Investment in landmark cycle routes delivering record share of journeys by bike in Scotland

• Record proportion of journeys being made by bike on Edinburgh’s new City Centre route and Glasgow’s South City Way
• Over 1,700 more people cycling on Glasgow’s South City Way in two-day survey period in September 2024 vs 2023, a 46% annual increase
• Edinburgh’s City Centre West to East Link sees additional 1,000 people cycling in two-day survey period in January 2025 vs 2024, an 83% annual increase
• Evidence of wider impact of South City Way, with growth in cycling on nearby streets

New traffic data collated by Cycling Scotland, Scotland’s national cycling charity, has revealed the growing success of two new landmark cycle routes in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and their impact in supporting more people to travel by bike.

Over a 48-hour period in September 2024, traffic surveys recorded 5,457 bikes on the South City Way cycle route on Victoria Road in the south of Glasgow. This was out of a total of 36,417 travel methods recorded, meaning that 15% of people cycled their journey – a new record cycling modal share for an urban street in Scotland.

Overall, 1,718 more bike journeys were recorded on the South City Way over the two-day survey period in September 2024, compared to the same period in September 2023. This is a 46% year-on-year growth in the number of people cycling along the route.

Illustrating the wider impact of the route, cycling was recorded as accounting for 4.3% of journeys on nearby Nithsdale Road, which has no safe cycle lanes, but which connects the nearby area of Pollokshields to the South City Way. The number of people cycling on Nithsdale Road increased by 45% from September 2023 to September 2024, with nearby Allison Street also recording a 22% increase in cycling over the same period.

Edinburgh’s City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) – which connects Roseburn to the city centre – recorded a cycling modal share of 8.3% in September 2024, just nine months after it was completed.

A 48-hour traffic survey conducted in January 2025 on the CCWEL recorded a total of 2,199 people cycling on the West Coates section – 1,000 more bike journeys compared to the same two-day period in January 2024, shortly after construction of the route. This is a 83% year-on-year growth in the number of people cycling along this route.

Glasgow’s South City Way is one of the most ambitious urban cycle routes in the country, showcasing what investment in a good quality network of safe cycling routes can achieve. Running for 3km, the route’s fully separated, on-street cycle lanes provide a high-quality, direct link between communities in Glasgow’s Southside and the city centre. The route was developed by Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, with cross-party support and funding from Sustrans’ Places for Everyone Programme. Glasgow City Council continues to expand it further, with new connections planned through development of the citywide network of active travel routes.

Officially opened in early 2024, Edinburgh’s 4km City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) provides a high-quality west-east cycling route connecting Roseburn in the city’s West End to Picardy Place, via Haymarket Rail Station. The project included improved road crossings, footways, street surfacing and greening improvements along the route, and was delivered by City of Edinburgh Council, with funding from Transport Scotland through Sustrans’ Places For Everyone programme, alongside additional funding from the Scottish Government and the Council’s transport budget.

At Picardy Place, the CCWEL now connects to the 2km Leith Walk cycle route, which saw a total of 580,000 cycle journeys in 2024 – a 40% increase on the number of cycle journeys recorded in 2023.

Cycling Scotland organises traffic surveys across Scotland to monitor changes in travel behaviour, working in partnership with all 32 local authorities at over 100 locations. Conducted biannually in May and September each year, these nationwide traffic surveys help to track changes in modal share, highlighting how new high-quality cycle routes such as this are supporting more people to make sustainable journeys.

Annalise, a commuter who cycles with her son to school along Glasgow’s South City Way several times a week, shared her thoughts on the route: “It’s brilliant to have this and it makes such a difference. I’ve lived in other parts of the city that don’t have anything like this, and I didn’t cycle as much as I do now. We cycle together to school a few days a week, and I then use the route the rest of the way to get to work in the centre. It saves me so much time.”

Julie, who uses the CCWEL to cycle to work in Edinburgh city centre said: “This is a route I take every day. It makes a huge difference in terms of how safe you feel. The biggest difference I’ve noticed are the different types of people on the road as well as regular commuters. So many school kids using it and people with cargo bikes. It’s joyful to see more people using their bikes.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, said: “I’m pleased to welcome this latest evidence from Cycling Scotland. It confirms what cities around the world and here in Scotland already know – where you create a safer environment for cycling through quality infrastructure and support to use it, you see more people cycling.

“In turn, this means more people living healthier lives, saving money, leaving their car at home and reducing their emissions

“To support the continued ambitions and leadership of our towns and cities – and to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier for shorter everyday journeys, in 2025-26 the Scottish Government will invest £188 million to make it even easier for people to choose sustainable active travel.”

Councillor Angus Millar, Convener for Transport and Climate at Glasgow City Council said: “The continued growth in the number of people using the South City Way demonstrates that when we build safe, segregated and accessible active travel infrastructure, Glaswegians will come and make use of it.

“It’s clear that rebalancing our roads by adding active travel infrastructure helps people feel more at ease when cycling and leads to a roads network that’s fairer for everyone. We know that many people only feel comfortable choosing the bike for everyday journeys where they have confidence that they can make use of safe, segregated cycle infrastructure for most or all of their route.

“With the recent completion of the final phase of the South City Way to Candleriggs in the city centre and ongoing work to extend the active travel network with the Connecting Battlefield project, the success of this key corridor is a great blueprint for Glasgow as we work to deliver our plans for a comprehensive City Network of segregated cycle infrastructure to connect communities across the city.”

Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener at City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Here in Edinburgh, it’s really encouraging to see these new figures which reflect the increased popularity and patronage of the CCWEL since its opening last year. Equally, the increase in cycle journeys at the junction of Picardy Place and Leith Walk is very welcome news. Providing quality active travel infrastructure across our city remains a key priority and I’m determined that this will continue.

“It’s clear that by providing these amenities which allow active travel in a safe, simple and integrated way we’ll see an uptake in use. In order to fulfil our climate objectives and goals for mobility in the city, we have a responsibility to our residents and visitors to maintain, improve and expand this infrastructure. Indeed, just a few months ago we saw the opening of the Roseburn to Union Canal route and with ongoing projects like Leith Connections and Meadows to George Street I’m really optimistic looking forward.”

Keith Irving, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland, said: “This is yet more evidence that when Scotland builds high quality cycling infrastructure, it gets more people cycling. Given that cycling journeys typically account for around 2% of traffic on urban streets, the fact we are now seeing four to seven times that number of journeys being cycled on these routes – together with the huge growth in cycling numbers – shows just what can be achieved when Scotland invests in safe cycling routes.”

“Road safety is the single biggest barrier to more people cycling, and the strong success of these landmark routes demonstrates clearly that investing in well-connected, dedicated cycling lanes is having an impact: helping more people to travel safely and affordably, benefiting our health, reducing harmful pollution and our impact on the climate. We need more safe cycling routes just like these, to bring the benefits to more people across Scotland.”

Further data on cycle rates in Scotland can be found on the Cycling Open Data Portal.

A full breakdown of the data, with supporting data visualisations, can be found on the Cycling Scotland website.

Source: Cycling Scotland press release 6 March 2025

Today’s ride had some hills, short and sharp and we encountered what can be a hazard at this time of year – fallen leaves. So do take care when you are out and about.

December’s ride, on Sunday 01 December will take us on a spiral tour of Glasgow, looking at bridges old and new, big and small. Do join us!

Paris is in the spotlight for sport but maybe also the rapid transformation of the cities’ streets under mayor Anne Hidalgo. Glasgow sees some progress of its own – the South City Way officially open to Trongate and Byres Rd phase 1 nearing completion. The city council’s survey on behaviour campaigns closes soon.

Renfrewshire have their own milestone with the upgraded route from Erskine to Glasgow Airport. Will SPT’s Regional Active Travel Strategy bring big changes for cycling in towns like Motherwell, pictured (see 2.1)? Elsewhere, there are consultations relating to Local Development Plans in East Ayrshire; both North and South Lanarkshire; and West Dunbartonshire. Also, a few Traffic Orders…

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

1.1: Sustainable Transport Behaviour Change Campaigns 23/24

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Survey to help the evaluate two campaigns: ‘Let’s Look Out for Each Other’ and ‘Don’t be a Bus Blocker’. The former is similar to previous ‘share with care’ campaigns in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic (although it comes after Highway Code changes in 2022). The video shows idealised, polite reactions on road/lane/pavement (including what appears to be the South West City Way extension on St Andrews Drive). The latter is a poster/bus ad campaign specifically about cars/vans parking at bus stops. While these might not win any awards they do address issues with road use and car parking that don’t get much attention. So, it may be worth supporting the principle behind the campaigns even if we have criticisms of the actual ads themselves.
Website links: Sustainable Transport Behaviour Change Campaigns survey.
Deadline: 28 July 2024.

