) Order 202, waiting and loading, plus EV parking, closes 30 October
4. The Guardian Newspaper, Why we need media reporting guidelines for road safety, closes 08 November
5. The Scottish Government, Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland – Consultation on Phase 1 Proposals, closes 08 November
6. Transport Scotland, Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 – Draft Public Consultation, closes 01 December
7. **NEW** Glasgow City Council, new City Development Plan, closes 11 December
8. **NEW** East Dunbartonshire Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. NHS Lanarkshire, new Monklands Hospital, GoBike response
2. Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) project, newsletter, including new bridge over White Cart
3. Stockingfield Bridge diversion details
4. Glasgow City Council, Ruchazie Road speed cushion confirmation – and our question!
5. East Dunbartonshire Council, Local Development Plan Newsletter No 60

Section 1: Current Consultations in date order for responses

1.1 **NEW** OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum, short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme, please respond as soon as possible!

This is a reminder of the blog that came out on 18 October. If you haven’t read it yet then please click here, read it and respond! The north east of the city needs you. The survey is quick and easy to do.

Responses are requested as soon as possible to meet Sustrans’ funding timetable.

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

This consultation from the City Council first appeared in Digest 70, Item 1.9. The survey is a must-do for active travellers, so please do give it a go by Friday.

1.3 Glasgow City Council (City Centre) (Traffic Management) Order 2010 (Variation No 27) Order 202, waiting and loading, plus EV parking, closes 30 October

This consultation featured first in our previous Digest, 71, Item 1.5 and here’s the GoBike letter in response. In the letter there is reference to the Stage One consultation letter that we submitted; we were not able to publish that response at the time but here it is now, for reference.

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

We know from the struggles of all under-represented groups that the use of language is important. In our case, some of the language used about cycling and those of us who cycle is very pejorative. This survey, taken from the Guardian newspaper, was in Digest 71, Item 1.6 and is well worth a few minutes of your time, if you haven’t already completed it. Here’s the link and you need to read a bit of text so that you can complete the very short survey.

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

Item 1.7 in Digest 71 gave the details for this consultation – a must for any cycling tenement dweller! Do please look at this link and get your views in.

1.6 Transport Scotland, Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 – Draft Public Consultation, closes 01 December

This consultation, first featured in Digest 69, Item 1.13 and it’s clear, with an average of 3 people per week being killed on Scotland’s roads that something needs to be done about road safety.
Here’s the link to the consultation information.

1.7 **NEW** Glasgow City Council, new City Development Plan, closes 11 December

How good are our places? This is what the City Council wants to know, with this email from 21 October that GoBike member, Derek M, forwarded to us:

“Good afternoon 
Glasgow City Council is preparing a new City Development Plan and we want to hear your views on what it should say. We are working with our partners, The Future Fox to host an online engagement called Placebuilder. It is designed to help us understand the experiences and ideas of Glasgow’s different neighbourhood communities on what they think works, what could be better and what they would like to see change. 
The engagement will run from Wednesday 21^st October until Friday 11^th December 2020. If you click on the image below you will be taken to the engagement home page where you can choose to answer questions about your neighbourhood. Or if you are really interested in a specific issue in a specific place you can tag the map and tell us more.   

Here’s the link from the image. (The image, but not the link, copied from the email!)

We want to hear from all age groups including from younger people, and all backgrounds, circumstances, and locations so the Plan can reflect Glasgow’s diverse population. Understanding how everyday Glasgow works will help us create a Plan that leads to a better city experience as well as addressing the big issues we face like tackling climate change, helping to create more opportunities to work and improving health and wellbeing.

The Plan will also guide where we want new development to happen in order to make Glasgow a more healthy, liveable, and successful place. Things like the location of new housing and businesses, how we can improve our town centres or re-use vacant land and protect our important built and natural assets.

