Tag: Scottish Government

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20mph needs you!

We put a call out a few weeks ago for members to add support to a 20mph bill being put forward in Holyrood. If it goes through, it will see a reduction in the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph for built up areas in Scotland (while allowing local authorities to keep appropriate arterial routes at current speeds). As well as reducing accidents, lowering air pollution and making our streets more people friendly, this will also negate the need for the costly and pollutive traffic calming measures that our members have been discussing over on Slack (drop us an email if you’d like to sign up!). It would also save our councils on the currently lengthy and costly process they need to undergo to designate a particular 20mph zone, in fact this was a cause we as GoBike fought on locally for Glasgow just a few years ago. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13213540.Victory_for_cycle_campaigners_as_petition_to_turn_Glasgow_into_20mph_city_referred_to_council_policymakers/

The great news is that Mark Ruskell MSP who has been working on the bill has now reached the threshold of support to take 20mph to vote, but he has let us know that if he can get a wider range of cross party support on it, it will make the bill proposal stronger when moving forward. So we still need your help! If you can ask your MSPs to sign up to the bill (particularly those from the Lib Dem and Scottish Conservatives Party of whom none have signed up so far) it could be a really significant help.

You can do this simply by sending an email voicing your support, perhaps outlining some reasons why, some of which you might find here https://greens.scot/saferstreets or here https://www.cyclinguk.org/campaign/20-mph-lower-speeds-better-streets

Find how to contact your local MSP here: https://www.writetothem.com/

The deadline is 19th December.

Thank you GoBike members!

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Better buses in Scotland: call for help from FoE and Get Glasgow Moving

Please help our friends in Friends of the Earth and Get Glasgow Moving to get better bus services in Scotland; a better bus service means fewer people feel they need to get cars, so more room for bikes on the road and less pollution.  PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO ADD YOUR SUPPORT.  It’s quick and easy to do.  The information that follows is from Friends of the Earth:

Scotland’s bus sector is in crisis. 

In the last decade, bus companies have cut routes by a fifth and increased fares by a huge 50%. This dramatic deterioration is preventing people accessing basic services like hospitals and job centres, causing social isolation and inequality. It is also increasing the dominance of cars, exacerbating toxic air pollution and climate emissions.

Apart from Lothian Buses and a few other exceptions, most of Scotland’s buses are privately run, and all too often profit is put before people. Under public ownership and well-designed franchise models, profits from busy bus routes can be reinvested back into expanding the public transport network, improving reliability and reducing fares.

The Government wants your views about whether to shift the balance of power away from private companies and towards public bodies. 

Take your chance to demand Local Transport Authorities are granted the powers necessary to run their own bus companies, or failing this, to operate well regulated franchises.

It’s time for a decent, fully-integrated, accessible and affordable public transport network for everyone in Scotland. Take action today.

This will be a response to the official consultation on improving local bus services and is supported by Friends of the Earth Scotland, Get Glasgow Moving, Unison, and Unite Community. You can read the full consultation document here.

 

 

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Buses and Smart Ticketing – 2 Consultations from the Scottish Government

 

Our friends in Get Glasgow Moving have sent us encouragement to respond to the Local Bus Services consultation, as well as the Smart Ticketing consultation, which both close at midnight on 5 December 2017.  Both these are being run by the Scottish Government.  The associated papers are moderately technical and perhaps overly complicated but please do respond to both before the closing date.

The better our bus services, the more people will use them, the less traffic congestion there will be, the less pollution there will be and the better our towns and cities will be for those of us who walk and cycle.

Smart ticketing seems to be a no-brainer and the sooner it is brought in for travel throughout Scotland the better.  It will make using public transport easier for us all.

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Walk, Cycle, Vote thanks the Transport Minister; active travel budget doubled

On Sunday 08 October Walk Cycle Vote supporters gathered outside the SNP conference venue in Glasgow.  The photo above shows a young cycle enthusiast offering the Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, a piece of Rocky Road Cake in grateful recognition of the doubling of the active travel budget.  His mum is looking on, as were several GoBike members, plus Pedal on Parliament supporters and other active travel activists.  Anna Richardson, Glasgow City Council’s Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction was there as was John Lauder, Director of Sustrans Scotland and Richard Dixon of Friends of the Earth Scotland.  The minister took the time to talk to just about everyone who was there and we look forward to seeing the effects of the budget increase sometime soon.

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Glasgow – Woodside Mini-Holland project wins Community Links PLUS funding!

We have just been sent this good news from Glasgow City Councll, which makes a refreshing change from our earlier post about Dowanhill!