1.2: Loudoun Castle and Estate Draft Supplementary Guidance

Council: East Ayrshire.
Subject: The estate around the derelict Loudoun Castle, between Galston and Newmilns (by the A71). The main focus is development on the estate but the guidance does mention active travel (once!): “Proposals should utilise and expand on existing public transport and active travel networks…” The plans are a wider part of EAC’s Local Development Plan 2. A message from EAC says there’s an online survey (but doesn’t seem to provide a link). You can email them at localdevelopmentplans@east-ayrshire.gov.uk.
Website links: Loudoun Castle and Estate Draft Supplementary Guidance (PDF).
Deadline: 16 August 2024.

1.3: North Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 2 – Topic Paper Consultation (Batch 3)

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: Supplementary guidance topic papers for NL LDP2. Batch 3 consultation includes:
– Policy 3 Biodiversity, Policy 4 Natural Places & Policy 20 Blue and Green Infrastructure.
– Policy 22 Flood Risk and Water Management.
– Policy 30 Tourism.
The papers quote sources of evidence (national guidance/bodies) and summarise the current situation in North Lanarkshire for various headings. They then decide if these topics will have any “locally specific policy” or be dealt with according to National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). Spoiler alert – only tourism might get local guidance in LDP2. There’s an online survey to fill in (which wants a name and contact). Batch 4 is due to include topic papers on Sustainable Transport; Local Living and 20 Minute Neighbourhoods; and Infrastructure First.
Featured: Digest 158, 1.6 (Batch 1 – we seem to have missed Batch 2, apologies).
Website links: NL LDP2 Topic Papers Consultation webpage and Topic Paper Consultation – Batch 3 survey.
Deadline: 29 August 2024.

1.4: SPT Draft Regional Active Travel Strategy

Organisation: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Subject: A chance to have your say about a proposed network of walking/cycling routes for towns and villages across the Strathclyde region. The gist is main ‘spoke’/corridor routes towards Glasgow, a few radial routes and a triangle of links in Ayrshire. These are shown in the loosely labelled Connecting Places map and other numbered AT network maps (which can be hard to follow). SPT seem to prioritise cross-boundary routes, with varying results. For example, the existing route from Uddingston to Viewpark (SPT number it as 50_10) – a 1km upgrade where NCN 74 & 75 meet on North/South Lanarkshire boundary – is a ‘top’ priority. Meanwhile, a niche cross-region route from Lanark to Livingstone (CRR_12 – South Lanarkshire/West Lothian) is ‘high’ priority at 32km! However, a 5km route from East Kilbride to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire (37_10) – currently 60mph roads with no safe cycle route between Scotland’s 6th and 8th largest settlements – is only ‘medium’ priority!? The quality of cycle track described is an improvement on some of the plans SPT have funded in the past (most notably the redesign of Pollok Roundabout). However, the strategy has no timescales or budgets and SPT lost all their capital funding last year. Despite that setback, they are influential in the regional Glasgow Bus Partnership and on ‘bus vs cycle’ routes (via Glasgow’s Spatial Delivery Framework).
Featured: Consultation Extra (20-10-23).
Website links: Regional Active Travel Strategy webpage, Regional AT Strategy storymap (including interactive Priority map), draft Regional ATS document (PDF) and Regional ATS online survey.
Deadline: 1 September 2024.

1.5: Tell Us About Your Place (West Dunbartonshire)

Council: West Dunbartonshire.
Subject: A survey based on the Place Standard tool to ‘score’ areas of the county. WDC say: “results of the survey will inform a number of the councils services and strategies, including: the Local Development Plan, Locality Plans, Open Space Strategy, and Play Sufficiency Assessment.”
Events – In Person drop-in (with presentation at 4.30pm):
– Concord Centre (Dumbarton), 25 July 2024, 3pm – 7pm
– Alexandria Community Centre, 28 August 2024, 3pm – 7pm
– Dalmuir Community Centre, 11 September 2024, 3pm – 7pm.
Virtual Drop-in events: 28 August, 10am – 11:30am and 3 September, 6:30pm – 8pm.
Website links: Tell Us About Your Place webpage (including survey link).
Deadline: 30 September 2024.

1.6: South Lanarkshire – Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3)

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Plan to “set out how our places will look in the future including where new homes and workplaces could be built and the areas that will be protected. There will be a strong emphasis on improving the quality of places as well as addressing the challenges of climate change and the protection and enhancement of biodiversity.”
Website links: South Lanarkshire View article and LDP3 webpage (including survey link).
Deadline: 30 September 2024.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Motherwell town centre – paths and crossings improvements

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: West Hamilton Street (A721), Motherwell. A busy street with shopping centre/loading bays on one side and Lidl/housing on the other. Pavements vary from wide to narrow to non-existent. Works are due to start this week to improve pedestrian crossings, pavements and bus stop laybys. Apparently “widening sections of the existing paths to enable shared use for walking, wheeling and cycling and widening the pedestrian and cyclist crossings, including the roundabout island at Hamilton Road.” There’s no further detail but it may be similar to other works by NLC further north on Muir St and elsewhere in Wishaw and Airdrie. The space could be used for cycletracks but NLC all but ruled out on-road infrastructure in their Active Travel Strategy (apparently this comes from the top).

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Subject: On 1 July, EDC ‘made’ (implemented) a TRO which increased charges at car parks in Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch and Milngavie.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.

3.2: North Lanarkshire TROs

Subject: TRO to add a Puffin crossing on Drumcavel Road (A752) at the eastern edge of Muirhead. The reason for the location seems to be the existing bus stop on the north side of the road and new housing being built south of Drumcavel Rd.
Website links: Drumcavel Road, Muirhead – Puffin Crossing webpage and Drumcavel Road TRO plan (PDF).

This Digest comes after Great Britain & Northern Ireland won a handful of cycling medals at Toyko 2020. One was for mountain biking while the rest were in BMX (where Sir Chris Hoy started). Both are covered by the Velo Park proposal from North Lanarkshire Council (but NLC have dropped the cycleway to Motherwell train station). There are also several consultations for East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow plus one for East Renfrewshire.

The ban on pavement parking was made law in the Scottish Parliament in 2019. Last year, GoBike wondered when it would come into force (Digest 65, Item 3.4) – it seems it’s due to be 2023. Living Streets want you to write to your MSPs about bringing it forward.

People of all abilities can cycle at facilities run by Freewheel North – who are trying to fundraise just now, in case you want to contribute.

Infrastructure Update

• Sighthill’s new pedestrian/cycle bridge has been installed over the M8 (but won’t be open for a while yet). GoBike convenor, Thomas, spoke about it on STV!
• At the canal, the Claypits nature reserve officially opened at the weekend, including the zigzag ramp from Garscube Rd.
• The Stockingfield Bridge at the canal is being assembled but won’t be up and running until next year.
• North Canal Bank St – work is getting there but it missed its July re-opening date.
• At Kelvin Hall, Argyle St/Bunhouse Rd has bike lights installed, but not yet operational.
• Thomas visited Corkerhill Rd’s soft segregated lanes.
• He also let us know South City Way’s new cycle counters are up-and-running.
• Outdoor seating in the sun was popular along Sauchiehall St’s permanent lanes and the pop-ups at Candleriggs/George Square and Cambridge St.
• In East Kilbride, University Hospital Hairmyres has a new path into south of site (from Strathtay Ave).

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Glasgow City Council – City Centre Traffic Management Order 2010: Variation No.29, GHA Parking Areas (ends 3 Aug – today!)
2. St. Paul’s Youth Forum – Flourishing Molendinar second consultation (ends 6 Aug)
3. Glasgow City Council – Garnethill Traffic Management and Parking Controls Order (ends 13 Aug)
4. East Dunbartonshire Council – Bishopbriggs Town Centre Regeneration (ends 15 Aug)
5. East Dunbartonshire Council – Schools waiting and loading orders (ends 16 Aug)
6. East Dunbartonshire Council – Lenzie Rd, Kirkintilloch waiting and loading order (ends 16 Aug)
7. East Dunbartonshire Council – Civic Way/Lenzie Rd, traffic management (ends 16 Aug)
8. Glasgow City Council – Auldhouse Area Traffic Management Order (ends 20 Aug)
9. North Lanarkshire Council – Bellshill Entrance/Velo Park Project (until end of Aug)
10. East Renfrewshire Council – Ayr Road (A77): Spaces for People, Phase 2
11. Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation (ends 2 Sep)
12. Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework (ends 3 Sep)
13. East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion (ends 28 Sep)
14. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. North Lanarkshire Council – Planning Application (20/00345/FUL) Access to Motherwell train station

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

1.1: Glasgow City Council – City Centre Traffic Management Order 2010: Variation No.29, GHA Parking Areas

Glasgow Housing Association’s parking areas are in Townhead, east of Buchanan Bus Station, behind the high flats. Resident’s parking spaces around Kennedy St and St Mungo Avenue have been used as free parking by shoppers/commuters. This order introduces parking restrictions (as covered in Digest 91, Item 1.1).

