This is a huge opportunity. In the past, many parts of East Ren have often felt like a hostile and dangerous place for people on bikes – yet the sheer number and diversity of people seen out enjoying walking and cycling during lockdown have shown just how much of a difference safer, low-traffic spaces can make. Almost 100,000 people live in the East Ren council area and with reduced capacity on public transport likely for the foreseeable future, safe routes for active travel are critical to avoid further locking in car-dependency.

So what’s on the cards?

East Renfrewshire have recently released their Transport Response to Covid-19 for community feedback: read on for more details for each area. There are a number of plans for specific areas for the short to medium term, plus some general measures for the longer term like Neighbourhood Zones and School Streets.

As always, the proof is in the pudding and the devil is in the…implementation – but these are really promising proposals. The change can be a hard sell for local politicians, especially since support is often less vocal than resistance – so if you like what you see, please let East Renfrewshire council and your local councillors know!

If you live, work, or travel in East Renfrewshire, please consider:

• Adding your feedback on the proposals via the community map here,
• Suggesting other specific routes here,
• Contacting your local councillor here – https://www.writetothem.com/.

Giffnock

In Giffnock, Phase 1 measures include widening pavements at key pinch points on Fenwick Road to allow for better physical distancing, as well as a stretch of ‘pop-up’ cycle lane further south between the train station and Eastwood Park. This is a really exciting development as it’s a key commuter route as well as linking up community facilities like the school, park, leisure centre and library…but in phase 2, it gets even better!

A proposed ‘strategic cycle corridor 2’ would link Newton Mearns to Giffnock by:

• Reallocating road space (and converting some existing painted lanes) to a light segregation cycleway – that is, one separated from traffic by the use of batons or small humps like these,
• Reducing speed on Ayr Road from 40mph to 30mph.

….whilst maintaining bus access and liaising with Glasgow City Council about cross-boundary links. 

A further stretch of light segregation cycleway – strategic cycle corridor 4 – would link Eastwood Toll to Spiersbridge Roundabout, connecting more communities and enabling safe access to Rouken Glen Park for people on bikes.  Just off this, Davieland Road is proposed to change to one-way, to prevent rat running and excessive speeding. This includes a light segregated cycle way which, with the space gained from redetermining this to one way, we would encourage planners to be unidirectional on both sides of the road, safely buffered from the park parking bays, and out of the current extremely poorly surfaced painted cycle lane.

These corridors would be a fantastic community resource to enable many more people to choose cycling for everyday journeys, and to allow the amazing increase in leisure cycling seen during lockdown to continue (see graph below).

Netherlee & Clarkston

Netherlee and Clarkston have to wait til Phase 2 but they also get a Strategic Cycle Corridor of their own, this time between Clarkston Toll and the entrance to Linn Park. This is a very welcome development, especially given the connections it will create to the local primary school – but we can’t help but wish it was more than 1 mile long (an average of 5 minutes on a bike).

In particular, there’s a real need to continue the corridor onwards towards Cathcart, Shawlands, and the city centre if more people are going to be able to choose bikes over cars for commuting, shopping, and socialising. 

Also, the stretch near the entrance Linn Park where this cycleway is currently planned to end has a solid island median in the middle of the road that encourages close passing or tailgating of people cycling – we would encourage planners to extend the segregation through this section in order to prevent this.

Thronliebank

A number of measures are proposed in and around Thornliebank, with phase one seeing on-street parking reallocated on Main St to provide space for social distancing for those accessing shops and services.

Measures in Phase 2 focus on the roads around Spiersbridge roundabout, next to Rouken Glen Park. As well as the proposed strategic cycle route along Spiersbridge Road (covered above in Giffnock section), there are proposals to close Rouken Glen Rd to through vehicular traffic.

This route predominantly functions as a shortcut (aka rat run) for vehicles avoiding Spiersbridge roundabout. This is a welcome proposal for anyone who has had to negotiate Spiersbridge roundabout on a bicycle, or indeed tried to cross the two lane carriageway on foot or wheeling. This will also provide a direct link to the proposed strategic cycle corridor along Spiersbridge Road to Eastwood Toll, ultimately linking up to the route on the A77 Fenwick Road.

There are limited details on measures being rolled out in Thornliebank from Phase 3 onwards. We would encourage planners to consider a strategic active travel corridor along the B769- potentially linking Dams to Darnley country park, Rouken Glen Park and Pollok Park together, and linking up to other active travel routes.

Barrhead & Neilston

The Main Street in Barrhead has promising proposals to reallocate on-street parking bays to make space for a segregated cycle lane. The plans show this stretching from Dovecothall Roundabout to Allan’s Corner.