“Woodside Mini-Holland Update

Glasgow City Council is delighted to announce that the ‘Woodside Mini-Holland project’ has been successful in winning the Community Links PLUS competition facilitated by Transport Scotland and Sustrans.

The Woodside Mini Holland bid proposes to improve walking and cycling including the creation of a Dutch style cycle-friendly area using a combination of hard infrastructure and softer measures to increase the attractiveness of everyday active travel and creating better streets and places for people. The project will see some £8m spent on transforming the Woodside Area.

The project is considered as having four main elements:

  • Place. Enhancing the road environment is vital to making this area a lucrative place to visit and attractive to pass through.
  •   Segregated cycle tracks. Safe, dedicated cycle tracks, more attractive pedestrian space and excellent public transport connections.
  • Permeability and Connectivity for the Woodside area
  •   Outreach work. At least 5% of the project budget will be allocated for outreach activities aimed at encouraging active and sustainable travel, working closely with partners and community organisations.

We will be in touch in due course to keep you informed and advise how you can contribute to the design.

Please share with family and friends or have them email the project team if they would like to be added to the Woodside Mini-Holland mailing list.  The email address, if you wish to get updates direct is:  SustainableTransport@glasgow.gov.uk

Kind Regards

WMH Team

Glasgow – UK Council of the Year 2015″

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Action Klaxon! Join Walk Cycle Vote for a “cake event” at the SNP conference on Sunday, 3pm at SECC

 

SNP Party Conference – 3pm on Sunday 8 October SECC, Glasgow – Please come along!

The force behind Walk Cycle Vote (GoBike’s a supporting member) have been kicking around the idea of a ‘cake event’ at the SNP conference on Sunday, to celebrate/acknowledge the doubling of the active travel budget.

They have just had confirmation from David Miller (the First Minister’s Special Advisor) that he’ll be able to arrange for the Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf,to join us at 3pm on Sunday.

If you can get along please do – the more the better!

  • Meet outside the SECC at 2.45 to assemble with the cake

(venue: https://www.sec.co.uk/visitor-information/how-to-get-here/bike)

  • Please wear a campaign or organisational T-shirt, jacket, hoodie etc to show the diversity of the partnership – hope you all have a GoBike t-shirt!
  • If you have access to children and are willing to bring them then please do!
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Cycling Scotland Conference, 30-31 October, Glasgow

The annual Cycling Scotland conference comes to Glasgow this year and will be held at the University of Strathclyde, full details are here

Unfortunately we were unable to get a special rate for GoBike members but the early bird rate – you’ll need to be quick – is available until Monday 02 October, and if you have a valid student card, there’s a student rate.

The Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, will be speaking, GoBike will have a stand, and there will be lots to see and do, if you can get time off work or spare the time, and the cash, to attend.

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Glasgow’s Woodside “mini-Holland” plus other schemes get the go-ahead

Cycling is about to return to St George’s Cross with the latest announcement of funding from the Scottish Government, see these articles from the Herald and the BBC.  Let’s hope it all comes to fruition:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15542741.Cities_braced_for_cycling_overhaul_after_major_cash_injection/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-41309510

It’s strange but the headline in the paper edition of the Herald is less anti-cycling than on-line.  Let’s hope the motoring lobby don’t spoil it for us.

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An Introduction to the Scottish Government’s Active Travel Task Force

 