The new Plan will affect every neighbourhood in the Glasgow City Council Area and will guide how every part of the city should be developed in the future. We want this to be influenced by what you – the people of Glasgow, think about our city and what the local priorities for change are. By using the tools in this consultation we hope to get an understanding of how our different places need to be looked at in the new Plan. Your opinions will form an important part of the Plan’s evidence base which means it is responsive to our communities’ views and ideas. This is the start of the process and we will be taking more opportunities to speak to specific groups and gain ideas. It will take a number of years to gather all of the information and other evidence before we are able to share a draft plan but your comments and suggestions will help us prepare a Plan that reflects the priorities of all of Glasgow’s communities.   

Development Plan,
Development and Regeneration Services
Glasgow City Council231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX
developmentplan@glasgow.gov.uk“

So do please get your views in.

1.8 **NEW** East Dunbartonshire Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021

Here’s the email that we received from East Dunbartonshire Council on 22 October, bearing the news forecast in Digest 70, Section 2, Forthcoming Consultations:

“Dear Sir/ Madam,

East Dunbartonshire Council has published the proposed LDP2 and is notifying you of the representation period for the Proposed Plan, from Monday 19th October 2020 until Friday 15th January 2021. You have been sent this email because you have previously shown an interest in the development plan process.
The Proposed LDP2 sets out policies and proposals to guide land use change and improve the quality of development. It includes the following policies:
a development strategy, seven community policies and subject policies.

The Council is also consulting on the following related documents:
· Environmental Report
· Proposed Delivery Programme
· Proposed Sustainability and Energy Statement form
· Additional Site Assessments for Nine Sites Submitted During the Main Issues Report Consultation in 2019
· Habitats Regulations Appraisal

The Proposed LDP2 and the other related five consultation documents may be viewed on the Council website: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2
Due to the restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic a hard copy of the LDP2 and the other documents will also be available to borrow in the following libraries as part of the Connect and Collect service, collection is by appointment only.
For further information on this service please check the East Dunbartonshire Leisure & Culture Trust website https://www.edlc.co.uk/libraries/connect-collect, or telephone the following libraries between 10am and 1pm.
· Bearsden Library, 69 Drymen Road, Bearsden G61 3QT. Telephone 0141 777 3021
· Bishopbriggs Library, 170 Kirkintilloch Road, Bishopbriggs G64 2LX. Telephone 0141 777 3155
· Lennoxtown Library, 46 Main Street, Lennoxtown G66 7JJ. Telephone 0141 777 3151
· Milngavie Library, Allander Road, Milngavie G62 8PN. Telephone 0141 956 2776
· William Patrick Library, 2-4 West High Street, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD. Telephone 0141 777 3141

If you would like to make a representation to the Council on the Proposed LDP2 a representation form and further information is available on the Council website: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2
The Land Planning Policy Team is also available to answer any enquiries by telephone and email, Monday to Friday 9am ? 5pm, on 0300 123 4510. Your representation should explain clearly and concisely your reasons for seeking a change to, or supporting, the Proposed LDP2 and you are encouraged to use the representation form. Your representation should be submitted by e-mail to development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk or by post to: Land Planning Policy Team Broomhill Depot Kilsyth Road Kirkintilloch G66 1TP
Representations should be submitted no later than 5pm on Friday 15th January 2021. “

Plenty for you residents of East Dunbartonshire to get your teeth into there!

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

No news again.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 NHS Lanarkshire, new Monklands Hospital, GoBike response

Item 1.1 in Digest 71 highlighted the consultation on the location for the proposed new Monklands Hospital, which closed on 18 October. Of the 3 possible sites GoBike favours the Wester Moffat site, shown above and here’s our submission of 16 October explaining why. This site is definitely the best for active travel and public transport for the nearby population.

Here’s the acknowledgement that we received on 20 October:

“Monklands Replacement Project

Thank you for your email. This is confirmation that the project team have received your email and your feedback has been noted.

In the meantime, any updates will be published at www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk “

3.2 Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) project, newsletter, including new bridge over White Cart

Here’s the latest news from the Glasgow Airport Investment Area, received on 19 October:

“We wanted to draw your attention to the following update on the GAIA City Deal project …

As construction progresses at our Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) project, our contractor Wills Bros Civil Engineering, have issued the second GAIA newsletter which provides an update on progress of construction works on the project. You can view this from the related document section of our GAIA webpage at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/gaia.

