Some consultations have slipped through the net recently (due to limited time to produce the Digest). This Extra rounds up some of the ones that would otherwise have missed out.

The following are in date order – you’ve not got long to respond to the first project, which takes a bite out of Apple’s ambitions…

East Ayrshire

Infinity Loop, Kilmarnock

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA).
Subject: A 26km(!) ‘figure of eight’ network of walking, wheeling, and cycling routes in and around Kilmarnock. Consultation is about proposals for route 1 (purple line) and route 2 (orange line). The central Route 1 includes a segregated cycleway on Glasgow Rd by Tesco (taking width from hatching/right-turn lanes and grass verge). The eastern Route 2 has a segregated cycleway on Grassyards Rd towards Kay Park. Both would replace some current painted/soft segregated bike lanes (with shared paths in other sections). This ambitious project will need wide support to avoid a Holmston Rd/Causeyside St situation –please consider filling in the multiple choice parts of survey (link below).
Website links: Killie Infinity Loop webpage, KIL project storymap and KIL survey.
Deadline: Sunday 12 November 2023.

School Street Trial, Hurlford

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA).
Subject: School Streets trial in Academy Street and Union Street, Hurlford. Temporary bollards and reduction in parking spaces directly in front of Hurlford Primary School.
Website links: Hurlford School Streets webpage and (very short) School Streets survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Argyll & Bute

Oban Town Centre North Active Travel

Council: Argyll & Bute
Subject: Early stages of project to explore opportunities for new active travel improvements around The Corran Esplanade and George Street in Oban. 
Website links: Oban Town Centre North Active Travel webpage, Oban North AT boards, Oban North AT ‘virtual exhibition’ and Oban North AT survey (one page).
Deadline: 30 November 2023.

South Lanarkshire

East Kilbride South Neighbourhood Planning 2023

Council: South Lanarkshire
Subject: Local planning project about a wide range of issues including transport and public spaces. Intended for residents of the southern part of East Kilbride – doesn’t mention neighbourhoods but presumably Greenhills, Whitehills, Mossneuk, etc.
Website links: EK South Neighbourhood Planning webpage and EK South Neighbourhood Planning survey.
Deadline: 30 December 2023.

Happy St Patrick’s Day! There’s good news about Spaces for People measures in the city – the TRO for Kelvin Way is out. However, there’s more mixed news on SfP measures in towns. After East Renfrewshire’s about turn on Ayr Rd/Fenwick Rd, now Renfrewshire’s Paisley to Howwood protected route is being removed. In contrast, Inverclyde vote to keep an SfP route in Greenock.

The long-awaited city centre campuses consultation is open about (steep!) routes around Strathclyde Uni and City of Glasgow College. Meanwhile, a few Avenues are under scrutiny, there’s more secure bike parking on the way and Barclays is nearly finished with West St.

Forthcoming Consultation

Glasgow City Council: “proposal to create a ‘People First Zone’ – between Hope Street, Cowcaddens Road, North Hanover Street / Glassford Street and Howard Street – where people are able to easily and safely walk and wheel around, and feel that they – and not vehicles – have priority.” Apparently, a “six-week consultation on the City Centre Transformation Plan will begin in May.” Much more notice than we usually get from GCC – it probably has something to do with the ‘purdah’/pre-election period starting this week.

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. St Helen’s Primary School, Bishopbriggs TRO
2. A81 Milngavie Road/Maryhill Road TRO
3. Electric Vehicle Charging Places – East Dunbartonshire TROs
4. New Hospital Plans – Airdrie (Monklands Replacement Project)
5. ‘Various Roads’ (North Lanarkshire schools) TRO
6. School Streets, Glasgow TRO (Merrylee/OLA)
7. Kelvin Way TRO
8. City Centre Campus/‘Learning Quarter’ (People-First infrastructure)
9. Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods
10. Drumchapel Local Development Framework
11. Malls Mire survey
12. *ADDITION: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Howwood to Paisley, cycle lane removal (Johnstone, Renfrewshire)
2. Secure On-Street Cycle Parking Pilot (Glasgow)
3. Argyle St (West) and Cambridge St design review
4. Barclays, West St update

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

1.1: St Helen’s Primary School, Bishopbriggs TRO

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Wester Cleddens Rd and Pentland Dr, Bishopbriggs.
Subject: Parking restrictions around St Helen’s Primary School. It’s across Wester Cleddens Rd from Bishopbriggs Academy and Thomas Muir Primary School (near to the Wester Way).
First featured: Digest 106, Item 1.7.
Website links: St Helen’s PS TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 18 March 2022.