GoBike agreed with these measures in our Stage 1 GHA response and latest GHA response.

There are the usual documents for a TRO: plan of GHA parking areas, GHA areas draft report, GHA areas press notice and the usual statement of reasons. Respond by e-mail to lestraffic@glasgow.gov.uk  by 3 August 2021.

1.2: St. Paul’s Youth Forum – Flourishing Molendinar second consultation

The Flourishing Molendinar project covers an area around Blackhill in the north east of Glasgow. As seen in Digest 91, Item 1.2, the next stage of the Flourishing Molendinar project has produced new plans for consultation. Proposals include a pedestrianised section on Langdale St, segregated cycleways on Cumbernauld Rd and Royston Rd.

Permanent segregated lanes on Royston Rd would continue east of Provanmill Rd, where the current pop-up lanes peter out, past the Langdale St/Robroyston Rd junction. This wouldn’t just connect Blackhill towards the city centre, it’s also just across the M80 footbridge from Barmulloch. The junction is also a route to a school, St Philomena’s RC Primary School, where pupils have been doing their own plans in Minecraft software.

For more on the above, see the FloMo survey (ends 6 August).

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

Garnethill is perched above Sauchiehall St and Cambridge St, up some of the steepest streets in the city centre. As we said in Digest 91, Item 1.3, it’s due to get parking controls, which stem from a consultation event in 2018.

Garnethill also has a lot of existing one way streets, which don’t allow for contraflow cycling. In our Garnethill Stage 1 response, GoBike objected to this and other measures. Very little had changed since, apart from a few parking spaces, so we re-iterated our objections in our response to the published Garnethill order.

See the restrictions in the TRO documents: Garnethill plan, Garnethill draft report, Garnethill press notice and the standard Statement of Reasons. Email: garnethillparking@glasgow.gov.uk by 13 August.

1.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Bishopbriggs Town Centre Regeneration

This consultation is about not just Bishopbriggs town centre, but also phase 5 of Bishopbriggs Relief Road (BRR5) and the A803 corridor. Cycling doesn’t get much of a mention, as we said in Digest 91, Item 1.4. That’s despite Bishopbriggs being so close to the Forth & Clyde canal and to Glasgow (where the A803 changes from Kirkintilloch Rd to Springburn Rd). If you want to put a word in for cycling, see the Bishopbriggs consultation webpage and Bishopbriggs Public Realm Plan survey by 15 August.

1.5: East Dunbartonshire Council – Schools waiting and loading orders

A series of orders from East Dunbartonshire bring in parking restrictions around the following nine primary schools:

• Clober Primary School, Milngavie
• Westerton Primary School, Bearsden
• Meadowburn Primary School, Bishopbriggs
• St Matthew’s Primary School, Bishopbriggs
• Wester Cleddens Primary School, Bishopbriggs
• Gartconner Primary School, Kirkintilloch
• Holy Family Primary School, Kirkintilloch
• Craighead Primary School, Milton of Campsie
• Torrance Primary School, Torrance

All include ‘no waiting’ restrictions between 8.30 – 9.30am and 2.30 – 4.30pm. The Clober, Westerton, Craighead and Torrance school plans have sections with no waiting at any time (mostly on corners/school entry roads).

See the plans and other PDF documents for details: Bearsden/Milngavie schools plans, Bearsden/Milngavie schools order, ‘west’ schools Schedules & Statement of reasons, Bearsden/Milngavie schools notice, Bishopbriggs/Kirkintilloch/Milton of Campsie/Torrance schools plans, ‘east’ schools order, ‘east’ schools Schedules & Statement of reasons, ‘east’ schools notice, Bishopbriggs consolidated order and Milton of Campsie consolidated order.

Send any comments to the Chief Solicitor & Monitoring Officer by post or email by 16 August.

1.6: East Dunbartonshire Council – Linnhe Ave/Thums Ave/Ochil Rd waiting and loading order

Immediately east of the above map are Linnhe Ave, Thums Ave and the Ochil Rd cul-de-sac (near Wester Cleddens Rd). Linnhe Ave is due to have no waiting or loading at any time, across from the shops on Woodhill Rd. Thums Ave and Ochil Rd are due to have restrictions only between 8.30 – 9.30am and 2.30 – 4.30pm. Presumably, the times relate to the nearby Thomas Muir Primary School and Bishopbriggs Academy, which have a gate on Ochil Rd.

See the PDF documents: Linnhe Ave/Thums Ave/Ochil Rd plan, Linnhe Ave/Thums Ave/Ochil Rd order and Linnhe Ave/Thums Ave/Ochil Rd notice. Send any comments to the Chief Solicitor & Monitoring Officer by post or email by 16 August.

1.7: East Dunbartonshire Council – Civic Way/Lenzie Rd, traffic management

Civic Way, Kirkintinlloch was the site of the former East Dunbartonshire Council headquarters (the building was demolished in 2015). New, affordable housing is being built on the site, south of Civic Way. On the road itself, EDC plan to add a speed bump with parking restrictions round the corner on Lenzie Rd.

See the PDF documents: Lenzie Rd plan, Lenzie Rd order, Lenzie Rd notice, Civic Way notice, Kirkintilloch consolidated order. Send any comments to the Chief Solicitor & Monitoring Officer by post or email by 16 August.

1.8: Glasgow City Council – Auldhouse Area Traffic Management Order

The Auldhouse area in this order is just south of Pollokshaws East train station and the White Cart Water. It’s a triangle bounded by Kilmarnock Rd, Auldhouse Rd and Nether Auldhouse Rd.

It’s mostly along similar lines to other parking controls elsewhere. However, there are a few back lanes between Riverford Rd and Ellisland Rd which will be signed as ‘access only’ for motor vehicles. If those are followed, they should allow bikes to have a slightly quieter north-south route. However, the road surfaces are either rough tarmac or cobbles so they might not be that quiet!

See the PDF documents: Auldhouse plan, Auldhouse report, Auldhouse notice and the catch-all Statement of Reasons.

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

The ‘entrance’ is a bit confusing as most people don’t realise Strathclyde Country Park goes past Bothwellhaugh Rd and the railway, up to Bellshill Rd (A721). The area north of the loch includes the South Calder Water, Bothwellhaugh Cemetery, Bellshill Golf Club and the South Calder Walkway off-road path network. NLC propose to thread mountain bike trails around these, as shown in image, below.

NLC have a patchy record with similar projects like mountain bike trails in Forgewood and skate ramps in Motherwell and Wishaw. However, there is a successful skatepark in Airdrie and a BMX race track in Cumbernauld. The council have taken some input from Socialtrack, who created and run the excellent Wishawhill Wood pump track in Craigneuk. These plans include a pump track but it’s not designed yet (there’s just an example track photo).

The ‘Hub/Skills area’ of the new velo park would be at the edge of Bellshill (next to the roundabout on Motherwell Rd/A721). It could be a great facility for young people around the Bellshill area. The existing Greenlink path makes it more accessible from North Motherwell too (but it doesn’t link to Ravenscraig, as claimed).

The new route into Strathclyde Country Park should broaden active travel access from Bellshill and Motherwell. This project doesn’t include any paths near the Raith Interchange bridges (as suggested on Facebook). The new routes are indirect and sloping, so are less likely to help cycle commuters around Bellshill.

If you cycle in the area, see the Bellshill Entrance & Velo Park info page. You can email comments to GreenspaceProjects@northlan.gov.uk. The page says the process should lead to a Sport Scotland application this month so email before the end of August.

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

As covered in Digest 91, Item 1.5, Ayr Rd through Newton Mearns is a main active travel route into Glasgow. This phase 2 consultation is about replacing the phase 1 cones with light segregation, removing some segregation and adding parking bays (one with the bike lane outside it and trialing a parking-protected bike lane for the other).

Light segregation options include ‘flexible delineator posts’ or ‘wand orca’ units. For examples, maps and more details, see the Ayr Road Phase 2 Commonplace page. No obvious deadline on this one.

1.11: Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation

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

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

1.12: Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework

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

See the Inner East consultation page for link to the SDF survey – ends 3 September 2021.