Second issue of official newsletter for the Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) project.

This newsletter, which is the second in a series updates as the project progresses, includes: Project progress; Traffic management including lane closures required to allow construction to progress; Covid-19 safety measures; Community updates; and Next steps. You can download the newsletter from the related documents section of our GAIA project page at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/gaia.“

3.3 Stockingfield Bridge diversion details

Here we have the latest news, received on 19 October via Sustrans:

“From: Communications [mailto:Communications@scottishcanals.co.uk]
Sent: 19 October 2020 15:57
Subject: Stockingfield Bridge Update

Good afternoon,

I want to update you on progress of the new Stockingfield Bridge, which will not only reconnect the communities of Ruchill, Gilshochill and Maryhill but complete the last link in the Forth & Clyde Canal towpath, bringing a major active travel improvement.

Unfortunately, as part of the construction of the bridge it is necessary to temporarily close a section of the Forth & Clyde Canal towpath between Ruchill Street in Maryhill and Stockingfield Junction from November 16, 2020 to approximately July 2022.

This will impact anyone walking or cycling the following routes:

• Bowling to Falkirk
• Bowling to Glasgow City Centre
• Falkirk to Glasgow City Centre

The canal will also be closed to boating traffic from November 1 to March 15^, 2021.

A 4.4km towpath diversion has been put in place for walkers and cyclists that follows the River Kelvin, avoiding the traffic-heavy alternative of Maryhill Road. The route, which has been agreed with Sustrans and Glasgow City Council, will be clearly marked and letters are being distributed to local residents by our contractor.

An area of ground adjacent to the canal is also being provided for local dog walkers during this closure period, which will also be well signposted.

As well as opening up a new access route for people living in Ruchill, Gilshochill and Maryhill with the west end and city centre, the new bridge will allow walkers and cyclists to cross the canal at towpath level rather than having to drop off and negotiate the road tunnel at Lochburn Road before rejoining the path again.

The increased access to the canal and the design of the bridge structure with an integrated observation deck and landscaping on this currently underused site will encourage greater use of the canal.

As part of the development new traffic signals will also be installed on Lochburn Road to manage traffic through the Stockingfield Aqeduct.

If you require any more information, please get in touch.

Yours sincerely
Alasdair Hamilton
Technical Manager
Scottish Canals“

The River Kelvin path will be busy then; shame the City Council hasn’t installed cycle lanes on Maryhill Road yet, but, on the bright side, we do have a diversion.

3.4 Glasgow City Council, Ruchazie Road speed cushion confirmation – and our question!

Back in Digest 69, Item 1.10, we published proposals for speed cushions to be installed on Ruchazie Road. Here’s the letter of objection to this and 4 other schemes across the city that we submitted on 15 September.

Glasgow City Council confirmed by email on 20 October that the scheme will go ahead as proposed with 40 speed cushions and 26 bollards to be installed.

GoBike, on 24 October, submitted this question in response to the City Council:

“Hello,

Thank you for this response.

Many GoBike members ask about the effectiveness of speed cushions in reducing the speed of motor traffic and reducing collisions, both between motor vehicles and between motor vehicles and people. Thus could you please send me the results of your post-installation surveys so that we speed-cushion-sceptics may be reassured that the City Council is acting wisely to improve safety on our streets?

Many thanks“

We’ll let you know if and when we get a reply.

3.5 East Dunbartonshire Council, Local Development Plan Newsletter No 60

Here’s the latest newsletter from EDC, received on 21 October

In this newsletter:
 Have Your Say on the Proposed Local Development Plan 2
 Clydeplan Draft Forestry and Woodland Strategy Consultation
 Electric Vehicles in East Dunbartonshire
 Guide for Home Businesses

_____________________________________________________

That’s it for now, but watch out for more news in 2 weeks and some forthcoming changes in our Digests!

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?

