February sees an increase in number and scale of consultations. This (delayed) Digest includes four District Regeneration Frameworks and four projects from South Lanarkshire.

Tragically, January ended with the death of Emma Burke Newman, after being hit by a truck driver while cycling near the Broomielaw/George V bridge junction in Glasgow. Her local councillor Jon Molyneux paid tribute to Emma at a meeting to discuss a 20mph limit for the city. GoBike would like to offer sincere condolences to Emma’s family and friends.

The road past the casino is part of the Spaces for People 1-way route along the Clyde. The council mentioned safety at the George V bridge junction in an online meeting with GoBike in 2020. The original May 2020 route used cones but had a gap for the Central Station bridge works. The cones were replaced with ‘soft segregation’ later in 2020 but some sections of the Zebras/‘orcas’ near the bridge have since been removed. Restrictions on the route were made permanent by a Traffic Regulation Order for City Centre – Riverside/Merchant City in Sept 2022. However, no further segregation has been added near the casino (unlike the traffic islands and ongoing work at the Jamaica St junction). Tragic events like this underline how important it is to have continuous protected routes, especially at junctions.

Forthcoming consultations

Glasgow Liveable Neighbourhoods programme

There’s a new dedicated website for the next two LN projects: Yoker to Whiteinch and Royston to Hogganfield. An early ‘pop-up’ event in Whiteinch has already passed but there are due to be more in the near future. See: www.my-gln.scot.

1: Current Consultations

1. Cambuslang and Rutherglen bike share survey
2. Leadhills Village Active Travel project
3. Clydesdale Active Travel Studies
4. North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF
5. NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment

2: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment – December 2022 newsletter
2. East Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan Newsletter 70
3. Update on Progressing Beyond the Liveable Neighbourhood Longlist

3: Proposed Traffic Calming/Traffic Regulation Orders

1. East Dunbartonshire TROs
2. Glasgow City TROs
3. North Lanarkshire TROs

1: Current Consultations
(in date order for responses)

1.1: Cambuslang and Rutherglen bike share survey

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Survey about feasibility of a bike share scheme for Cambuslang and Rutherglen. Shawfield and Cuningar Woodland Park on the northern fringes of Rutherglen are just across the Clyde from the Glasgow City area. So, it’s an obvious candidate for extending Glasgow’s current OVO/Nextbike scheme. This has been talked about by South Lanarkshire Council before and there has already been some consultation on it. In the meantime, new Nextbike stations in the East End and Southside mean Rutherglen already looks like a gap in the existing network. Hopefully we’re closer to a scheme actually happening this time. The survey is aimed at those in the Cam/glen area but may be relevant to people in the Southside and East End of the city.
Website links: Cambuslang/Rutherglen bike share survey.
Deadline: 10 February 2023. 

1.2: Leadhills Village Active Travel project

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Leadhills is a small rural village near South Lanarkshire’s border with Dumfries & Galloway. The project plans include 20mph speed limits and slight changes to junctions. Also, lots of coloured surfacing, including some being used instead of proper pavements. Village streets are obviously narrower than towns and cities but it seems like a missed opportunity. The Make Your Way project already has plans for a shared path to Wanlockhead in D&G.
Website links: Leadhills AT survey.
Deadline: 12 February 2023.

1.3: Clydesdale Active Travel Studies

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Leadhills is also covered by this wider consultation – it’s in the southern part of Clydesdale. There are also north-west and north-east areas to divide up this large rural area. Like previous studies in South Lanarkshire’s towns, there’s a consultation map to comment on. Some areas have new active travel infrastructure, including Carstairs, with other routes like Leadhills–Wanlockhead to follow. This is a chance to look at gaps like Make Your Way’s NCN74–Douglas path, which missed out on funding. The map and surveys will inform reports and active travel network maps for each area.
Website links: Clydesdale Placecheck map (all areas), Northwest Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study, Northeast Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study, South Clydesdale Active Travel Feasibility Study.
Deadline: 24 February 2023.