1.2: A81 Milngavie Road/Maryhill Road TRO

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Southern part of Bearsden between Kessington Public Hall and Garscube Estate.
Subject: Short sections of footway at the corner of MacFarlane St and Killermont St and along Maryhill Rd near Cluny Park. The current layout dates from 2016 during the fallout from the decision to halt the Bearsway. These bits of shared path are useful links to get to Garscube Campus and follow paths along the River Kelvin into Glasgow. It’s not clear why the TRO has come out now but, given the recent history, local members may want to contact EDC to support it.
First featured: Digest 106, Item 1.8.
Website links: A81 footway redetermination TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 18 March 2022.

1.3: Electric Vehicle Charging Places – East Dunbartonshire TROs

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: EDC are installing EV charging points across its area. In the east – Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Lennoxtown, Lenzie, Milton Of Campsie, Torrance and Twechar. Meanwhile, the west just seems to be Milngavie. The drawings don’t show if the chargers will be on the carriageway or footway.
First featured: Digest 106, Item 1.9.
Website links: West EV chargers (combined PDF) and East EV chargers (combined PDF).
Deadline: 21 March 2022.

1.4: New Hospital Plans – Airdrie (Monklands Replacement Project)

Organisation: NHS Lanarkshire.
Area: Wester Moffat Farm, east of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire.
Subject: The current University Hospital Monklands, on the western edge of Airdrie, is due to be replaced. So, a new acute hospital is to be built on former farmland recently bought by NHS Lanarkshire. The architects, Keppie, are showing drawings and visuals for feedback ahead of a planning application. These include an active travel route west towards Drumgelloch train station. Also, a large staff bike parking store has recently appeared on the plans (across the road from a hospital entrance). So far there’s still no route east, to bypass the bit of NCN75 on the fast A89 at Plains/Caldercruix (towards the Airdrie–Bathgate path). On the plus side, parts of the A89 between Airdrie and Plains will have speed limits reduced. The East Airdrie Link Road (formerly Airdrie Bypass) is a proposed single carriageway road between the M8 and Cumbernauld.
First featured: Digest 76, Item 3.3.
Website links: Monklands Replacement Project website.
Deadline: 29 March 2022.

1.5: ‘Various Roads’ (North Lanarkshire schools) TRO

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: Parking restrictions near 18 schools across North Lanarkshire (including 14 primary schools). These include yellow lines and ‘Keep Clear’ markings. The Statement of Reasons says the action comes from recommendation by a Road Safety Working Group.
First featured: Digest 107, Item 1.9.
Website links: Various Roads TRO (combined PDF) – NLC Consultations page.
Deadline: 30 March 2022.

1.6: School Streets, Glasgow TRO (Merrylee/OLA)

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: ‘Take 2’ of this School Streets Traffic Order. This one only covers two schools – the neighbouring Merrylee Primary School and Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary School near Langside Drive/Merrylee Rd. The boundary has been extended since the previous version of the TRO went out. It now includes parts of Cherrybank Rd and Glasserton Rd.
First featured: Digest 105, Item 1.2.
Website links: School Streets TRO – revised (combined PDF).
Deadline: 31 March 2022.

1.7: Kelvin Way TRO

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Traffic Regulation Order to help make the temporary Spaces for People measures on Kelvin Way permanent. The street is filtered at either end. The southern end has a short 2-way protected bike lane next to 1-way access to Kelvingrove Museum. GoBike helped organise Car Free Day 2018 on Kelvin Way, which showed the potential now being realised with the current signs, paint and planters. It’s become a well-used street by people walking, cycling, running, scooting and skating. Also, it’s due to link to a wider network in the Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Cycling Village (see Yorkhill–Anderston LN post, below).
First featured: Glasgow Spaces for People blog post.
Website links: Kelvin Way TRO (combined PDF).
Deadline: 7 April.

1.8: City Centre Campus/‘Learning Quarter’ (People-First infrastructure)

Organisation: Stantec on behalf of a partnership between University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow City Council.
Area: Townhead/Cathedral St area of city centre.
Subject: As promised in Digest 107, consultation starts on infrastructure around the universities and college north-east of the city centre (‘Learning Quarter’). Many streets nearby are already due to be part of the city’s Avenues Project, including Cathedral St and North Hanover St. This project would link between those to the uni/college campuses. Firstly, the Western Route includes steep Montrose St, as it goes past Strathclyde Uni’s ‘Heart of the Campus’ (Rottenrow Gardens). There’s another hill past City of Glasgow College towards Buchanan Bus Station. Secondly, the Eastern Route would connect to Rottenrow East and link to Avenues Plus routes on George St and John Knox St. Thirdly, the Northern Route goes from a lane east of CoGC up towards the new Sighthill Bridge. The survey asks about different options for streets on the routes. Also, the ‘web hub’ includes context and evidence about the benefits of active travel.
First featured: Digest 74, Item 2.1.
Website links: Public Engagement Web Hub.
Deadline: 8 May 2022.