Our headline photo shows cycling on a temporary Covid 19 cycle lane in Berlin, Credit: Frank Masurat. Published under the unconditional Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal license.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Scottish Government — Just Transition Commission, closes 30 June
2. Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights, No deadline given
3. Scottish Parliament, EEFW Committee, COVID-19 – impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy, No deadline given
4. #SpaceForDistancing Campaign still needs your support.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Nothing for you this time, sorry.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Scotland, Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19,
2. North Lanarkshire Council, Hoiytown Link Road and City Deal update
3. Gartnavel, Glasgow, Sustrans and National Health Service, support for funding request
4. GoBike “meets” Glasgow Councillor, Anna Richardson, Chair of Sustainability and Carbon Reduction

Section 1: Current Consultations

Transform Scotland alerted us to these 3 consultations from Holyrood. They are all high-level but will inform the paths we take in the future. If any of you out there have views as to how GoBike should respond please either email consultations@gobike.org or, if you are a GoBike member, post your views on the Consultations channel on Slack

1.1 Scottish Government — Just Transition Commission, closes 30 June

The Just Transition Commission has opened a call for evidence, inviting written submissions to inform the development of their final recommendations to be presented to Ministers in January 2021.

The Just Transition Commission has been established to provide Scottish Ministers with recommendations that will:

• maximise the economic and social opportunities that the move to a net-zero economy by 2045 offers
• build on Scotland’s existing strengths and assets
• understand and mitigate risks that could arise in relation to regional cohesion, equalities, poverty (including fuel poverty), and a sustainable and inclusive labour market

The deadline for responses is 30 June (extended from 28 May), and to respond please visit the Scottish Government website.

1.2 Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights, No deadline given

Deadline 07 June 2020

The Scottish Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Committee have launched a call for views on the Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights.

There is no deadline given. You can submit your response on the Scottish Parliament website.

GoBike note: the above has been copied direct from the Transform Scotland notification and the lack of a deadline is repeated on the parliamentary website, to give people and organisations time to consider and respond. However, it’s best, as it normally is with most things, to respond as soon as possible. There’s no doubt that Covid 19 is having a disproportionate effect on the poor and disadvantaged in society – the very ones who could benefit from the current decrease in pollution and an increase in walking and cycling.

1.3 Scottish Parliament, EEFW Committee, COVID-19 – impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy, No deadline given

Deadline 01 June 2020

The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee launched a call for evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy.

The information collected will be used to look at the support being offered to businesses and workers aimed at mitigating the impact of the virus.

The deadline for responses has not been set. To respond please visit the Scottish Parliament website.

Again, the link to the Scottish Parliament website does not give a deadline, but does say this: ” Please contact the Committee if you wish to share your views.  There is no set timescale for this; please get in touch when it suits you and if you wish.” We think our friends in Transform Scotland are being cautious by advising fairly prompt responses.

1.4 #SpaceForDistancing Campaign still needs your support.

Edinburgh City Council outlined this week the spaces on which they plan to implement Space for Distancing measures and they are a plenty! Take a look for yourself here.  Glasgow City Council have already closed off Kelvin Way and have promised more to come, along the Broomielaw and Clyde Street in the first instance, and some press reports have also mentioned Byres Road, Partick, Dennistoun, Shawlands, Maryhill, Pollok, Drumchapel, Easterhouse and Castlemilk as places where temporary measures can be introduced. We hope that these can be implemented with urgency and will continue to keep a close eye on the developments. 

Bordering councils to GCC such as East Renfrewshire Council have made positive noises in support, suggesting they will be applying for the Sustrans Spaces for People fund, but we have yet to see any concrete plans. So we really need you, particularly if you live there or in any other council bordering into Glasgow, to continue to show your support for this by writing to your councillors. Do also keep the support up in Glasgow itself to ensure that we do start to see the promises on the ground soon. We need measures put in place quickly before car use, already obviously on the rise, tips again towards horribly polluting congestion. Pedal on Parliament, who spearheaded the #SpaceForDistancing campaign have a useful council active travel contact list up here .