1.4: North East Districts: Townhead, Cowcaddens, Learning Quarter and Merchant City DRF

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: District Regeneration Frameworks for four areas in the north-east of the city centre. These were developed by teams of European and local consultants after previous consultation in late 2020. Each document has a comprehensive plan for its area (50+ pages). These include some fairly radical changes, especially around the M8. Also, there is a refreshing focus on opening up active travel routes through current barriers (improving permeability). However, these may be challenging to deliver. So, a show of support in the consultation should help make the case stronger.
Website links: North-East Districts survey, North-East Districts Combined Regeneration Handbook, Cowcaddens Regeneration Handbook, ‘Learning Quarter’ Regeneration Handbook, Merchant City Regeneration Handbook, Townhead Regeneration Handbook.
Deadline: 3 March 2023.

1.5: NCN74 Uddingston to Bothwell realignment

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: A long-awaited consultation about plans to divert a section of NCN74 at Strathclyde Park. The current route loops up the (steep) Furlongs, onto Bothwell Rd, up alongside the East Kilbride Expressway to Glasgow Rd, down Station Rd in Blantyre to the pedestrian bridge and up to Station Rd in Bothwell. The proposals would change this to a much more direct route from the Raith Interchange, up the steep, pot-holed Langside Rd and across the busy Hamilton Rd on the way to Station Rd. There’s a potential alternative to SLC’s plans (slightly longer but less steep/busy) by turning right onto Laighlands Rd/Bothwellpark Rd then across to Olifard Ave/Appledore Cres. Also, there’s the question of conflict with pedestrians past Strathclyde Park loch. Elsewhere, the survey has two options to transform the approach to Uddingston train station and some other welcome junction improvements.
Website links: Uddingston to Bothwell survey.
Deadline: 6 March 2023.

2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Glasgow Uni campus redevelopment – December 2022 newsletter

Organisation: Glasgow Uni.
Subject: Ongoing construction work at the main campus. The Institute of Health and Wellbeing building is now complete. Apparently it was done to the BREEAM 2014 certification mark, which should mean there’s plenty of bike parking. Work continues on the Adam Smith Business School. Also, there’s a survey for residents who live near the site.
Website links: Campus Redevelopment newsletter – January 2023 (PDF).

2.2: East Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan Newsletter 70

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Subject: Updates on the Circular Economy Strategy consultation, LDP2 Action Programme, Planning Guidance, Active Travel Strategy and National Planning Framework 4. NPF4 applies from the middle of February. It includes a few interesting developments like an ‘infrastructure first’ approach, instead of the current lag to (maybe) get bike paths added to an estate using a Section 75 order.
Website links: LDP Newsletter 70 – January 2023 (PDF), Draft Circular Economy Strategy Consultation (ends 3 February 2023).

2.3: Update on Progressing Beyond the Liveable Neighbourhood Longlist

Organisation: Dennistoun Community Council.
Subject: A response from Glasgow City Council to a community council in the East End. DCC say it’s: “…in response to queries regarding the Liveable Neighbourhoods project, the Inner East Strategic Development Framework the Neighbourhood Infrastructure Improvement Fund, and Citizens’ Panels participatory funding arrangements”. The questions went to the Director of GCC Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability.
Website links: Dennistoun Community Council post.

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Areas: Bishopbriggs and Milton of Campsie.
Subject: Orders about parking restrictions and speed limits.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs (now on their own page!).

3.2: Glasgow City Traffic Calming/TROs

Areas: City-wide.
Subject: TROs: Laggan Rd filter is out for consultation until 24 February 2023.
Orders have been made for Carmunnock Rd and Carmunnock Rd/Letherby Rd (on 20 January – coming into effect on 1 April 2023). Also, for East City Way phases 6 and 7 (on 25 January – coming into effect 19 March 2023). Construction has already started on London Rd.
Traffic calming: Three current schemes for Greenfield Avenue/Inveresk St, Waulkglen Road and Boghall Road.
Website links: Glasgow City Proposed TROs, Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

3.3: North Lanarkshire TROs

Areas: Hareshaw village (between Newhouse and Newmains).
Subject: Orders to add a roundabout, traffic calming, 20mph zone and a pavement at the bridge on Greenhill Road, Hareshaw. Deadline: 15 February 2023.
Website links: North Lanarkshire Live Consultations.

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.

There’s plenty in this Digest despite it being holiday time, with weather to match for a change (in Glasgow Fair!).