This section of the town currently has an abundance of carparks a few steps from the main road that make this a really viable possibility. Traffic doesn’t flow well here at the moment due to cars pulling in and out of on-street parking, and reallocating on-street parking to an active travel corridor would not only help the traffic flow more easily, but would make the town safer and more attractive for people travelling to and through it on bikes.

A partially traffic free link is proposed with a full road closure that could link Barrhead to Neilston via a backroad. The full closure is proposed for Springfield Road between the ‘Five Ways Junction’ at Springfield Road and Kirktonfield Crescent.

While we would prefer direct arterial routes that are more likely to increase modal share in cycling uptake, this proposal could bridge a gap that would open up access between the towns as well as Dams to Darnley Country Park for some people. 

A number of other short road closures to improve pedestrian safety are also proposed for Barrhead within phase two, which are worth commenting on if it’s an area you know.

Looking further ahead…

Looking further ahead, the plan also mentions some exciting options in phase 3, including:

• Neighbourhood Zones (reducing traffic in residential streets by reducing through routes whilst maintaining local access)
• School Zones (limiting traffic around schools at key times to ensure child safety and a more pleasant environment)
• a truly connected active travel network…we can but dream! 

Get commenting, tweeting, and speaking to your elected members, to show your support for a safer, healthier, greener post-Covid future in East Renfrewshire…and consider joining GoBike to support safer streets as our new normal. 

Yes, we have requests for your views from the Scottish Government to Glasgow and East Renfrewshire councils and cycling organisations, so do please get those fingers clicking.
The majority have no closing dates but don’t delay, get your views in before the cars come back and your temperature rises.

Contents:

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Scottish Government – Just Transition Commission, closes 30 June
2. **NEW** Glasgow, Pollok Country Park – Planning Application, closes 06 July
3. Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights
4. Scottish Parliament, EEFW Commitee, COVID-19 – Impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy
5. **NEW** Glasgow, Woodside, Urban Realm seek views on Public Realm Improvements
6. **NEW** East Renfrewshire, Spaces for People Commonplace Map, looking for your views
7. **NEW** Scottish Green Party, Street Space for Glasgow – Join our campaign, tell us your ideas
8. **NEW** Cycling UK in Scotland, Using the Widen My Path mapping tool to call for Space for Distancing measures
9. **NEW** Glasgow City Council Spaces for People – Glasgow Commonplace map

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

We’ve drawn a blank again.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Sustrans, Spaces to Move tool
2. Glasgow City Development Plan – Update
3. Glasgow, On Bikes: how did they get that cycle lane on Langdale Street?

Section 1: Current Consultations

1.1 Scottish Government – Just Transition Commission, closes 30 June

This consultation first featured in Digest 60, Item 1.1 and here’s some information from the Government website:

The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Act 2019 recently passed by the Scottish Parliament contains some of the most ambitious statutory emission reduction targets in the world.

The Just Transition Commission has been established to provide Scottish Ministers with practical, realistic, and affordable recommendations for action that will:

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

If you follow the link you will be able to respond to the call for evidence – since most of us have a bit more time at the moment do put your thoughts about maintaining road space for cycling, reducing emissions, etc in the boxes. Please do it for the sake of your health and the nation’s health. There are only about 6 questions, each with a box for your thoughts, so do get them in.

1.2 **NEW** Glasgow Pollok Country Park – Planning Application, closes 06 July

This email arrived yesterday, 08 June; we haven’t had time to digest it yet but if you have any views please do respond yourself to the application but also let GoBike know by either emailing consultations@gobike.org or, if you are an active GoBike member, use the Slack Consultations channel.

“Hello,

Following an extensive period of public engagement, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life have submitted a planning application for an Active Travel Management Plan in Pollok Country Park. This Plan improves access to and within the park by promoting public transport and pedestrian links, modifying private car access and vehicular routes within the park, and improving connectivity to local areas.

The application is now available to view here (Reference Number 20/01352/FUL): https://publicaccess.glasgow.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QAZZ49EXIKO00&activeTab=summary

A copy of the engagement feedback and responses will be available to view via the above link shortly.

If you have any questions about the application please get in touch.

Kind Regards,

Glasgow City Council/Glasgow Life“

1.3 Scottish Parliament EHRi Committee, Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Equalities and Human Rights, closes 01 January 2021

This open-ended survey was first covered in Digest 60, Item 1.2 and here’s a quote from the Parliament’s website:

“This inquiry seeks to identify the evidence that some groups of people are experiencing disproportionately negative impacts of the coronavirus, and by some of the measures taken to deal with it.