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

We are not aware of imminent consultations but please, please, do ensure that during your permitted exercise cycle rides you are building up an encyclopaedic knowledge of where improvements are needed to our cycling infrastructure.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Scotland, Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19

Two weeks ago, in Digest 59, Item 2.1 we informed you of a webinar on this topic. GoBike members listened in, either directly as GoBike, or on behalf of Pedal on Parliament, their Community Council or other political or cycle interest. Here’s the follow-up email that GoBike received on 01 May:

“You are receiving this email as you were signed up to the “Reallocating Space for Walking, Cycling and Wheeling during COVID-19” webinar on the 30^th of April 2020.

Dear attendees,

A huge thank you to all who attended the Improvement Service webinar on “Reallocating Space for Walking, Cycling and Wheeling during COVID-19”. For those unable to join the session, please accept our apologies. We surged over the 500 attendee capacity and we will be better prepared next time!

As promised, you can now access a recording of the session https://youtu.be/_IRERSYyZ4I (YouTube)and a full (automated) transcript hosted here on the Knowledge Hub. (Word file).

The remarkable interest levels in this session suggest a significant desire to enable safer distances for everyone and to find out more about the contribution of the “Spaces for People” initiative that SUSTRANS will facilitate.

We hope we achieved our aim to provide more clarity on the wide ranging impact of having safer space for social distancing during this pandemic. From reducing inequalities for our key workers to assisting our businesses to attract safe custom we heard a clear message of the need to move quickly to do our part in resolving a public health issue that will intensify as lock down relaxes.

During the session reference was made to the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS). For illuminating insight we recommend this short blog (pdf) from their National Convenor. Thank you Linda, a beautifully put message.

And, while we hate to put them at the end, we could not have achieved any of this without our thought provoking, inspired speakers (in order of appearance):

• Daisy Narayanan, Director of Urbanism, SUSTRANS
• Cllr Anna Richardson, City Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, Glasgow City Council
• Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convenor, City of Edinburgh Council

We ended acknowledging that many more topics and issues lie ahead as we all deal with the short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19. If you would like to be informed about these then please sign up to our newly formed mailing list via this Mailchimp form.

Thank you again and go safely.

Irene Beautyman
Planning for Place Programme Lead
Improvement Service”

3.2 North Lanarkshire Council, Hoiytown Link Road and City Deal update

Hot on the heels of Item 1.2 in Digest 59, calling for views on the proposed new link road in Airdrie, comes this message from North Lanarkshire, received on 28 April:

“Holytown Link Road update

Following a review of the projects being developed in North Lanarkshire as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal, we have agreed an updated programme of work.

The key priority for the council is to provide major road infrastructure to support the redevelopment of Ravenscraig, as this is a nationally important development site. 

As a result of this, the Holytown link road and other projects will not be delivered through City Deal funding.

This important change allows us to focus on delivering the Pan Lanarkshire Orbital Transport Corridor, which will create new and improved access into Ravenscraig and help achieve the best economic, social and environmental benefits possible for the whole of North Lanarkshire.

The overall North Lanarkshire City Deal investment has increased from £172.5 million to £202 million.

If you want more information on our ambitious plans for the area, please go to our City Deal web pages.“

It’s incredibly disappointing that, while Glasgow and other local authorities are proposing increased space for walking and cycling, a neighbouring local authority only has roads and more roads on its agenda. If you live in North Lanarkshire do please contact your local councillors to let them know that you need more space for cycling and walking – at a safe distance from others.

3.3 Gartnavel, Glasgow, Sustrans and National Health Service, support for funding request

In Digest 50, Item 3.14, back in December 2019 in the days when consultations were being carried out, we reported on a meeting that GoBike member, Caroline, had been to at Gartnavel. Sustrans, in conjunction with the NHS, are looking to improve active travel within the area that houses three hospitals:

1. Gartnavel General Hospital, a 500+ inpatient hospital that covers a range of healthcare specialities.

2. Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Scotland’s largest cancer centre providing cancer services for 60% of the population.