This issue is mostly about the fringes – both inside and outside the city boundary; in more and less deprived areas. It’s also about city centre parking and emissions, which is often linked to people driving in from areas around the edge of Glasgow.

The Infrastructure Update has a bit more from north and east but also a project from the West End, just in case anyone’s getting withdrawal symptoms…

Infrastructure Update

• A thread about recent route developments in Glasgow, looking great in sunshine.
• Beith St has new access and drop kerbs added.
• London Rd has had soft segregation removed at Celtic Park (but chalk added).
• At the other end of London Rd, photos of Mount Vernon junction. It’s good this phase of the East City Way is complete but there are issues going eastbound, as GoBike warned previously.
• A bird’s eye view of the new Sighthill and a few close-ups of its new, but rusty, pedestrian/cycle bridge before it’s installed.

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)
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 Renfrewshire Council – Ayr Road (A77): Spaces for People, Phase 2
6. Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation (ends 2 Sep)
7. Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework (ends 3 Sep)
8. East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion (ends 28 Sep)

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Mount Florida Community Council – Letherby Triangle planning decision
2. St. Paul’s Youth Forum – Flourishing Molendinar first consultation feedback

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

‘GHA Parking Areas’ refers to land in Townhead owned by Glasgow Housing Association. The area is east of Buchanan Bus Station and Glasgow Caledonian University, 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 which can be enforced.

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 last mention of the Flourishing Molendinar project was in Digest 82, Item 1.8 (when it changed to its current name). The main image on this Digest shows the area covered by the project in the north east of Glasgow.

The next stage of the Flourishing Molendinar project has produced some eye-catching plans. In particular, the pedestrianised area proposed for Langdale St, which could be an example for other so-called ‘liveable’ neighbourhoods.

However, there was also big news for anyone who cycles on Cumbernauld Rd (A80) across the M8 motorway. The bridge is a four/five lane dual carriageway, which many pupils have to cross to get to Smithycroft Secondary School. FloMo’s plan would reduce the (wide) lanes and add segregated cycleways. If it goes ahead, this would transform that stretch of road into a far more people-friendly place.

For more on the above (and Royston Rd) go to the FloMo survey (ends 6 August). We look forward to seeing what comes out of it.

For more about the phase 1 consultation, see Item 3.2.

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

Garnethill, north of Sauchiehall St, is known for (what’s left of) Glasgow School of Art. It’s also home to a few schools, places of worship, hotels and several thousand residents. The area has steep, tight streets and existing one-ways, as well as the usual parking issues.

GoBike posted about the consultation events for Garnethill back in March 2018. The plans involve a lot of yellow lines, parking restrictions on back lanes and the creation of car parking bays. One thing that isn’t included in the plan is the two-way section of Hill St, at St Aloysius College, created by TTRO in April (Digest 85, 3.1). However, the parking bays are still included, which reduce the road to one car width.

Any neighbourhood plan is of most interest to people who live in the area. However, issues in Garnethill could have a knock-on effect on Sauchiehall St and Cambridge St so it’s in our wider interest that it works.

Again, there are the usual TRO documents: Garnethill plan, Garnethill draft report, Garnethill press notice and the standard Statement of Reasons. Respond by email: garnethillparking@glasgow.gov.uk by 13 August 2021.

1.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Bishopbriggs Town Centre Regeneration

This consultation covers Bishopbriggs town centre and two City Deal projects – phase 5 of Bishopbriggs Relief Road (BRR5) and the A803 corridor (Springburn Rd/Kirkintilloch Rd).

Bishopbriggs town centre is marooned between NCN754 (Forth & Clyde canal) and the ‘Wester Way’ shared path, without good active travel links to either. The Wester Way was built alongside the BRR on Westerhill Rd, where BRR phase 4 caused years of disruption. Both road and path peter out opposite the Aviva offices, north of the rail line to Lenzie. BRR5 doesn’t have a route decided yet but could affect some paths in the area.

The striking thing about the town centre ‘Future’ images is how little the infrastructure changes apart from slightly wider footways and planting more trees. There are a few cyclists in the images but no segregated cycle lanes. The town centre work is part of a City Deal project worth nearly £35m, so they’re not skint.