1.9: Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods

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

1.10: Drumchapel Local Development Framework

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

1.11: Malls Mire survey

Organisation: Urban Roots.
Area: Woodland park between Toryglen Asda, Polmadie Recycling Centre in Glasgow and Rutherglen Glencairn Football Club in South Lanarkshire.
Subject: An evaluation about the newly created park and paths. The site wraps around a regenerated housing estate, linking former wasteground with the woodland and ponds. It includes trails, outdoor play equipment and a bike pump track. Also, 3m wide shared paths create a lit, mostly traffic-free route linking Prospecthill Circus west to Polmadie Rd and east to the corner of Toryglen Rd/Pinkerton Ave in Rutherglen. Tron Theatre will be running sensory walks in Malls Mire for five weeks starting in April. Walking Tall Tales will be for local families with children age five and under.
First featured: Digest 74, Item 3.4.
Website links: Malls Mire survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.12: *ADDITION: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

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

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Howwood to Paisley, cycle lane removal (Johnstone, Renfrewshire)

Council: Renfrewshire.
Area: Beith Rd through Johnstone, between Paisley and Howwood.
Subject: The Paisley Gazette reports: “At a full meeting of Renfrewshire Council… elected members unanimously agreed to remove the temporary cycleway on Beith Road and examine alternative plans for active travel in the area.” A few councillors had been campaigning to have the route removed. A petition against the route had reached around 1,500 signatures. Spaces for People funding is due to stop at the end of the month. Elsewhere, protection on the SfP route on Ayr Rd/Fenwick Rd in East Renfrewshire may also be removed. The Cornwall St/Brouster Hill lanes in East Kilbride also had negative press (but the consultation hasn’t yet reported back). The Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane in Inverclyde is also under consultation. On a more positive note, in Renfrewshire work recently started on building the permanent Renfrew to Paisley cycle route.
First featured: Digest 103, Item 2.1.
Website links: Paisley Gazette article about Renfrewshire Council decision.

2.2: Secure On-Street Cycle Parking Pilot (Glasgow)

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Expansion of secure on-street cycle parking in the city. The council report says: “Cyclehoop successfully installed 61 units in May/June 2021, which are presently at 98% occupancy across the scheme.” Also: “there is a waiting list of 1,500 across Glasgow. This waiting list data has been utilised in association with requests for provision to direct the proposed locations.” The list of new locations is weighted towards more densely populated areas like Dennistoun, Langside and Partick. G41 gets the most units of any postcode with G42 not far behind. Installation is due soon: “phase 2 of the scheme is programmed for March 2022 when installations will commence. This will deliver seventy (70) units providing an additional 420 storage spaces across the scheme as a whole.” 
First featured: Digest 88, Infrastructure Update.
Website links: Secure On-Street Cycle Parking report and list of proposed locations by postcode (PDF).

2.3: Argyle St (West) and Cambridge St design review

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: In December 2021, plans came out for the next phase of Avenues construction, including Cambridge St and the western part of Argyle St. The plans didn’t seem to improve on issues from the Sauchiehall St pilot. Nor did they meet the updated Cycling by Design standards. Both these points were put to councillors in a letter by GoBike’s convenor, Thomas. A new group had been mooted by GCC, called the Accessible Design Forum, who would review future Avenues designs. A recent BBC Scotland article highlighted issues faced by people with visual impairment on the Avenues section of Sauchiehall St. Following the piece on Reporting Scotland, GCC have responded to Cllr Christy Mearns that “two designs [Argyle St (West) and Cambridge St] have been put on hold and will be re-considered in the first ADF meeting… A date, time and venue will be confirmed shortly – likely to be towards the end of March / early April.”
First featured: Digest 101, Item 2.2.

2.4: Barclays, West St works update

Organisation: Barclays.
Area: South West City Way at Barclays site.
Subject: GoBike member Tor asked Barclays about the closed area at the north east tip of West St. Although building work is due to finish by the end of the month, it might not fully open until May. Apparently, this depends on the weather allowing further work to take place. Once it opens, there will be a new crossing at Kingston St with bike-only lights. People cycling north-south would then be able to stay on the eastern side of West St. Thus avoiding having to cross diagonally to/from the western side at Kingston St (and another crossing at Barclays site).
First featured: SWCW/Barclays works blog post.
Website links: Barclays replies to query on Twitter.

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.

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.