3. Gartnavel Royal Hospital, a 117-bed mental health hospital.

GoBike was contacted on 06 May, with this email (edited) looking for support for a funding request to progress active travel changes:

“Hello Go Bike team, 

I am working on submitting an application for funding for a feasibility study on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, that would explore ways to improve access on and through Gartnavel Hospital site. The site could be a strategic link in Glasgow West End active travel network. 
I am hoping to get a letter of support from Go Bike before the 15th May, which I realise isn’t far away!  
We are really keen to have Go Bike in the stakeholder group as the project moves forward. We also have SPT, Scotrail and Sustrans​ supporting us along with NHS staff from both Estates and Public Health, so there is a huge opportunity for collaboration. 
I have attached a draft copy of the strategic vision as well as a map.

Looking forward to hearing from you and please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you require any further information. 

Kind regards,
Mathilda. 
Mathilda Heyman Senior Active Travel Infrastructure Officer (Sustrans) Embedded within NHS National Services Scotland“

Here are the 2 documents referred to: Strategic Vision and Map

GoBike returned this letter of support on 09 May, albeit tempered with concern that the surrounding roads are far from cycle-friendly. It is really about time that the NHS started looking at active and public transport as realistic options for everyone, except the very ill or disabled who attends NHS facilities.

And here’s the email reply, which arrived yesterday morning, 11 May:

“Hi Tricia,

Thank you for getting back to me. This is fantastic, we’re delighted to have your support on this.

I’ll keep you informed on progress and next steps.

Many thanks,

Mathilda. “

3.4 GoBike “meets” Glasgow Councillor, Anna Richardson, Chair of Sustainability and Carbon Reduction

GoBike’s two Co-Convenors, Thomas and John, had a virtual meeting with Glasgow City Councillor Anna Richardson last Tuesday, 05 May, to discuss short term measures to provide for increased cycling in the city. Here’s a brief summary of the discussion:

Temporary Infrastructure

• Councillor Richardson has a greatly reduced team/capacity, for variety of reasons.
• As a result everyone is focusing on the temporary measures and submitting a proposal to get funding from the £10 million government fund that was recently announced for active travel social distancing.
• Without the funding these can not go ahead.
• The City Council is not looking at using things they already have, such as planters, nor are they currently looking at permeability.  This would seem to be in part due to the reduced team and the way they have to work, ie remotely.
• Clyde Street/Broomielaw will be done without this funding, however adjacent to the casino is the cause for the delay and making the junction safe.
• These will be temporary measures using powers which can be in place for 3 weeks, with a 3 week renewal, after which they will need to see what other mechanisms they can use.
• They are using emergency measures, therefore they need to be able to justify as an emergency and are Public Health related.
• As a result most will be mainly short sections near busy areas such as shops and mixed use paths with heavy use.  Cllr Richardson was clear they are not looking at a network.  However, they are looking at key routes, in particular to shops.

SEC Path, National Cycle Route 75

The council have no influence over the fence that has been installed adjacent to NCR 75 beside the SEC.  This land has been taken over by the Scottish Government/NHS for the Loiusa Jordan Hospital.  Cllr Richardson cycled along it at the weekend and agrees it is less than ideal.  She is going to discuss with her team about putting in measures along Stobcross Road.

Issues Raised by GoBike

• GoBike raised a number of issues.  Cllr Richardson was clear that there is limited work being done on the roads at this time.  Only emergency work.
• There is no work being done on existing schemes as the team are all working on the bid and temporary measures.
• Therefore “usual” topics weren’t discussed and will come back to these once the team have capacity.
• Cllr Richardson was clear that the projects that are good to go are still good to go and as soon as work can start it will.  It may result in some schemes being delivered quicker as there will be a wider desire from local communities.

New Cyclists/New Members

• Cllr Richardson asked a good question “what are we doing to get all these new ‘cyclists’ as members?”
• “These new cyclists are going to get a shock when cars come back”.  It would be beneficial to harness these people for campaigning in the future.
• Thus, if you are reading this and agree, please join GoBike as a member if you haven’t already and ask all your family, friends and anyone you contact who cycles, to join GoBike.

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So not too much for you this time, giving you more time to clean your bike and get out on it. Do remember, though, to write to your councillors as we urged you to in our blog of 08 May, Implementing Temporary Cycle Facilities.