1.13: East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion

This has been featured since Digest 86, Item 1.2, including its ‘Ideas Map‘ for the area. It’s an opportunity to focus on active travel (walking, cycling and wheeling). EDC were pioneers when they built phase 1 of the Bearsway cycletrack in Milngavie. However, since phase 2 was scrapped, they’ve fallen behind other local authorities; not even bidding for Spaces for People funding.

Further online discussion events are due later in August. See a full list of events and background info on the Active Travel Discussion webpage. Closing date – 28 Sep 2021.

1.14: Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park

Charlotte Worthington’s gold medal at Tokyo 2020 in the BMX Freestyle Park event seems like a good reminder about Glasgow Urban Sports‘ skate park project. GUS want to bring land under the M74 extension into productive use as a park for ‘urban sports’ – BMX, skateboarding, inline skating, parkour, etc. Their site is between the back of West St Subway station and Eglinton St. The sculptures would enhance the area even when they didn’t have skaters jumping off them!

See GUS’s survey to try and find out what skaters, or their families, want from the park. Or see the GUS Facebook or GUS Twitter accounts.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: North Lanarkshire Council – Planning Application (20/00345/FUL) Access to Motherwell train station

The planning application for this City Deal project first came up back in Digest 61, Item 1.1. It was to create a new access to the station from the roundabout at the junction of Hamilton Rd (A723), West Hamilton Rd (A721) and Merry St. Running along derelict land behind the row of shops on Muir St, it would join the current road at the station. It would include a bus lane, taxi rank, disabled parking and short cycleway.

However, the cycleway seems to have been dropped from the latest drawings (29 Jun 2021) –see planning application 20/00345/FUL. It would’ve been pretty short and isolated but would at least have helped cycle to the station from the south. Another example of NLC’s inconsistent approach – a few steps forward (like the RATL path) then a few steps back (like the RAI dual carriageway).

North Lanarkshire Council have now granted planning permission for this access road to go ahead. Redevelopment has already taken place at nearby Park & Ride car parks. Work is now underway on the station building (using the service road to get passengers down to the middle platforms while stairs are replaced). The Muir St works are expected to start late 2021 and finish summer 2022.

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

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

Infrastructure Update

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

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

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

1.1: North Lanarkshire Council – Strathclyde Park road closure

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

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

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

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

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

1.2: Kinning Park Complex – Sustaining Choices events

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

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

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

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

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

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

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

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

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan Consultation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Background

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

Active Travel Studies

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

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

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

Spaces for People

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

Make Your Way

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

Tinto Hill Improvements

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

Clyde Cycle Park

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

3.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Local Development Plan Newsletter

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

Contents:

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Streets for All Glasgow Commonplace Map, a joint GoBike, Glasgow Eco Trust and On Bikes initiative, please add your views and concerns
2. ** NEW** Renfrewshire Council Spaces for People consultation, closes 26 July
3. East Renfrewshire Council, Spaces for People Commonplace Map, closes 31 July
4. Glasgow City Council, help shape the future of (Y)our City Centre Districts

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. GoBike is going to consult its members on the Consultation Digest!

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow, Woodside Making Places, response to GoBike Submission
2. Glasgow, South City Way, Bus Gate prior to completion
3. Glasgow, Byres Road, Space for Distancing measures prior to cycle lane construction
4. Parking and the Transport (Scotland) Bill, when will it come into effect?
5. A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland, 2 years to wait!
6. North Lanarkshire Council, work begins on Motherwell Station

Section 1: Current Consultations

1.1 Streets for All Glasgow Commonplace Map, a joint GoBike, Glasgow Eco Trust and On Bikes initiative, please add your views and concerns

Back in Digest 55, Item 1.1 in early March, we alerted you to the Streets for All Glasgow Commonplace Map, an initiative from GoBike in coordination with Glasgow EcoTrust and On Bikes. This was somewhat overshadowed by the Glasgow City Council and the East Renfrewshire Council Spaces for People Commonplace Maps, looking for concern areas where social distancing for active travellers was difficult or impossible to achieve. The Glasgow City Council map has now closed for comment and the East Renfrewshire Council map closes on 31 July, see Item 1.2 below.

The Streets for All Glasgow Commonplace Map is still open for your contributions. We have longer term aims than the Spaces for People maps, so please do get your fingers tapping and tell us not just where social distancing measures are needed but where dropped kerbs, better crossings, segregation from motor vehicles and all the measures that could improve your cycling experience are needed.

We will then be able to take these forward to the City Council in a measured way to make our city a better place to live and move.

1.2 **NEW** Renfrewshire Council, Spaces for People consultation, closes 26 July

News just in: Renfrewshire Council have a Spaces for People Fund consultation taking place, but it closes soon, midnight on Sunday 26 July. Here’s some of the information from their website:

“As part of this, we plan to create nine cycleways for active travel, but we want your views on the proposed plans.

These are located at:

• Howwood to Paisley corridor (including Elderslie Gap)
• Glasgow Road (West), Paisley
• Barrhead Road, Paisley
• Causeyside Street, Paisley
• Central Paisley and West – including Ferguslie, St Mirren and Kilbarchan Rd
• Inchinnan Road, Paisley
• Greenock Rd, Inchinnan
• Inchinnan Road, Renfrew
• Paisley to Renfrew

View the proposals

You can see the  proposed outline plans on this PDF document [2MB]

Give us your feedback

Let us know what you think on the proposed cycleways by emailing us at ei@renfrewshire.gov.uk Your feedback can be submitted until midnight on Sunday 26 July 2020.”

This is quite and impressive set of proposals, many on major roads, so please do have a look at the details and put your comments in. GoBike has submitted this letter today, which might give you a few pointers.

1.3 East Renfrewshire Council, Spaces for People Commonplace Map, closes 31 July

East Renfrewshire Council is consulting on Spaces for People until the end of this month, ie a week on Friday, 31 July. Here are details of their Transport Response to Covid 19 and here is a direct link to the ERC Spaces for People Commonplace map. Please do contribute if you know the area.

1.4 Glasgow City Council, help shape the future of (Y)our City Centre Districts

Just about everyone who lives in Glasgow or visits from surrounding areas goes to one or more of these areas, ie the Merchant City, Cowcaddens, Townhead or the Learning Quarter so must have views on how improvements could be made. Please do enter them on the Commonplace Map. No closing date given but don’t delay.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 GoBike is going to consult its members on the Consultation Digest!

Yes, we are going to consult GoBike members who are on Slack about the Digests. The editor of the Digests will be standing down at the GoBike AGM in November and we want to know what you, if you are a GoBike member (and it’s easy to join), think of these publications and even whether you might wish to get involved in their production. Watch out on the GoBike Slack Consultation channel for news of the survey.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Woodside Making Places, response to GoBike Submission

In Digest 63, Item 1.8 we detailed this public realm consultation by Urban Realm and included the detailed response from GoBike, drawn up by GoBike member, Brenda, with contributions from GoBike member and local resident, Alasdair.

On 07 July, almost in time to be in our last Digest, we got this excellent email back from the Woodside Making Places team:

“Dear Tricia,

Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly look over the plans; we agree that it would be preferable to have a face-to-face assessment of the plans, however at the moment, this is not something we are going to achieve unless Scottish Government restrictions change.

Going through points in your letter:

• Some roads are excluded primarily for budgetary reasons – we are keen to spend on people-focussed improvements, rather than descend into a road resurfacing project.
• We will look at opportunities for continuous footways with reduced radii at points mentioned – we would agree that this could be a very useful addition.
• We will consider the width of the paths and aim to provide 4m where possible.
• The area is relatively permeable at the moment, and we have picked up on a few existing desire lines, the next stage will review comments from the resident consultees and also bear in mind your note about ensuring permeability.
• We are looking at a variety of cycle storage, from individual (or family sized) lockers capable of taking trailers / cargo bikes etc. to ad hoc visitor parking (Sheffield-type stands). The refurbishment of the tower block included some cycle storage. The location of these will be reassessed at the next stage of design based on the criteria you have provided. The Oakgrove shelter is a sketch at this stage and not intended as sole cycle storage for the school, we would expect this to be funded through the Cycle Friendly School initiative; the shelter would primarily serve parents / visitors / residents.

In response to specific details raised in your letter:

• The shared path along Braid Street is currently shown 4m wide.
• We will be reviewing parking along Raglan Street and Braid Street in line with your comments – this is great advice as a way to treat parking in this situation.
• There is a large level difference between Unity Place and the back of the flats at Braid Street, the path that zig-zags through the green space is designed to be an accessible gradient and is the primary route between the two; the steps are a quicker cut through.
• Karol Path has a multi-level set of issues; primarily the existing trees (much enjoyed by residents) are causing issue with the paving. The balance between retaining existing natural capital and access by people needs to be struck.
• We will investigate the viability between the west of Torridon Court and North Woodside Road, however this needs to work with the existing trees, and provide an accessible route. From a quick look, it would appear that this would be similar in length to the accessible route that we have shown going to the new plaza area at the junction of St. George’s Road and North Woodside Road.