The inquiry will look at the measures the Scottish Government and other public bodies, including regulatory and oversight bodies, can take to help. It will also examine measures taken by public bodies and the impacts they may have on equality and human rights.

We want to hear your views on:

• which equality groups are being disproportionately negatively affected by the coronavirus, and by some of the measures taken to deal with it 
• what equality and human rights impacts there have been
• what the Scottish Government can change or improve to mitigate against these impacts“

There is no doubt that the very people who suffer from the lack of an effective travel system are the ones who will be suffering from Covid-19. It is significant that many people have adopted the cycle as a means of transport during the pandemic and many more would walk and cycle if our streets were less congested by motor vehicles and the air were cleaner.
There are only 5 questions, each with a box for your thoughts, so please get them down in print.

Here’s the link to start the survey.

1.4 Scottish Parliament, EEFW Commitee, COVID-19 – Impact on Scotland’s businesses, workers and economy

This is the 3rd nation-wide survey that is being aired here for the 3rd time, previously in Digest 60, Item 1.3 and Digest 61, Item 1.5, and it applies specifically to businesses, workers and the economy – which basically affects all of us. Here’s a quote from the Parliament’s website:

“The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee is here and ready to listen to your views at this challenging time. We are keen to hear from you on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, workers and the economy in Scotland.“

Views are invited by email, so it’s an open page for you to give your views. If you are involved in active travel, it’s particularly important to give your views – we are at the bottom of the pile just now, so any progress must be up!

1.5 **NEW** Glasgow, Woodside, Urban Realm seek views on Public Realm Improvements

GoBike member, Brenda, alerted us to this news from Urban Realm. Here are some words from their newsletter:

Queens Cross Housing Association has opened a consultative website relaying its plans for a series of environmental improvements to the Woodside area of Glasgow to stimulate discussion around the future public realm. 
Conducted in parallel with plans by Sustrans to introduce an active travel network the Woodside Making Places initiative seeks to unify streets, parks and playgrounds as a single connected habitat of routes and spaces.
Indicative designs have been brought forward by landscape architects Raeburn Farquhar Bowen to show how key areas such as St George’s in the Fields; North Woodside Pool and the M8 motorway can be made to function as one with new planting, community gardens, cycle routes and a civic space at the junction of North Woodside and St Georges Roads.

This appears to link in, or even overlap, the Avenues Programme for the Underline route linking Great Western Road with Cambridge Street. However, this current Urban Realm consultation is about the overall public realm whereas the Avenues Programme is more active travel focussed.

The newsletter goes on to say:

“Feedback on these approaches is being sought remotely with interested parties invited to share their thoughts directly. All input received will help inform a planning application which is expected to be formally submitted in August, with phase one construction following by spring 2021.“

Note that the designs are actually on the Queen’s Cross HA website. There is a link from the Urban Realm newsletter, but it is not obvious. It is the link in the fourth paragraph which says ‘share their thoughts‘. This takes you to the QXHA Woodside Making Places site. You then have to click on ‘The Design’ (top right) and this takes you to the detailed designs for each micro-community. You click on the relevant photographs.

So please enter your views as soon as you can.

1.6 **NEW** East Renfrewshire, Spaces for People Commonplace Map, looking for your views

GoBike member, Duncan, alerted us first to this initiative from East Renfrewshire and then on 04 June we received this email from the Local Authority:

“Subject: East Renfrewshire Council Transport Response to COVID-19

Dear Stakeholders,

The situation resulting from COVID-19 is unprecedented has resulted in profound changes to travel patterns and how people use streets and spaces in East Renfrewshire. In response to the emergency East Renfrewshire Council have recently approved a Transport Response to COVID-19, which outlines a dynamic and phased approach to help residents adapt and renew to the current emergency, as well as help mitigate virus transmission and a possible ‘second surge’.

We have recently launched an interactive map in order to provide further information on measures contained in the Transport Response to COVID-19 . This platform will give residents and stakeholders the opportunity to find out more about the Transport Response, proposed plans and the opportunity to provide feedback on specific measures across the area

Spaces for People in East Renfrewshire

East Renfrewshire Council have secured funding through the Sustrans and Transport Scotland ‘Spaces for People’ programme to identify temporary response measures that help residents practice physical distancing and to move around safely in public spaces during the COVID-19 emergency. This is in order to limit virus transmission and to enable residents to safely walk, cycle and wheel for essential journeys and exercise.