If you’ve ridden any routes in the area, it’s worth putting a word in for cycling. See the Bishopbriggs consultation webpage and Bishopbriggs Public Realm Plan survey. Consultation closes 15 August.

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

The Ayr Rd section of the A77 route at Newton Mearns is south of the Fenwick Rd Spaces for People lanes, which we covered back in January 2021 (Digest 78, 1.4). GoBike staged a local Pedal on Parliament event about parking on Ayr Rd’s bike lanes back in 2019.

The phase 2 consultation is partly about replacing the phase 1 cones with light segregation. However, it also removes the segregation in some sections (like at Mearns Cross). It includes adding parking bays with the bike lane outside it in one location but trialing a parking-protected bike lane at Ashtree Grove (as in image, below).

The mixed approach probably reflects that on-road, segregated cycleways are still very new in East Renfrewshire (or anywhere outside a city). Issues in other towns, like the Bearsway extension being scrapped and the removal of lanes on Holmston Rd, cast a long shadow. Newton Mearns is just as affluent and around 90% of people in East Ren have access to a car. However, it has younger demographics than either Milngavie or Ayr.

East Ren differ from Glasgow by only asking how to improve the scheme, not whether people want rid of it. If ERC wait to get feedback before making changes then that would be an improvement on London Rd too. A few comments in the Commonplace survey allude to Glasgow ripping out segregation so that seems to have had an effect beyond the city boundary.

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

1.6: Glasgow City Council – Low Emission Zone consultation

Glasgow’s city centre Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has only applied to some buses so far. GCC are consulting before it changes to include cars and other motor vehicles. It covers most of the city centre – north of the river, conveniently inside the M8 and eastwards to High St/Saltmarket.

However, the LEZ won’t include cars any time soon as there are some ‘grace periods’ built into the plan at the moment. One year until it comes in, so summer 2022. Then another year until it becomes enforceable – 1 June 2023. There will be a further year’s grace for folk who live in the city centre (until 1 June 2024). Some exemptions apply to people with disabilities, emergency vehicles, etc.

One good thing about the short survey is it does ask you about the above. So, if you think the LEZ area is too small or the grace periods are too long, you can tick those boxes and add a comment too.

See the Glasgow LEZ consultation page and LEZ online survey. Closes on 2 September 2021.

1.7: Glasgow City Council – Inner East Strategic Development Framework

The ‘Inner East’ goes from High St out to Carntyne and Tollcross, between the River Clyde and the M8 (just short of FloMo’s patch). Like previous SDFs for other areas, it has themes about connections and sustainability but is mostly about identifying development opportunities. Some planned cycle routes and the Avenues Plus active travel scheme are included on a map with ‘missing links’. There are some issues with the map, like the red line between Barrowfield and Parkhead, counting the bus lane on one side as “off road/segregated”. Although it’s patchy, it puts more focus on active travel than previous strategies about the East End.

A few of the rail improvements in the document have been talked about for over ten years, such as the Parkhead rail halt. However, it’s the East End Regeneration Route (EERR phase 3) that seems to be back on the agenda due to new funding. It’s a dual carriageway that would run through Hogarth Park and under Edinburgh Rd and Cumbernauld Rd to the M8.

See the Inner East consultation page for link to the PDF document and SDF survey. Ends 3 September 2021.

1.8: East Dunbartonshire Council – Active Travel Discussion

This was first in Digest 86, Item 1.2, with its ‘Ideas Map‘ for the area. Recently, East Dunbartonshire Council has brought in new parking restrictions on Milngavie Rd, opposite the remodeled junction to Allanton Sports Centre. It’s small but possibly the first parking restriction since the Bearsway was built?

The Bearsway was due to extend to Kessington on the way to Glasgow. While researching this Digest, it emerged it has one of the oldest populations in Scotland. 52% of people of Kessington West are over 65 years old (page 19). Will the Bearsway ever get there?

There are no more consultation events until August/September. See a full list of events and background info on the Active Travel Discussion webpage. Closing date – 28 September 2021.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Mount Florida Community Council – Letherby Triangle planning decision

This project was first in Digest 66, 1.3 when Mount Florida Community Council (MoFloCoCo) were consulting about it. It’s good to see it progressing towards being built.