We will be consulting on further phases and hope that there are clarifications and refinements which reflect your helpful advice and points of discussion above. Thank you again for your input. 

Best regards,
The Woodside Making Places Team“

Yes, they had read and taken note of our letter and not simply assigned it to either the Support or Objection box. We look forward to further dialogue and to overall improvements in this area.

3.2 Glasgow, South City Way, Bus Gate prior to completion

In Digest 25, Item 1, issued on 10 January 2019 we gave details of the proposals for continuing the South City Way from the Brazen Head pub at Cumberland Street along Gorbals Street and over the Clyde at the Victoria Bridge to the junction at the Clutha pub.

You might have noticed that construction on this section has not yet started? GoBike’s co-Convenors, Thomas and John, held an online meeting recently with Councillor Anna Richardson, who gave them this information:

• The appointed contractor is unable to start on site just yet.
• To improve cycling in the meantime the City Council has decided to install the bus gate, which was part of the consultation, at Cumberland Street for the southern section of Gorbals Street, ie from the Brazen Head junction to Cleland Street, just south of the Citizens’ Theatre. This will prevent private cars from travelling north on Gorbals Street between 7am and 7pm.
• Also, a cycle lane will be formed on Victoria Bridge.

While it’s disappointing that the South City Way is delayed (again), these 2 moves will improve road conditions for cycling.

3.3 Glasgow, Byres Road, Space for Distancing measures prior to cycle lane construction

At the same meeting GoBike was told that the construction of cycle lanes on Byres Road is not yet to be started but, to allow for social distancing, the following 2 measures will be put in place:

• The footways at both sides will be widened to allow social distancing for pedestrians
• Parking will be banned.

While these measures are not what GoBike and Space for People Byres Road campaigned for, the removal of parking will make cycling significantly better and we will all be able to enjoy the wider pavements on Byres Road in the meantime.

3.4 Parking and the Transport (Scotland) Bill, when will it come into effect?

GoBike has been campaigning for a ban on pavement parking since at least September 2015 as this post on our website demonstrates. We have responded positively to consultation too.

Anyone who has been out and about during lockdown will have seen that pavement parking is endemic; car after car after car with either 2 or all 4 wheels on the pavement outside flats and houses. The photo above was taken in a residential area in Glasgow, the feature photo for this Digest shows pavement parking, not far from their place of work, by employees on a route into Renfrew. This really does cut down the space for walking and cycling, so just what is happening?

MSP Sheila White’s Pavement Parking Bill was subsumed into the Transport (Scotland) Act, which the Scottish Parliament voted to pass on 10 October 2019.  The Bill received Royal Assent on 15 November 2019, ie over 9 months ago. No news of any progress on the Transport Scotland website and even Living Streets don’t have any update on their website.

Something to follow up with your MSP? Please do.

3.5 A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland, 2 years to wait!

The Scottish Government consulted on a Bottle Deposit return scheme in 2018 as featured in Digest 15, Item 1.5. It may now be seen, on the Scottish Government website, that the scheme was approved in May this year and will go live in July 2022. Details of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 may be seen here.

What’s this got to do with cycling, some might ask? Anyone who cycles around our towns and residential areas can’t have failed to see broken glass, let alone litter, and it’s the very fortunate person who hasn’t had a puncture on broken glass. Surely we all hope that with the implementation of the scheme there will be enough people who see the financial benefit of returning their bottles, to at least save a few tyres?

3.6 North Lanarkshire Council, work begins on Motherwell Station

GoBike responded to a Planning Application for a cycle access path to Motherwell Station earlier this year, as featured in Digest 61, Item 1.1, which will be a wee bit better than the existing. We received this update from North Lanarkshire Council on 17 July:

“ScotRail have appointed Balfour Beatty to carry out the works to redevelop Motherwell Rail Station. The station plans are the first phase of a wider project to create a transport integration hub in Motherwell town centre. The second phase on Muir Street will be carried out by the council in 2021.

The station works are being led by ScotRail. Transport Scotland and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) are also providing funding for the £14.5m project. Work started on 29 June with the demolition of an old building at the bottom of Platform 1 to make way for a new staff car park and will continue at the station itself in early August.

The taxi rank at the front of the station will close later in July to make way for ScotRail staff portacabins. Taxi pick up and drop will remain available on Muir Street. Two disabled parking bays will also be provided close to the station entrance during the works.  

For further information about the project, please visit: www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/motherwellstation ” 

It looks as it it will be a wee while, though, before access to the station is upgraded, but do take care near the works if you use Motherwell Railway Station.

______________________________

We’re moving out of lockdown and into the holiday season with only a few weeks before the schools go back.
Do enjoy the rest of the summer! More news early in August.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Glasgow, Battlefield, Drop-in Event, TODAY, 23 July, 3pm – 7pm
2. GoBike member’s survey, Attitudes to Cycling in Glasgow, closes tomorrow, 24 July
3. Glasgow, Future Policy Development of Taxi and Private Hire Car Licensing, closes 29 July
4. **NEW** Glasgow, (Mount Florida) (Traffic Regulation) Order) Waiting and Loading Restrictions, closes 02 August
5. Glasgow (North Kelvin, North Woodside and Woodlands)(Mandatory 20mph Speed Limit Order, closes 02 August
6. Glasgow, South City Way Traffic Management Order, 2-way cycle lane on Bridgegate and King Street, closes 09 August
7. Glasgow St Enoch District Regeneration Framework Public Consultation, closes 06 September

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. Glasgow, Dennistoun & Royston – Traffic Management & Parking Controls Order 201 drop-in events 24, 25 and 27 July
2. Glasgow ‘Avenues’ preview events for Renfrew, Killermont & North Hanover Streets, Tuesday 06 August
3. Glasgow, Pollok Country Park – Project Update and Public Consultation Event, 22 August

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. East Dunbartonshire, Lenzie Station
2. Glasgow, Ladyloan Avenue
3. Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) Construction Update

Section 1: Current Consultations , in date order for responses

1.1 Glasgow, Battlefield Street Design, Showcase Event, TODAY, 23 June

Battlefield is no longer as shown here but there are moves to make it a calmer place, with less emphasis on the private car. Here’s the information from Sustrans about today’s event and the current on-line consultation:

“Hello,
I am emailing just as a reminder about the Battlefield Street Design Session 4 Showcase Event taking place next Tuesday 23^rd July. This is a public drop-in event at Langside Parish church and is open to everyone. I would be grateful if you could share this amongst anyone you think maybe interested? Further details are below and I’ve attached the event poster to this email.

Showcase event: Tuesday 23^rd July 2019

The designs for Battlefield area have been developed following nine months of engagement by Sustrans and Glasgow City Council that has reached almost 6,000 local people. During March, April and May, people took part in a range of activities to provide feedback which has helped to refine the concept that will be handed over to Glasgow City Council at the end of July for further development.  On Tuesday 23^rd July, at Langside Parish Church in Glasgow, the public are invited to have the opportunity to:

Drop-in anytime between 4pm and 7pm to view the updated concept design for the following areas; Battlefield Rest junction, Battlefield Road, Grange Road and Langside Road.

Find out about activities in the area from Urban Croft South Seeds, Battlefield Community Project, Give a Dog a Bone, Langside Heritage Group and many more;

Come and say hello to us outside Coffeescene between 3pm and 6pm where we’ll have a summary of the designs and some Sustrans freebies to give away!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all.
Many thanks in advance,

Ellie Cady
Project Lead – Battlefield | Street Design | Sustrans Scotland
Ellie.Cady@sustrans.org.uk

A further email informed of an ongoing survey:

“We would love to hear the views from all of those involved to help us improve the Street Design process for future projects. From the 23^rd July we would like to invite you to complete a short online survey about the project and engagement process. This survey should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete and will be made available through our project website from next week. You will also receive a reminder by email with the link to the survey.”

So do have a look at that and, through GoBike’s involvement with the Focus Group for the redesign of Battlefield, we will be keeping you updated as things proceed.

1.2 Attitudes to Cycling in Glasgow, closes tomorrow, Wednesday 24 July

Active GoBike member, Eachann Gillies, who is our lead in the Battlefield Focus Group, is also studying for an MSc at Glasgow Caledonian University. As part of that he would like as many people as possible to fill in his survey on Attitudes to Cycling in Glasgow. It’s quite short, so do please help him. Here’s the link to the survey.