As part of this emergency response we looking for your views on issues and opportunities to improve safe physical distancing when walking, cycling and wheeling in your area. For more information and how you can help us identify areas where measures are required please visit  https://erspacesforpeoplemap.commonplace.is  

We hope this information is of use and please feel free to distribute to colleagues, contacts and social networks.

Kind regards

John Shelton – Senior Strategy Officer (Roads & Transportation)

Angus Collins – Partnership Officer (Corporate and Community Services)“

If, for any reason, you walk or cycle in East Renfrewshire, do please contribute to the map.

1.7 **NEW** Scottish Green Party, Street Space for Glasgow – Join our campaign, tell us your ideas

GoBike has no political affiliation, although several of our members are in political parties and here’s a message from the Green Party on a topic close to our collective heart:

The links were removed to get that message in but they are all here. Do have a look – at least this is politicians looking for our views!

1.8 **NEW** Cycling UK in Scotland, Using the Widen My Path mapping tool to call for Space for Distancing measures

It’s important that our views are heard if we wish to make any gains for active travel out of this awful pandemic.

Cycling UK in Scotland is looking for your views, with this email that we received on 05 June:

“Dear campaigners, groups and supporters

Apologies for the mass mailing and to anyone who is already using the Widen My Path tool.

This is a quick update about how we are using the Widen My Path campaign’s mapping tool in the next phase of our campaigning at Cycling UK in Scotland.

The number of Scottish councils applying to the Space for People fund is growing and we hope to see many more measures being put in place soon. At CUK we are now asking our members and supporters to use the Widen My Path campaign tool to 1) show there is still a need for all councils to provide space for distancing and 2) show where measure would be most helpful. Our campaign webpage also helps supporters to contact their councillors to let them know they have used the tool.

Some councils are already consulting on where measures would be most helpful so we will be asked them to use the responses in the Widen My Path map in conjunction with any other mapping tools or decision-making processes.

It would be great to get lots of ideas uploaded onto the Widen My Path map so if you are part of a local campaign please do encourage your group members, and their friends and relations, to use it either directly at https://www.widenmypath.com/  or through our CUK webpage where people can also send a message to their councillors.

Regards

Jim
Jim Densham
Campaigns and Policy Manager – Scotland, Cycling UK in Scotland“

We need to make our voices heard so please contribute to this campaign.

1.9 Glasgow City Council Spaces for People – Glasgow Commonplace map

Glasgow City Council are working closely with Sustrans to provide Space For People, and have created their own CommonPlace map for this: 

Here’s a link to the Spaces for People – Glasgow Commonplace map, a project initiated, and information supplied, by Sustrans Scotland, Transport Scotland and Glasgow City Council

We in GoBike would like thank everyone for all your great ideas on our Streets for All Glasgow Commonplace site, developed in conjunction with Glasgow Eco Trust and On Bikes. We are hoping to work closely with Glasgow City Council and Sustrans Scotland to make sure these ideas contribute to the new #SpacesForPeople Commonplace from the City Council.

Our Streets For All Glasgow commonplace is still active and we still wish for folk to pass comments on it that are outside of Space For People, so that we can use this as data in the longer term to push for change.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

We’ve drawn a blank again, but there is plenty in Section 1 to keep you busy.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 Sustrans, Spaces to Move tool, looking for feedback

Adam Kesby in Sustrans Scotland wrote to us on 29 May with this email:

“As ever thanks for your bulletins/digests – really useful in my work to get folks to politicise and advocate for their interest in cycling.

At present I am pushing the Spaces to Move tool – it’s UK-wide, trying to gather feedback on the temporary schemes:

Here’s Sustrans’ tweet about it: https://twitter.com/sustrans/status/1258298042668716032

Although not a formal monitoring tool – we are using it to collate responses to schemes – and I thought it would be of interest to you and your network! It’s not just for Spaces for People funded initiatives.“

That’s a nice, short email giving GoBike both praise and information! If you have any feedback do please submit it.

3.2 Glasgow City Development Plan – Update

Two of our members told us about this email that was issued by the City Council on 01 June:

Subject: Glasgow City Development Plan – Update (OFFICIAL)  

OFFICIAL

Dear Sir/Madam

Work has commenced on the production of Glasgow City Development Plan 2 and we wish to give you an update to our position at this time.

It is anticipated that the timescale for the production of the next LDP will emerge during the course of 2020 and will reflect changes to the planning system which are emerging through planning reforms.  Detailed production of CDP 2 has been delayed until revised Development Planning Regulations have been produced in order to allow the new plan to align with emerging NPF4 policy priorities, the strategic context set out by the indicative Regional Spatial Strategy and other relevant strategies and outputs.