The plan is to close the end of Carmunnock Road at Cathcart Rd to link a triangular traffic island to nearby shops. It will have a viewing platform added and be used for leisure and cultural events. There’s a handy overview of the proposal on the ReGlasgow website.

It’s planning application 20/03067/FUL if you want to look at it on GCC’s planning portal. Good luck to MoFloCoCo and their partners for the next stage.

3.2: St. Paul’s Youth Forum – Flourishing Molendinar first consultation feedback

In addition to the new plans in Item 1.2, above, Flourishing Molendinar published data from their earlier consultation (Jan–May 2021). There are plenty of interesting results on the website homepage and in their Summary Report (PDF).

In particular, the data shows strong support for keeping Spaces for People measures, as long as they can be adjusted/improved. Overall, 89% wanted to keep the SfP measures in some form while only 11% wanted them removed (out of 152 responses). While FloMo is focussed on one local area, it’s hopefully a good sign for the results of Glasgow City Council’s wider SfP consultation (whenever those are published).

This is the second Digest during the pre-election period so things are still a bit quiet. This Digest is mostly about Glasgow with a wee bit from North Ayrshire and East Dunbartonshire.

Again, this Digest features an update about recent infrastructure developments. This time focusing on Glasgow’s latest Spaces for People measures (following on from Howard St last time). A few new lanes are going in Pollok and some in the north east of the city. The city centre has some new planter boxes and should get another new lane (eventually).

Glasgow Spaces for People Update

• Braidcraft Rd plans.
• Brockburn Rd plans and GoBike’s response to ‘bikelash’ in Glasgow Times making front page news!
• Cambridge St plans which may not have started yet due to water main works (and the usual considerate parking).
• Planter boxes installed on Candleriggs, Merchant City (to make way for outdoor seating?). More on Bell Street, Wilson Street and Trongate.
• London Rd roadworks near Fielden St and more near Celtic Park (possibly to lay cable?). Missing zebras/armadillos have been replaced outside Celtic Park/Emirates and lane cleaned.
• Royston Rd plans.
• Wallacewell Rd plans.

Barriers Overload Update

Dawsholm Park barriers – three(!) sets added to new path.

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Ardrossan Connections – Design Festival (workshops 14/21 April)
2. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our City Centre Districts, (Y)our Ideas & Proposals Workshops (22/26 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

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Malls Mire newsletter – March 2021

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

1.1: Ardrossan Connections – Design Festival

First covered in Digest 78 (1.2), Ardrossan Connections is about improving links and public spaces in the Ayrshire coastal town. See the webpage about the project or information boards for more background or view comments on the Ardrossan Commonplace map.

The latest phase of the project is a ‘Design Festival’ from 7–27 April. In other words, some design workshops (announced just after the last Digest). GoBike members will probably be more interested in the ‘Connections’ design workshops on 14 and 21 April. There are also ‘Placemaking’ workshops on 20 and 26 April. Each workshop is shown on the Design Festival page – click the one you want to go to its sign-up link.

Alternatively, if you can’t make any of the workshops, you might be able to use the Ardrossan ‘padlet’ to add a design idea as a pin on the map (zoom in – a lot!).

1.2: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our City Centre Districts, (Y)our Ideas & Proposals Workshops

The city centre districts projects have been featured several times, including Digest 74, 1.2. These are about major regeneration, with an emphasis on transport and community. The four districts being consulted on in this phase are Cowcaddens, Townhead, Merchant City and ‘Learning Quarter’ (Cathedral St, etc.). The districts Commonplace map is still open but the focus will be on the outcome of the latest workshops.

Proposals Workshops are coming up for Merchant City on 22 April and ‘Learning Quarter’ on 26 April. Timetables for each online event are on the City Centre Strategy workshops page.

Cowcaddens and Townhead have already had their workshops. The same webpage showcases the themes which came out of those. ‘(Y)our Ideas’, are numbered – clicking each takes you to a PDF summary about it. Underneath the themes is a button to a survey – it asks which ideas you see as highest priority.

In due course, a similar setup will probably appear for Merchant City/’Learning Quarter’ after their workshops.

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation 

This initiative was first covered in Digest 82, Item 1.7. East Dunbartonshire Council didn’t apply for Spaces for People funding but sustainable transport is part of their Climate Conversation webpage. Subsequently, this will feed into three future consultations on the environment, including a new Active Travel Strategy.