1.3 Glasgow, Future Policy Development of Taxi and Private Hire Car Licensing, closes 29 July

Taxis and private hire vehicles are something that most of us will use at some point so it is critical that we are objective about them and ensure that they provide a good service that meets the needs of the city, its residents and its visitors. Here is the GoBike response to the consultation. Here is the link to the consultation.

1.4 **NEW** Glasgow, (Mount Florida) (Traffic Regulation) Order) Waiting and Loading Restrictions, closes 02 August

On 12 July GoBike received the following email under the somewhat innocuous title of “Mount Florida Traffic Regulation Order”. It is only by looking at the attachments that one realises what is being done to set back the cause of active travel in the area.

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF ANDY WADDELL, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS NEIGHBOURHOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Sir or Madam,

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (MOUNT FLORIDA) (TRAFFIC REGULATION) ORDER 201_
The Council propose to consider the introduction of the above named Traffic Regulation Order.
Please find enclosed a copy of the press notice of the proposed Order, relevant map, statement of reasons and detailed report.
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 Andy Waddell, Director of Operations, Neighbourhoods and Sustainability, Exchange House, 231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX or by e-mail to land@glasgow.gov.uk  by Friday 2 August 2019.
Yours faithfully” etc

Here are the documents that accompanied the email: Press Notice, Plan (1 of 2), Plan (2 of 2), Report and Statement of Reasons.

When one looks at the plans, particularly 1 of 2, it becomes clear that there are proposals to make Florida Street and Bolton Drive one-way westbound between Clincart Road and Florida Drive and to make Clincart Road one-way southbound to Bolton Drive and one-way northbound to Bolton Drive, with a buildout to the footway on Bolton Drive.
While this might rationalise car movements, it contradicts Transport Scotland’s and Glasgow City Council’s design guide, “Cycling by Design” where Clause 5.1.5 (page 52) states “The default position should be to permit two-way cycling on one-way streets.” The City Council conveniently ignores this every time a parking scheme is developed, thus severely limiting permeability of our residential areas for cycle traffic.

Here’s a promising report on contraflow cycling from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which we have quoted to Glasgow City Council.

In addition parking and parking/loading restrictions are proposed, particularly at junctions and this is despite Rule 243 of the Highway Code stating as one of its bullet points: ” DO NOT stop or park opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space” See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

We note that the City Council refers to the local Community Council, who are reflecting residents’ views that “they have nowhere to park” and many wish to park their private car directly outside the door to their close. However, this flies in the face of City Council policy to reduce car use, to promote active travel and rejuvenate our local neighbourhoods.
Event day parking restrictions are in place in this area and it would seem logical to extend restrictions by introducing a Residents’ Parking Zone.

If Glasgow City Council, and other local authorities, and/or Police Scotland were to employ more parking/traffic wardens rather than rely on the good will of drivers to observe paint lines at the edges of our streets then we might be able to use our streets for the purpose for which they were intended, ie to get from A to B.

GoBike’s response to this consultation reflects the above points.

1.5 Glasgow (North Kelvin, North Woodside and Woodlands)(Mandatory 20mph Speed Limit Order, closes 02 August

The details of this proposed addition to the 80 mandatory 20mph zones in the city were first given in Digest 37, Item 1.6. The GoBike letter of support for this proposal also includes our view that the City Council really does need to bite the bullet on this and impose a city-wide default 20mph limit.

1.6 Glasgow, South City Way Traffic Management Order, 2-way cycle lane on Bridgegate and King Street, closes 09 August

This proposal, bringing the South City Way into the Merchant City, was detailed in Digest 38, Item 1.5. GoBike is generally very supportive, but we are considering the detail and our response will be contained in our next Digest the big Four Zero, due out on 06 August.

1.7 Glasgow St Enoch District Regeneration Framework Public Consultation, closes 06 September

As reported before, we are working on our response, which will be submitted next month. This is an important city centre area, so do please have a look at the consultation information that is provided on the City Council’s Current Consultations page at: https://www.glasgowconsult.co.uk/KMS/dmart.aspx?strTab=PublicDMartCurrent&NoIP=1 and submit your own response, if you can.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 Glasgow, Dennistoun & Royston – Traffic Management & Parking Controls Order 201 drop-in events 24, 25 and 27 July

In Digest 38, Item 2.5, we published details of drop-in events for residents to learn about the proposed parking changes for Dennistoun and Royston:
Wednesday 24 July, Royston Library, 2 – 7 pm
Thursday 25 July, Dennistoun Library, 2 – 7 pm
Saturday 27 July, Dennistoun Library, 10 am – 1 pm

However, it looks as if this isn’t a universally popular move, if this article from the Evening Times on 19 July is anything to go by! See: https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17781308.parking-zone-plan-east-end-scrapped/?ref=ebln

If you don’t agree that our streets should be linear car parks and you live, or work in this area, or visit regularly, then get yourself along to one of these events to support the proposals.

2.2 Glasgow ‘Avenues’ preview events for Renfrew, Killermont & North Hanover Streets, Tuesday 06 August, with a closing date for on-line comments of 18 August

On 17 July GoBike received the following invitation from Civic Engineers, who are working for the City Council on the Avenues projects

“You are invited to the following event: Glasgow city centre ‘Avenues’: initial design ideas for Renfrew St, Killermont St and North Hanover St

Multiple events from: Tuesday, 6 August 2019 from 13:00 to 15:30 (BST) The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (City of Music Studio, 3rd floor)
2 Sauchiehall Street
G2 3NY Glasgow
United Kingdom
View Map

Yes No Maybe

You’re invited to a preview of initial design ideas for Renfrew Street, Killermont Street and North Hanover Street on Tuesday 6th August in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.  There is a choice of two events, each an hour long, starting at 1pm and 2:30pm.  The City Council and Civic Engineers, who lead the Council’s design team for this phase of the Avenues project, will be presenting initial design principles at the events and seeking feedback. You’ll also be able to see and comment on the initial designs online at www.glasgow.gov.uk/avenues from Tuesday 22nd July (closing date for comment is Sunday 18th August). There’ll be similar events about initial design ideas for Cathedral Street on Tuesday 3rd September in Townhead Village Hall – keep an eye out for the invitation. The work is part of the transformational £115m ‘Avenues’ city centre public realm project funded by the Glasgow City Region City Deal, which will change the face of the city for the better for all those who live, work and visit. The Avenues project will see key Glasgow city-centre streets redesigned to protect and prioritise space for cyclists and pedestrians, improve connectivity, introduce sustainable green infrastructure through attractive streetscapes and enhancing biodiversity, and improve the way public transport is accommodated.  Places at the events are free but limited. Please book now to get your place! ”

Now that nice, wide cycleway on the photo above, taken from the original invitation, might not look to have much separating it from the roadway, but we think there’s a kerb there, and we’ll be sure to check that out on 06 August.

GoBike will be represented at this event, and at the 03 September event. Do note that these are not drop-in events so if you can’t spare the full hour, you will be able to view the information and respond on line.

2.3 Glasgow, Pollok Country Park – Project Update and Public Consultation Event, 22 August

Earlier this year, in February, 2 GoBike members attended a meeting with Glasgow Life to hear about initial proposals for Pollok Park. We have now, 19 July, received this message and invitation:

“I hope you’re both well. I’m writing to update you on the progress of the Transforming Pollok Country Park project.

The update is as follows:

Thank you for previously engaging with us on access proposals for Pollok Country Park. Details of the proposals and current progress can be found in the briefing note attached.

As mentioned, these proposals will form the subject of a planning application and we are now moving towards submitting a Proposal of Application Notice in the week commencing 22^nd July. A consultation event will take place at Pollokshaws Library on the 22^nd August from 12 noon – 8pm which you are welcome to attend and will allow the opportunity for comments.

I’ll note that the proposed new entrance at Haggs Road is primarily intended to bring cars and buses in through a more direct route, while cyclists would be encouraged to enter the park via the Pollokshaws Road entrance or St Andrews Drive entrance.

If you have any queries please get in touch.

Kind Regards,
Project Officer, Glasgow Life”

The briefing note attached to the email is here. Do get yourself along to Pollokshaws Library on 22 August if you can to see the exciting proposals.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 SPT and East Dunbartonshire, Lenzie Station Improvements

We heard about station improvements from one of our member’s Twitter feed, with this link to the SPT website: http://www.spt.co.uk/corporate/2019/07/lenzie-station-improvements-welcomed/
2 of the improvements listed refer to cycling:

• Upgraded traffic lights – including dedicated cycle phase
• Improved cycle facilities

So now that we can store our bikes at Lenzie Station and cycle in and out during the new cycle phase, perhaps we’ll get dedicated cycle lanes through the town?