The timetable will be reflected in future updates of the Development Plan Scheme.

Early City Development Plan 2 activities have included:

• Early engagement with key statutory and non-statutory agencies to explore common challenges and opportunities;
• Preparatory work on a comprehensive community engagement exercise, which will use the National Place Standard as the basis for communities to input towards new Plan priorities;
• General background research to aid the new Plan preparation process. A series of Background Papers will be published online in due course;
• An early public Call for Sites exercise aimed at identifying potential new sites for development, alternative use or protection (January 2019). All submissions received will be retained and reviewed and there will be further opportunity to submit new sites, given the time period that has elapsed since the original Call for Sites exercise. All sites put forward will be subject to strategic environmental assessment and a wider planning assessment as part of the plan preparation process.
• The adoption of Glasgow’s Open Space Strategy

Regular updates will be prepared and published on the Council’s website to keep you informed of progress on City Development Plan 2 https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/17278/News-and-Timetables

Development Plan Team
Glasgow City Council
231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX
developmentplan@glasgow.gov.uk“

3.3 Glasgow, On Bikes: how did they get that cycle lane on Langdale Street?

This short cycle lane is a major success story for On Bikes and the local community in Blackhill. Local people got together to discuss how to make Langdale Street safer for children to get to school, people to get to work and for anyone who wishes to cycle.

Watch this super wee video to see Glasgow’s Lord Provost cycle the route and pronounce his support. Way to go, Blackhill!
https://twitter.com/_OnBikes/status/1262787134160863234

Originally, as seen in the video, the lane was marked out with old tyres, painted white with flowers from a major DIY store in them. Glasgow City Council then painted the lane at the junctions, put a white line along the route and protected it with cones. Unfortunately, the cones have now been removed – let’s hope it’s an administrative error – and cars are back parking there!
However, the City Council have promised to install physical separation – let’s hope it’s put in soon – and to look at the provision of a cycle lane on the other side of the street.

This is a wonderful example of Glasgow City Council listening to the community and supporting them to improve their neighbourhood. Democracy in action.

That’s quite a bundle of requests for your views. Please don’t disappoint them all; get your fingers clicking now!

See: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/spacesforpeople/programme

and: https://reglasgow.com/miles-of-city-centre-road-space-to-become-people-friendly-including-one-third-of-street-parking-bays/

GoBike is delighted to see these moves from the City Council.

Allied to making more space for active travel GoBike has been working with Glasgow Eco Trust and On Bikes to collate information across Glasgow to help improve walking and cycling to create Streets for All.

This project aims to gather information about how walking and cycling can be improved across Glasgow.

The more people involved, the better the needs of the whole community will be reflected, so please do look at the Commonplace map and add to it!.

Then please share the project with people you know locally.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan, Climate change and you, now CLOSED.
2. North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, closes Thursday 30 April

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 (Community Council event)
2. Pedal on Parliament 2020, Space For Distancing
3. Glasgow, Louisa Jordan Hospital at the SEC: how do we get there safely?
4. What about other Shared Footways, eg James Street in Bridgeton?
5. A Segregated Cycle Route, London Road in Bridgeton, one of several in and around Glasgow and the west of Scotland, plus a mention of the Bearsway

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. The Scottish Parliament: Climate Change & You Update
2. Glasgow, Ibrox Stadium, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone
3. Glasgow, Celtic Park and Emirates Arena, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone
4. East Dunbartonshire Council: LDP Newsletter No.56
5. Glasgow, George Square Experimental Order
6. From University Avenue Glasgow to Princes Street Edinburgh

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

1.1 Scottish Government, Climate Change Plan, Climate change and you, now CLOSED.

We published information on this consultation in Digest 58 in good faith following information from our friends in Transform Scotland. Soon after publication, we got this email from them:

“I’m afraid to say that the Parliament’s ECCLR has now closed the consultation referred to in the article. (The 29 April date that we had used on our website was a placeholder, as the Committee had failed to advertise a closing date when they launched the consultation.)”

Poor performance there, then, from our government, but hope some of you managed to have a look. There is some feedback for those of us who did submit our views, see Item 3.1 below.

Item 1.2 North Lanarkshire, Proposed New Road, Airdrie, closes Thursday 30 April

In Digest 57, Item 1.3 we published details of this online consultation and in Digest 58, Item 1.2 we included GoBike’s letter of response, repeated here.