The last of their Climate Conversation events is on 22 April (online, using MS Teams). The overall Climate Conversation itself will run until 2 May 2021.

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan consultation 

As mentioned in Digest 83, Item 1.4, this regeneration project is looking at housing and public spaces in Gilshochill, south of Summerston train station.

There are many visualisations on the Maryhill North consultation page, most of which look promising. However, there are some very sharp angles in the zigzag paths, which don’t look very bike-friendly (as seen in the feature photo at the top of this Digest). Also, some of the realigned streets appear to be ‘shared space’, without any pavements. The theory behind shared space is that drivers pay more attention if pavements and markings are removed. However, the reality is often pedestrians get startled by cars and have to dart out the way (or in this case, dive into a hedge!).

If you want to comment on the TRA plans, you have to register first on the above page. Consultation closes on 23 April.

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

A few comments in the city centre districts Commonplace map ask about more space for skaters. GUS’s M74 skatepark project would provide that under a flyover near West St subway station. First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, the GUSM74 survey is still open for BMX riders, skaters, or their families, to have their say about the park.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Malls Mire newsletter – March 2021

The first issue of this newsletter featured in Digest 74, Item 3.4. The Malls Mire project is creating play areas and woodland paths between Toryglen and Rutherglen.

The March 2021 newsletter covers the latest construction news about the bike pump track, playgrounds, landscaping and more. See further background about the project on Clyde Gateway’s Malls Mire webpage.

In this Digest there’s a mix of consultations from Glasgow and from all directions outside the city. Most are over before late March, which will mark six weeks until the Scottish Parliament election. This is the Public Sector’s ‘purdah’ pre-election period when projects tend to avoid new announcements (which could get caught up in electioneering).

That may be why there’s been a flurry of news about the next lot of Glasgow’s Spaces for People projects – including Howard St, Cambridge St and Royston Rd. GoBike first heard about these at the revived Glasgow Active Travel Forum, which met for the first time online earlier this month (previous meeting was Sept 2019!).

Ahead of the election in May, see the Cycling for everyone election petition by Cycling UK in Scotland (closes 26 March) and Pedal on Parliament’s ‘Light the Way’ campaign on 24 April.

If you’re in the city, see Andy’s three infrastructure routes around Glasgow to take in Spaces for People infrastructure. Andy has also started to inform GoBike about closures and diversions; if you hear of any please do let us know.

This Digest includes links in the Contents page so you can jump straight to a topic if you want to.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Renfrewshire Council – Inchinnan cycling and walking route – closes 17 March
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events – events 16–18 March
3. Scottish Canals – Stockingfield Junction art survey & public meeting – 18 March
4. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Townhead Proposals Workshops – 18 March
5. Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 – closes Friday 19 March
6. North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall – closes Sunday 21 March
7. East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation – online events 22 & 30 March/22 April
8. Flourishing Molendinar (North East Glasgow) – Public workshops 23–25 March
9. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order
2. Glasgow City Council – London Road/Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order
3. Multiplex – Glasgow University Newsletter March 2021

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

1.1: Renfrewshire Council – Inchinnan cycling and walking route

Greenock Rd (A8) runs between Inchinnan Business Park and Renfrew. This proposed route will be on the north side of the road, apparently starting as a shared path before becoming a segregated cycleway. It will pass McGills bus depot and a few scraps of current infrastructure before going south to Glasgow Airport. It will lead to the new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Black Cart Water, one of the projects in Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA), as mentioned in Digest 39, Item 3.3.

The new bridge sits on the southern side of the road (after enhancing its active travel credentials when it fell off a loader and crushed a white van!). Renfrewshire Council’s Inchinnan webpage says a toucan crossing will be installed near the bridge. However, it doesn’t say why the route has now switched to the northern side, especially as the Business Park is also south of the road. Perhaps to avoid the airport’s approach lights (or someone else’s land)? Or for future connections into Inchinnan itself? If you want to comment you’ll need to be quick – the Greenock Rd survey closes on Wednesday 17 March.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events

These events first featured in Digest 81, 1.2. North Lanarkshire Council have “ambition to replace every school not replaced or remodelled since 1996, our vision is to make these places for the whole community rather than only the school community.“ So, that should include active travel.