The consultation phase for the project started in 2016, before GoBike was actively getting East Dunbartonshire proposals, but we are always keen to hear about consultations in the wider Glasgow area, so do keep us informed at consultations@gobike.org please.

3.2 Glasgow, Ladyloan Avenue Traffic Calming Scheme, GCC response to GoBike submission.

In Digest 37, Item 1.3, the details of this proposal were published and on 03 July we returned this response.
The City Council have now replied, with this email received on 19 July:

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF MICHAEL BRADY, GROUP MANAGER (TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY), NEIGHBOURHOODS & SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Ms Fort,
Thank you for your undernoted email and attached letter of 3 July 2019 regarding the proposed traffic calming for Ladyloan Avenue.

I am pleased to note that GoBike are in favour of the pilot School Car Free Zone project which the Council is introducing as an experimental traffic regulation order at 6 schools in Glasgow. Depending on the success of this pilot scheme, it is anticipated similar prohibitions of driving near other schools throughout the Council area will be introduced in the future.

While I acknowledge that some cyclists will seek to avoid the cushions, this will not always be the case, and the gradient on this section of Ladyloan Avenue renders it unlikely that roadside detritus will accumulate. 

Though no traffic census has been carried out at this location, I would expect current bicycle numbers on Ladyloan Avenue to be low tending to negligible. Therefore speed reduction measures such the proposed cushions can only have a beneficial impact on the number of cyclists.  Furthermore, reduced speeds are likely to make the journey to and from school more attractive to other active road users such as pedestrians and those using scooters and, in doing so, reduce the number of journeys made by car.

It can reasonably be considered that introduction of cycle lanes and reduction of the space available to motor vehicles at this location would lead to motor vehicles having to come to rest then accelerate again, leading to increased fuel usage with attendant polluting consequences.

I trust that the foregoing explains some of the reasons for introducing speed cushions on Ladyloan Avenue.”

So, now you know, some of us enjoy cycling over speed cushions and the installation of cycle lanes would increase pollution! However, on the brighter side, we are getting more responses from the City Council than we used to, and they contain more detail than we used to be given.

3.3 Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) Construction Update

Received just yesterday, a link to what’s going on around Glasgow Airport.


Here’s the main news from the link:

“Construction includes significant improved connections:

• Abbotsinch Road is being realigned, upgraded and extended, with accompanying pedestrian and cyclelanes to create a gateway route through Netherton Campus.
• A two-lane bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and commercial traffic across the White Cart from anapproach road off Arran Avenue to Wright Street. The bridge includes a connection into Wright Streetbusiness premises, with no through route along Wright Street for vehicles. This will reduce the impactof traffic on residential areas and the bridge will also connect with the proposed Paisley to Renfrewcycle route, currently under development.
• A pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Black Cart, connecting Abbotsinch Road to Greenock Road.
• New and improved junctions and connections to existing cycleways and pathways.

Construction works start in July 2019 and are scheduled for completion in early 2021. 

Some interesting news to peruse above and consultation events to go to, to brighten up your summer.
The Digest will be back in 2 weeks with whatever lands in the inbox before then.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. TODAY, University of Glasgow Campus Development Meeting, 28 May 18:00hrs
2. Glasgow (School Streets, Glasgow) (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) (Experimental Traffic Regulation) Order 201_. closes TOMORROW, 29 May
3. Glasgow Climate Change Survey, closes 31 May
4. East Dunbartonshire Council, Order – West Chapelton Avenue & Crescent, Bearsden – No Waiting & No Loading Restrictions, closes 03 June
5. Glasgow, Laurieston Phase 2 20mph Speed Limit Order 20_, closes 07 June
6. Glasgow, Laurieston Phase 2 Trafffic Regulation Order 20_, Waiting and Loading, closes 07 June
7. Glasgow, University Avenue and University Place, Traffic Regulation and Parking Controls, Order 201_, closes 07 June
8. Glasgow, University Avenue and University Place, 20mph Speed Limit Zone, Order 201_ closes 07 June

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. Glasgow, Battlefield, on-line public consultation 04 – 14 June and drop-in event (invitation only!) 06 June

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow, Battlefield ongoing design works – update
2. Workplace Parking Levy, outcome of recent consultation
3. Glasgow, City Centre Congestion Improvement response

Section 1: Current Consultations, in date order for response

1.1 TODAY, University of Glasgow Campus Development Meeting, 28 May 18:00hrs

This was noted in Digest 34, Item 1.2, which you should check for the full details, but here are the essentials:
Venue: Wolfson Medical Building (Yudowitz Seminar Room 1) on University Avenue.
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Tickets: not required, but attendees were asked to register via Eventbrite. Here’s the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/campus-development-public-engagement-evening-tickets-61683780849?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

1.2 Glasgow (School Streets, Glasgow) (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) (Experimental Traffic Regulation) Order 201_. closes TOMORROW, 29 May

Digest 34, Item 1.3 gives all the details for the proposed road closures around the time of the school day start and finish times for the 6 schools to be included in the pilot: Bankhead, Broomhill, Hillhead, Lourdes, Our Lady of the Rosary and St Blane’s. If you wish to comment then please email saferparking@glasgow.gov.uk. GoBike’s letter of support is here.
This is a good move by Glasgow City Council to cut down on the so-called “school run”, depriving children of a bit of fresh air and exercise on their journey to and from school. If you have time before tomorrow afternoon, please do write in to add your support – but perhaps send your email to landservices@glasgow.gov.uk since the safer parking email failed when the GoBike letter was sent in!

1.3 Glasgow Climate Change Survey, closes 31 May

Final chance this week to respond to this survey from Glasgow City Council. There’s lots of room for you to put your views in so do please get typing!

1.4 East Dunbartonshire Council, Order – West Chapelton Avenue & Crescent, Bearsden – No Waiting & No Loading Restrictions, closes 03 June.

Details were in Digest 34, Item 1.5 and here are the documents from East Dunbartonshire: Traffic Order and Plans. If you wish to comment then write to: The Chief Solicitor & Monitoring Officer, Legal Services, 12 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1TJ and you may email your comments in to: Fiona.Stirling@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Here’s GoBike’s letter of support.

1.5 Glasgow, Laurieston Phase 2 20mph Speed Limit Order 20_, closes 07 June

Laurieston, to the south of the Clyde, is being redeveloped with some very pleasant-looking housing, as we told you in Digest 34, Item 1.6 and Glasgow City Council, in another piecemeal application of 20mph in the city, propose a 20mph speed limit. Oh that they had the resources to enforce it, but we will be supporting the measure. Here’s our qualified letter of support.

1.6 Glasgow, Laurieston Phase 2 Trafffic Regulation Order 20_, Waiting and Loading, closes 07 June

Item 1.7 in Digest 34 gave all the details for this measure, but there are 2 concerns:

1. There appears to be a dire shortage of people who carry out enforcement of road traffic offences in the city, leading to many, many infringements
2. The official language around parking, waiting and stopping is confusing, as you will have seen if you read our recent blog-post “It’s time for ACTION on University Avenue” so it means that people will stop, but perhaps not wait, or park – but it’s still an obstruction for people cycling or trying to cross the road.

According to one guide this road marking means “You may stop to load, unload or for passengers to get in or out of the vehicle providing there are no signs saying so. Double yellow lines mean that there is to be no waiting at any time unless there are signs that specifically specify seasonal restrictions. “
Confusing or what? No wonder so there are so many lawyers advertising to help drivers accused of road traffic offences.

GoBike is supporting the measure but pointing out our concerns in this letter.

1.7 Glasgow, University Avenue and University Place, Traffic Regulation and Parking Controls, Order 201_, closes 07 June

Our concern about this proposal was given in both Digest 34, Item 1.8 and in our blog-post “It’s time for ACTION on University Avenue” and we will be submitting our objection prior to the 07 June deadline. If you support what GoBike is doing then please add your voice by emailing Andy Waddell, Director of Operations, Neighbourhoods and Sustainability, Glasgow City Council at land@glasgow.gov.uk

Do please sign our petition! It’s at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/make-university-avenue-safe-for-cycling#signature-form

1.8 Glasgow, University Avenue and University Place, 20mph Speed Limit Zone, Order 201_ closes 07 June

Digest 34, Item 1.9 gave the details of this proposal for another piecemeal 20mph zone in the city and our concerns with this are about both the piecemeal nature of 20mph implementation in the city and enforcement. We will be submitting our letter of grudging support before the closing date, but we do wish drivers would observe traffic regulations – for all our sakes.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 Glasgow, Battlefield, on-line public consultation 04 – 14 June and drop-in event (invitation only!) 06 June

We tell you below, in the next item, that work is progressing on the design for Battlefield.
On Thursday 6 June Sustrans are inviting “local residents, businesses, and groups who use the area along Langside Road, Grange Road, and Queen’s Drive to attend a focus group at Queen’s Park Bowling Club to view design proposals for this space. The proposals incorporate cycle segregation and look at improving pavement widths, bus stop locations, and simplifying junctions. Please find a postcard invitation attached with further details. The event is between 5 pm until 8 pm where you can drop-in and view the proposed designs and leave your feedback. Refreshments will be available too.
The designs will also be available online for the wider public to comment from 4^th to the 14^th June through the Sustrans project website” – https://battlefieldproposals.commonplace.is/.