Here’s an email we received from North Lanarkshire Council on 23 April, encouraging feedback on the Link Road Options:

“We’re asking for your feedback on our plans for the East Airdrie Link Road, which is being developed as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

If you haven’t already given us your feedback, please take a few minutes to do so before 30 April. 

We will then consider all the comments received as we develop the plans for the link road. There will be another opportunity to give further feedback at the next stage of the project later this year.

Anyone who previously experienced difficulties returning the feedback form to the email address provided, can now send it to nlccitydeal@northlan.gov.uk.

Thank you.”

If you haven’t done so already, do please write in, by THURSDAY THIS WEEK to oppose the construction of this new road. In these times of limited travel, significant improvements in air quality and remarkable levels of cycling uptake, it is ridiculous that people working in local authorities and for our “city region” should be planning for more and more private road transport.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 (Community Council event)

Not before time, you might say, but Glasgow City Council is publicising a webinar for Community Councils and community groups, “Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19”. There are quite a few GoBike members who are also members of their Community Council so we hope you will all respond to the email that was forwarded by Glasgow City Council yesterday, 27 April. GoBike will be looking in too.

Here’s the text:

“From: Scottish Community Councils
Sent: 24 April 2020 11:58
Subject: Planning for Place – Webinar – 30th April 2020 – 4pm – Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19 

Good morning everyone, 

Our colleagues at the Planning for Place programme have asked us to make you aware of an upcoming webinar on Reallocating Road Space for Walking and Cycling During Covid-19.  Facilitated by Irene Beautyman, Place Lead at the Improvement Service, the webinar will be of particular value to council officers, elected members, community groups and all interested in pursuing the role of place as an enabler of healthier lives.  The online event is open to all those with an interest in facilitating active travel during the Covid-19 lockdown and in enabling safer conditions for walking and cycling.  Here is the link to sign up to the webinar (link removed by GoBike). I’d be grateful if you would consider sharing this information with interested colleagues and community councils in your area. 

Regards, “

If you do take part, please send any thoughts to the rest of us at GoBike!

****************************

Apart from that, GoBike is not aware of any specific consultations coming over the horizon, except for the Scottish Government information in Item 3.1, but we do hope that you are all able to get out on your bike to check current cycle lane provision, to note where it is sub-standard and where there is no provision at all. We need to make sure that, in future, we get good quality provision for all of us who are now cycling and all those people who will cycle if cycle lanes are there for them.

Let’s look at the facilities we currently have and the options open to us:

2.2 Pedal on Parliament 2020, Space For Distancing

We hope that by now you are all aware of our sister organisation, Pedal on Parliament, and its 2020 campaign inspired by the current social distancing guidelines. They have written up a couple of round ups about the action that happened over the weekend here and here and we hope that the encouragement the campaign has provided to local councils will help get some space for distancing road reallocation in place for people out walking and cycling.

Do have a look at the website and support, where and how you can, the moves to increase the space available for active travel while are streets are so empty during lockdown. We need to have meaningful dialogue, followed by action, to keep us safe on our journeys.

2.3 Glasgow, Louisa Jordan Hospital at the SEC: how do we get there safely?

National Cycle Route 75 will be well known to many of you; it’s narrow from the Clyde Arc Bridge, past the Hilton Garden Inn on the shared footway and along by the river past the Crowne Plaza Hotel and on to the shared footway shown above that runs next to the heliport. Crucially, though, on the other side of the green-netted fence, is a 2-lane road, empty at the time GoBike member, Brenda, took this photograph.

So why is such a narrow space provided for active travel, for people walking and cycling for their “daily permitted exercise”, for people going to their work at the Louisa Jordan Hospital, now the main function of the Scottish Exhibition Centre, and for people going to their work at other locations?

Let’s look at Cycling by Design, the Scottish Government’s design handbook, which Glasgow City Council have confirmed they use. In Table 6.2, “Off-carriageway facility widths”, page 63, the Desirable Minimum for shared pedestrian and cycle use is 3.0m. How does this shared footway compare? While the distance fence to fence is over 3m, the distance between the lampposts and the green fence is only 2.6m. That is, even without social distancing requirements, this shared footway is SUB-STANDARD. So why wasn’t one lane of the adjacent road used for cycling with the footway reserved for walking? That, as they say, is a “good question”.

How else can active travellers reach, or bypass, the Louisa Jordan Hospital? The tube bridge from Exhibition Centre railway station is closed, so let’s look at the surrounding roads. The Expressway is an option, but not for the faint-hearted, so what about Finnieston Street?

Some GoBike members might remember that when the Finnieston Street gyratory system was brought in some years ago we were very concerned about the perils of negotiating the roundabout on a bike. The City Council’s proposed solution was to suggest that the footway on the right hand side of the photo be made available for cycling, as well as walking in both directions! Look at the width. It was SUB-STANDARD then and if is absolutely SUB-STANDARD if we are all to keep a 2m distance from other people (except people with whom we cohabit).

Currently, for people who are confident in traffic, and provided any motor vehicles in the vicinity are being driven according to all the rules, Finnieston Street is a possibility, but for all the people who may currently be seen learning to ride on one of the hired Next Bikes??

2.4 What about other Shared Footways, eg James Street in Bridgeton?

Last week your Digest editor cycled out to Bridgeton with her cohabiting husband, to look at local cycle lanes, starting with the shared footway on James Street.

So how does this facility meet the standard set out in Cycling by Design, table 6.2? The pedestrian only space is 2m so does it meet the Desirable Minimum of 2m? Well, it would, but only if the lampposts, which clearly reduce the available width for walking were removed! Thus it is SUB-STANDARD.

Let’s look at the cycle space, which again, is 2m. Looking at Table 6.2, the Desirable Minimum for “Two way cycles only” is 3m, so let’s look at the Absolute Minimum (2 minima – how does that work?) and 2m is acceptable – but hold on – the 2m must be “free from line markings” and the white line is within the cycling lane. The verdict must again be SUB-STANDARD.

Why was this facility provided in this way? To allow the all-day parking on the right hand side of the photo and the limited parking adjacent to the cycle lane? Who knows?

Let’s bring in social distancing and ask whether a clearance from other people of 2m be maintained? Only with great difficulty. We don’t know who the other people in the photo are but it’s a fair guess that they use this route regularly.

Is 2m clearance from other people sufficient to protect people in these times of Coronavirus? We are all told to keep this distance but this Belgian study might get you thinking, but hopefully not worrying too much. Just stay as clear from others as you can, give everyone a good, wide berth.

2.5 A Segregated Cycle Route, London Road in Bridgeton, one of several in and around Glasgow and the west of Scotland, and a mention of the Bearsway

George and I then cycled on, via Bridgeton Cross, to the segregated cycle lane on London Road, which was constructed in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, even though it reduces to a shared footway well before the Emirates Stadium. GoBike has been reliably informed that if the M74 had been open at the time, removing much of the motor traffic from London Road, 2 one-way cycle lanes would have been constructed instead of this two-way facility.

So what’s the problem? The route is 3m kerb to kerb and that meets the Desirable Minimum Width given in Table 5.4, page 54 of Cycling by Design and if 2 people cycling opposite directions, as above, kept to their respective kerbs, it would just, just, be possible to get 2m clearance between them.

However, this check was prompted by GoBike member and Glasgow resident, Derek, who sent us this email recently:

“Last Sunday, coming in through Milngavie I went onto the cycle lane then quickly left when I saw the mass of family groups approaching as there was no way we could pass at 1m let alone 2. On the road, I was then hooted at by motorists yelling ‘get on the cycle lane’.“

So what can we do? Just about all our cycle facilities are constructed to the design minima. Obviously the design standards and the construction to date were all done before the terms “coronavirus” and “social distancing” entered our vocabulary, but with all the reports of increased numbers of people cycling, it’s of paramount importance that we get the space we need to cater for healthy active travel. We must refuse any designs done to the old minimum standards in any future consultations.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 The Scottish Parliament: Climate Change & You Update

Here’s an email received from the Scottish Parliament after the Digest Editor submitted a personal response to the short-lived consultation on Climate Change and You, referred to in Item 1.1 above. Note that the survey mentioned about halfway down, which closes on 12 May, only applies to people who submitted a response prior to the closure. It’s simply asking respondents’ views of the survey method.
However, there will be further consultation, see the paragraph we have put in bold:

“Hello,

Thank you for sharing your views on Climate Change and Behaviour Change with the Scottish Parliament via our online discussion site called Your Priorities.

We were delighted to receive your input on the behaviours we need to change now to help work towards a Net-Zero Scotland and your suggestions on what the Scottish Government should do to achieve this.   

A total of 393 participants took part and contributed 139 ideas, over 500 comments and nearly 9,000 ratings to help prioritise the ideas for behaviour change in the areas of travel, heating our buildings, generating electricity, food, and waste.

The Scottish Parliament is committed to involving people in its work and we would really appreciate if you could take 2 minutes to complete a short anonymous evaluation survey about your experience using our online engagement tool, Your Priorities.

You can complete this short survey via the following link: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ceu/a6789f89

Your feedback will help us improve how we engage with the public in the future. The survey will close on Tuesday 12^th May 2020.