Daisy Narayanan, Deputy Director for Built Environment at Sustrans Scotland, reports, in this briefing from Transform Scotland, on the activities of the recently-formed Active Travel Task Force.
“Background
In 2016, two segregated cycle routes were voted down – the second phase of the Bears Way from suburban Milngavie to the boundary with Glasgow alongside the busy A81; and the Holmston Road lane in Ayr, which was voted to be ‘ripped up’. Both provided better journeys for all and were two of Scotland’s newest substantially segregated cycling routes. In Edinburgh the city centre East-West route faced substantial opposition, and Scotland’s first ‘shared space’ scheme in Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire continues to generate heated debate. These projects brought into focus the barriers that Local Authorities and other delivery bodies face on the ground delivering projects that impact on the urban realm and status quo of drivers.
Active Travel Task Force
At the Active Travel Summit, Humza Yousaf MSP, Minister for Transport and the Islands, reiterated his commitment to the CAPS vision of 10% of journeys to be made by bike by 2020, as well as his commitment to seeing segregated, safe cycling infrastructure being delivered to help deliver that vision. The Active Travel Task Force was subsequently set up provide recommendations to tackle barriers to the delivery of such projects.
The remit of the Task Force is to identify and make recommendations to the transport minister on ways to improve delivery of ambitious, inclusive walking and cycling projects in Scotland, helping to create high quality places and communities that support health and wellbeing.
The Task Force is made up of representatives from the public sector and the third sector:
  • Roy Brannen, CEO of Transport Scotland (Chair)
  • James Fowlie, Director of Integration and Development at The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
  • George Eckton, Partnership Director of Sestran, representing Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs)
  • Derick Murray, Director of Nestrans, representing the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS)
  • Daisy Narayanan, Deputy Director of Sustrans Scotland, representing third sector active travel delivery partners (me!)
Evidence Gathering 
The Active Travel Task Force issued a call for evidence earlier this year, seeking responses from individuals and organisations on the barriers to successfully implementing high quality walking and cycling projects. The evidence gathering focused on five particular projects:
  • Bears Way, East Dunbartonshire
  • Holmstone Road, Ayrshire
  • East-West route, Edinburgh
  • Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire
  • Broad Street, Aberdeen
The Task Force wanted to receive evidence not just from people and organisations who are pro-cycling and walking, but also from those with wider concerns, and even vocal objectors to these walking and cycling projects. Fifty-five written submissions were received, along with two oral evidence gathering sessions from the Local Authorities who delivered the five aforementioned projects; consultants; and community groups both supportive and opposed to the projects.
At the forthcoming Ministerial Summit on active travel, the Task Force will present the findings of the call for evidence and work to date. The final report with recommendations on future actions will be presented to the Transport Minister Humza Yousaf in December 2017.
Main themes emerging
  • Barriers need to be identified – local, national, legislative and cultural – however, we need to remember that there have been positive steps and we don’t need to start from scratch.
  • There is a lot of ongoing work with the Planning review, NTS and STPR refresh, Climate Change Plan. The timing of the Task Force work should be integrated with these.
  • A lot of discussion on ‘active travel’ – but what does it really mean?
  • There seems to be agreement that narrative needs to change from walking and cycling to quality of life/quality of place. A powerful way to give politicians (both local and national) support would be to approach it from the public health angle.
  • There needs to be more visible leadership at both the national and local levels.
  • We need to look at future technologies with respect to urban mobility and integrated smart cities rather than assume that car ownership/the way cars are used will remain the same.
  • Community Engagement: How does one capture ALL voices? How do you reach the middle ground and avoid the loud minority groups?
  • Evidence: Stats vs. stories. Businesses need to be better engaged.
  • Processes: Transport and Planning need to be more joined up. Processes need to be simplified.
  • Standards of design and quality of infrastructure – do LAs need more clear guidance?
Conclusion
Since February, the Task Force has been in ‘listening’ mode. We have been careful not to jump to conclusions or start to write recommendations before we hear from everyone. It has been a thorough and meticulous process so far and laid the foundation for some intensive work over the summer and early autumn. The Task Force is clear that we want practical, short, medium and long term recommendations – ones that will make it easier for delivery agencies in the short term to deliver these key projects and in the long term create a transformational change.
We can all agree that without segregated, coherent, attractive and direct cycle and walking routes, we can’t unlock the clean, green and healthy transport we need.”
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Today is #GlasgowCycleInfraDay17

#GlasgowCycleInfraDay17
It’s Friday!

It’s September 8th!!

It’s #GlasgowCycleInfraDay17!!!

 

Yes, the day has finally arrived for us to take to the streets of Glasgow and show the world exactly what our cycling infrastructure is like.  Some of it will be good, some of it will be bad, and we need to see it all so we can show it to the Council and help to make ours a true Cycling City.

Keep your camera with you today and when you spot any cycling infrastructure that you want to highlight (good or bad) – or if you spot somewhere that’s crying out for infrastructure it doesn’t have yet – take a picture and Tweet it with the hashtag #GlasgowCycleInfraDay17.  Don’t worry if you don’t have Twitter, you can still take part by emailing your pictures to us at CycleInfraDay@gmail.com.

You’ll be able to watch the gallery build throughout the day by keeping an eye on the hashtag on Twitter (you don’t need an account for this – just click this link), or by following the Twitter account (@CycleInfraDay).

Remember, this is supposed to be an easy way of documenting a day in the life of Glasgow’s cycling infrastructure.  So please be sensible; don’t go dashing across busy roads to get an ‘action shot’, or exploring the collapsed section of the cycle lane along the Clyde to show the damage after the weir jammed last week.

Most importantly… have fun!