DO PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EVENT ON THE 6TH IS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS etc ONLY – IF YOU LIVE LOCALLY THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INVITATION. The on-line consultation is open to all.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Glasgow, Battlefield ongoing design works – update

The working group, including GoBike member, Eachann, is still meeting to discuss proposals for Battlefield and the southwards continuation of the South City Way. The latest news we have is that Sustrans will now concentrate on Design Option 1, linking Battlefield Rest to the old hospital site, see:
https://battlefieldproposals.commonplace.is/schemes/proposals/battlefield-rest-junction-option-1/details
We are told that “Further design work will also take place on Langside Road and Grange road to connect the South City way with Battlefield. An update on this design work and the engagement around this will be provided at the next meeting.” This meeting will take place in the first week of June.

3.2 Workplace Parking Levy

In Digest 34, Item 1.10, John Finnie, MSP’s request to support the Parking Levy was outlined – hopefully some of you added your voice to the consultation, since it’s now closed. The results are out with almost 3 in 5 of us backing the levy, according to this report:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17654796.almost-three-in-five-back-new-parking-tax-in-holyrood-poll/
However, while John Finnie was concerned about Tory opposition, the same newspaper voices SNP opposition too. Aah, the vagaries of politics, but let’s just hope that we do get some of these motor vehicles off our streets.

3.3 Glasgow, City Centre Congestion Improvement response

Back in February, in Digest 28, Item 1.3 we gave details of Glasgow City Council’s proposals for “Congestion Improvement” (a curious term, but never mind) and we have, in this email of 14 May, received the outcome of their consultation:

“MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF ANDY WADDELL, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Sir / Madam

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (CITY CENTRE) (TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT) ORDER 2010 (VARIATION NO.26) (CONGESTION IMPROVEMENT) ORDER 2019

I refer to your support of the above named Traffic Regulation Order and can advise that your support was reported and considered. The Council have decided under its scheme of delegated functions to proceed with the proposal as advertised.

The Order was made on 8 May 2019 and an advert was placed in the Evening Times on 13 May 2019 stating that the Traffic Regulation Order has been made.

Please note that the new signage, which will replace the existing signage, may be installed prior to the effective date (Sunday 30 June 2019). However, whilst the new signage would show the existing restrictions applying on a Sunday, enforcement of the new restrictions will not commence until Sunday 30 June 2019 at the earliest.

Should you require any further information on the above named Order please contact my assistant John Telfer on 0141 287 3723.

Yours sincerely” etc

So, who knows, we might get an improved city centre out of this. It’s a step in the right direction, at least.

So, a short issue for you this time but we might be back in business full-time in a fortnight.

If you haven’t caught our discussions so far you can catch up here:

and here:

We have now also had some discussions with Sustrans staff who have assured us that there will soon be a clear piece of published guidance on side streets, and now, just this week (six weeks after we emailed), we have had a response in from the council.

Further to your email dated 2^nd February, which I believe was subsequently discussed with Cllr Richardson, please find attached our response.
The Council’s primary design reference guide is Cycling by Design.  However, we are aware that this requires a refresh as it was introduced before we had many segregated cycle routes in Scotland.  Glasgow has been the pioneer in the installation of segregated cycle routes and also considers other design guidelines produced by TfL and Sustrans.  The concept designs for South City Way have been widely consulted on and a pilot was undertaken to show how the first section would look.  The current section is still under construction and all the lining and signing has not been completed for this section.
For our major cycle schemes we undertake a series of  Safety Audits where the designs are looked at by external safety auditors.  These are reviewed at:
·        Stage 1 – After preliminary design is complete
·        Stage 2 – After the detailed design is complete
·        Stage 3 – After Construction.  This is undertaken on site, where an external auditor, Police Scotland and members of the design team attend. The Audit Team will examine the scheme site during daylight and during the hours of darkness, so hazards particular to night operation can also be identified and the comments raised will also be highlighted to the audit team.  Any issues that have also been raised are also highlighted.
We will ensure that your comments are also highlighted as part of the Safety Audit review process and will consider your observations in a part of the design process in future schemes.
 
I trust this is of assistance.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Communication & Support Services
Neighbourhoods and Sustainability

We don’t feel that there is an awareness of the urgency we believe is required within this response and so have reiterated why.

Dear Communication and Support Services

Thank you for your response dated 18th March. There was no attachment to your email but we trust that the text below was the response you referred to.

We need to press on the urgency of a safety audit for the latest side street junctions on the South City Way, including those currently under construction. Presumably your procedures for major cycling schemes audits are new, and being that you admit that guidance in safely designing segregated cycling routes is lacking, we feel it is pressing that should safety be flagged up as an issue, as we and many of our members have done, that an urgent and intermediary safety audit is performed. It is clear that as it stands, there is going to be a collision at this junction soon, and we should be doing all that we can to prevent that. Not only that, but were this treated with the urgency we think it needs, a swift redesign that takes safety into account would prevent further danger being built into the rest of this major cycling scheme. We have after all, been promised that the SCW “will ensure safe cycling every inch of the way”. We also don’t believe that it is enough to leave the danger built in to SCW and only consider different designs for future schemes. If the audit outcomes are deemed as dangerous, could we suggest that the side streets have a lot of potential to be filtered from traffic.

We appreciate the limitations that come with the current Cycling by Design guide and believe that Sustrans are working on updated guidance for side streets. GoBike would encourage you to look further afield in the meantime though and would point out that while Glasgow certainly are indeed pioneering with regards to segregated cycle routes in Scotland, segregated cycling routes are most definitely not anything new in other nearby countries. Thank you also for considering our observations and links to other guides as a part of the future design process.

Can we please press again on the urgency of the need for an immediate safety audit and redesign. We are desperately aware that the safety of people on bikes is currently at risk on the South City Way and feel that a timely response that reflects the imminent danger is required.

It is clear that design guidance is desperately in need of a refresh. Not just from a safety perspective but also for the sake of other projects going into the ground. We are also finding other great new schemes are falling down in other areas such as the pedestrian crossing at the Avenues end at Charing Cross that we detailed in our last digest (section 3.3).

And it is also clear to us that if something dangerous is put into the ground, the danger needs to be rectified as a matter of priority. We hope that the council will hear our plea to look at this soon – we believe that the South City Way can create a wonderful space for cycling and want to ensure that it is fully safe and usable from the outset.

If you have any comments or issues with the side streets, please let the council know on sustainable.transport@glasgow.gov.uk . Our collective voice can help to add credence to the issue within the council.

https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17456573.south-city-way-council-in-pledge-to-make-glasgow-cycle-route-safer/

Contrary to as reported, Glasgow City Council have not directly contacted us or assured us about our concerns. We first wrote to them three weeks ago as detailed here:

GoBike find the council’s response wholly unsatisfactory. Side streets need to be designed properly and safely from the outset, and we don’t believe that late additions of the markings and signs promised will be enough to the ensure the safety of people on bikes.

Our quote was reduced and to be clear, we are not asking for minor changes. What we highlighted was:

“A good side street beside a continuous cycle lane should be absolutely unambiguous about showing that people in the cycle lane have priority over anyone making a turn. To do this, the cycle lane needs to be in a bright continuous colour, it needs to be raised from street level, and the corners at the turn need to be tight to slow turning traffic.”

We are also deeply concerned regarding the safety audit. There should surely have been one carried out at design stage and waiting until the project is completed before assessing safety will leave the junction open to too many potential collisions for far too long.

We are starting to see similarly ambiguous side streets crop up on other projects. It is ESSENTIAL that best practice on safe design of side streets is looked at now to ensure that all current and future projects consider the safety of people on bikes.

**NB** The photograph the Evening Time used in their article shows the Devon Street junction prior to the new cycle track addition. This video shows it as it is now, and illustrates a near miss at the junction: