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

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

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

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

“Woodside Mini-Holland Update

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

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

The project is considered as having four main elements:

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

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

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

Kind Regards

WMH Team

Glasgow – UK Council of the Year 2015″

Almost October, time for the GoBike monthly ride – the Kilmacolm circular

 

Yes, the first Sunday of the month is the day for our intriguing and somewhat offbeat ride out around Glasgow.

Andy Preece will be leading this ride; further details of GoBike rides are on the Rides page of our website

Sunday 1 October – Kilmacolm Circular
We shall head out mostly on minor roads through Paisley, Linwood and Houston to Kilmacolm. After lunch, we’ll return to Paisley via the NCN75 path to visit a few more of the town’s attractions to be seen along the way, before continuing onwards to Glasgow.
Meet 10am Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.
Ride on paths Ride on quiet roads 
Significant hill climbing
Rated: Go Bike star rating Go Bike star rating
 Go Bike star rating

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

 

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

Calling all women – Women’s Cycle Forum AGM, Glasgow, Saturday 19 August, 4-6pm

Yes, the Women’s Cycle Forum Scotland is holding its AGM at the Women’s Library in Landressy Street, Bridgeton on Saturday 19 August from 4pm – 6pm, and men are welcome too, as well as all you women out there, who cycle or wish to cycle.

See the link above for details, and do please register if you are going, but there are 3 great speakers lined up:

  • Daisy Narayanan, Deputy Director for Built Environment at Sustrans Scotland.
  • Anna Richardson, City Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, Glasgow, and
  • Alex Feechan, founder of Findra Clothing.