Most of the events have already passed but it you get your skates on you can catch the last two for Wishaw and Shotts. The link for each town goes to an Eventbrite sign-up page to register for the event:

• Wishaw – Wednesday 17th March – 6:30pm
• Shotts – Thursday 18th March – 6:30pm

1.3: Scottish Canals – Stockingfield Junction art survey & public meeting

Details about the Stockingfield Junction public meeting on 18 March were in Digest 81, Item 1.5. Since then a survey about Stockingfield has opened asking what kind of artwork people want around the new bridge. There are different views about what form the bridge should have taken so there are sure to be plenty about what (if any) artworks should surround it. Many of us will probably pass through the area once it’s finished so we might as well chip in our 2p’s worth.

Scottish Canals want to hear what represents the local communities of Gilshochill, Maryhill and Ruchill (be kind!). Just don’t say The Big Man!

1.4: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Townhead Proposals Workshops

Also on Thursday is the next lot of meetings about the District regeneration projects. GoBike received an email about Townhead:

“An Action Plan and Framework for the regeneration of Townhead is currently being prepared by a consultant team appointed by Glasgow City Council. We want your input to help shape and influence the priority projects to improve Townhead.”

There is a series of workshops throughout a ‘Co-Design Day’ on Thursday 18 March:

• Co-Design Day Launch (1000 – 1030)
• Getting Around – Workshops (1030 – 1230)
• City Centre Communities – Workshops (1300 – 1500)
• Reimagining (Y)our Townhead (1530 – 1730)

These suggest a much more collaborative approach than many of these events. Obviously, the most interesting one for us is the morning ‘Getting Around’ workshop:

“A participatory workshop considering how to make Townhead more accessible and better connected. Potential projects include:

• Connecting to ‘Townhead Island’
• Active Travel : walking, wheeling, cycling
• Junction 15 on M8
• Cathedral Street
• Stirling Road Triangle
• Canal to Cathedral : Dobbies Loan to St James Road
• …?”

Plenty to get our teeth into there. Alternatively, the Districts Commonplace map is still available if you want to see what suggestions have been made so far or add your own.

1.5: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2

This development first sprung up in Digest 73, Item 1.1. It’s now nearing the end of a pre-application period before actual plans are submitted to the council.

The Next Steps and Feedback page has a webform you can use to send comments. Or you can email: yorkhillquay@iceniprojects.com by Friday 19 March.

1.6: North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall

North Lanarkshire Council is consulting about traffic in the villages of Calderbank and Chapelhall, between Airdrie and the M8 (as covered in Digest 81, Item 1.7). See the Chapelhall Traffic Study and Calderbank Traffic Study for a survey link at the end of each. If you know the areas you have until Sunday 21 March to respond.

1.7: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

As many of us know, East Dunbartonshire Council was the only mainland Scottish council not to bid for Spaces for People funding. However, they do seem to be trying to engage their residents about climate change. It almost seems timed as a response to a nearby city having some sort of globally important climate event (which isn’t mentioned).

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 are also Climate Conversation events, on 22 March, 30 March and 22 April. The events are all online (on MS Teams) so it’s likely to be more civil than previous public meetings where the police were called. Perhaps EDC will have their own version of Jackie Weaver to guide proceedings?

1.8: Flourishing Molendinar (formerly North East City Ways) – Public workshops

This initiative, started by On Bikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum, was first mentioned in a GoBike blog. Their original name, North East City Ways, may have been inspired by a certain city council. The new name, Flourishing Molendinar, comes from the stream that runs from Hogganfield Loch past Blackhill (mostly in a culvert) towards the city centre.

Along with the new name comes a change in focus from the wider area to Provanmill Rd and Langdale St. Both these streets had Spaces for People projects installed over the summer and showed potential for active travel routes. FloMo (it’s easier to spell!) are looking to build on that with public workshops on 22, 23 and 24 March. They still have their survey about getting around the North East of the city. Also, there’s the Streets for All Commonplace map (which On Bikes share with GoBike and Glasgow Eco Trust).