In light of the COVID-19 emergency, the Scottish Government recently wrote to the Scottish Parliament to advise that the intended publication date for the Climate Change Plan update (30 April 2020) was no longer a practical option for a number of reasons, including the need to focus resources on the immediate response to the emergency.

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee is liaising with the Scottish Government and will be considering how best to take forward scrutiny of the Climate Change Plan update. Your views are being collated and analysed and your engagement will help Scottish Parliamentary Committees scrutinise the updated Climate Change Plan. The Committees will provide an update on their scrutiny plans once further information on Scottish Government plans is available.

We will be in touch when the updated plan is published and provide information about how you can get further involved to support the work of the Scottish Parliament holding the government to account on this vital issue.

For more information on some of our Climate Change work please visit: https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/102792.aspx

Thank you again for your participation and we look forward to receiving your feedback.“

As soon as we hear, we will let you know.

3.2 Glasgow, Ibrox Stadium, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone

As we have previously reported proposals were issued in 2018 to limit parking around Ibrox. These proposals have been fiercely (and expensively) opposed by the Club and its supporters. Here’s the latest email we received on 17 April, which refers to the “pre-hearing meeting held on 11 March and here’s the attachment, the note of the Pre-Hearing Meeting, that came with it.

They are both quite long documents so only perhaps of limited interest. Let’s hope that the City Council does take action soon to make our streets available for cycling.

3.3 Glasgow, Celtic Park and Emirates Arena, Event Day Emergency Routes and Parking Zone

On the very same day, 17 April, we received almost identical documents relating to event day parking in the east of the city. Again, the proposals to control parking are opposed by the vested interests of football. Here’s the email and the note of the Pre-Hearing Meeting held on 10 March for your edification – if you are interested.

One disappointing thing to note is that for Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena there is no mention of the local City Councillors or the local Community Council having any involvement. Community Councils, as we have seen elsewhere in the city, can be a powerful force, as also can City Councillors. Two Councillors and a Community Council have taken an interest in events at Ibrox.

3.4 East Dunbartonshire Council: LDP Newsletter No.56

Here’s the latest newsletter, April 2020, which we received on 15 April. There’s a short update on the Proposed Local Development Plan 2 on page 2.

3.5 Glasgow, George Square Experimental Order

Back in Digest 56, dated 17 March, Item 1.4, we gave the details for the proposed reduction of motor traffic in George Square in Glasgow and on 24 March we submitted this response. While we support the proposals we did suggest that the Square, or the majority of it, remain traffic-free later than the 7pm cutoff proposed. This email, received on 14 April, but just missing the deadline for Digest 58, denies this improvement (which we had also suggested at the Stage One consultation).

“THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, (GEORGE SQUARE), EXPERIMENTAL ORDER 202_

Thank you for your correspondence dated 24^th March to the above Order on behalf of Go Bike.

As explained in my previous email the operational time of the bus priority measures is to provide consistency with the bus gates recently implemented in the city for the benefit and clarity of all users.

Your support will be recorded and reported in the official report to inform the Order. I will advise you of the outcome when the Order is completed but this process may be longer than expected due to the Coronavirus impact.“

Any of you currently visiting George Square will be able to enjoy the relative calm; let’s hope the changes are implemented soon, before the motor traffic returns to its previous level.

3.6 From University Avenue Glasgow to Princes Street Edinburgh

Last seen in February 2019 protecting the painted cycle lane on University Avenue, Autumn was photographed recently by her dad near their Edinburgh city centre home, cycling on the footway on Princes Street:

She’s still got the stabilisers but it’s hard to believe it’s a city centre: no taxis, no trams, no busses in sight. But now look what’s happened to University Avenue; GoBike member, Euan, recently submitted this photo:

A four-year old could cycle on the footway, so Autumn will be fine, with or without the stabilisers, but what about all the students, the shoppers, the workers and the visitors to the area? Where are they going to cycle on what was one of the first cycle routes in Glasgow, the Colleges Cycle Route, from the city centre out through the west end to the residential areas of Hyndland, Broomhill and Jordanhill?

It’s hard, but we will need to redouble our efforts in future campaigns and consultations to get active travel recognised. Otherwise it will be back to normal with cars everywhere and the air full of diesel and petrol fumes.

Do please support the Pedal on Parliament campaign to get short-term improvements. There are reports everywhere of increased numbers of people cycling and they need their space. Let’s hope there’s a positive outcome from the Community Councils event on Thursday (see Item 2.1)

More news in 2 weeks.