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

A different kind of active travel project but also driven by young (and not so young) people. First covered in Digest 81, Item 1.9, it’s for a skate park under the M74 extension 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 Cowcaddens, ‘Learning Quarter’ and Merchant City Proposals Workshops

The email for item 1.4 also said: “Townhead, alongside Cowcaddens, the Learning Quarter and the Merchant City, is the focus of the current phase of (Y)our City Centre District Regeneration Frameworks.” So, workshops for the other three will no doubt follow sometime soon.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order

Some swift feedback from the city council about Tricia’s points in the GoBike response to the ECW order. Let’s skip the ‘thank you’ and ‘COVID-19 happened’ bit and go to the following paragraph:

“The left turn from London Road to Hamilton Road has been banned for all traffic to allow the slip road to be closed and provide a large and safe pedestrian area for crossing. A segregate cycle route will be provided on the south side of London Road and Hamilton Road and will have signal controlled crossing facilities for pedestrians and cycles at Mount Vernon Junction which will link to all potential movements. This junction had no cycle or pedestrian facilities prior to these works. Cycle counts undertaken July 2017 recorded that 4 cycles per day made the left turn from London Road to Hamilton Road which included cyclists on the footway. A classified traffic count, counting all traffic categories, undertaken in October 2017 supported this.”

It’s not clear if the first part really is talking about the turn from London Rd eastbound to Hamilton Rd westbound, as Tricia asked. However, the count gives us an idea of how many people it might have affected in 2017. Will last summer’s surge in cycling numbers make a difference to that? And will the new junction attract all eastbound cyclists across the road to the 2-way lane? I guess we’ll find out in the near future.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – London Road/Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order

GoBike also received a shorter response from GCC about Tricia’s GoBike response to the 30mph order. Not a lot of detail in this one – it thanks us for our support then basically says East City Way will be done in stages and the police enforce speed limits. It’s just as well we’ve got GCC officers to keep us right on these things.

3.3: Multiplex – Glasgow University campus newsletter

Having just missed our publication time for the last Digest I’m sure everyone will be delighted to see the latest Glasgow Uni campus newsletter this time. There are some nice pictures of large steel frames. However, it doesn’t include that University Place has closed to pedestrians and cycling for three months. Nor does it mention a change to the road layout on University Ave:

It’s like buses – wait for ages for a consultation about the north of the city then loads come along at once. In this case, workshops for a few northern city centre ‘districts’, a future consultation about the uni/college campuses around Cathedral St and a strategic document about North Glasgow.

This Digest also includes links in the Contents page so you can, hopefully, jump straight to a topic if you want to.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November
2. Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops, Townhead: 2 December / Cowcaddens: 7 December
3. Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan/”River Clyde blue corridor vision”, closes 4 December
4. East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021
5. Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF), *deadline extended* – closes 29 January 2021
6. Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)
7. OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. University of Strathclyde – Early Engagement Information: Creating people first infrastructure, a city centre context

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council (Maxwell Park area) Traffic Calming Scheme
2. Glasgow City Council (Ryehill Road) Traffic Calming Scheme
3. East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 Newsletter
4. Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project

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

1.1: Steer Energy – Streetscore – Impact of Streetworks Survey, respond by end November

If you’ve ever had an annoying experience trying to get around roadworks, here’s a chance to get it off your chest. Thomas at GoBike was contacted by Megan from Steer Energy, who are doing a survey about the effects of roadworks on different groups; including cyclists. Her message says:

“Steer Energy are carrying out research to engage with people who can give their expert opinion on what the challenges people may face when encountering streetworks in their everyday life. We are targeting the following groups:

• People living with disabilities  
• People living with dementia    
• People with mental health issues      
• Neurodiverse people [including people on the autism spectrum]
• Carers      
• Cyclists

The aim is to gather opinions and ideas from people with lived experience journeying through street works that may have found the experience challenging.

We would be keen to include the experience of cyclists across Scotland and encourage you to share with any other groups and communities you work with:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/steerstreetworks

Our aim is to gather as much information as possible about the current impacts of streetworks and how they can be better designed with more people in mind.”

We asked for a few more details about what this involved and got a very quick response:

“The design of all streetwork in the UK is carried out using the same national guidelines which is basically a manual used in training and design. Steer Energy is challenging that manual and asking that it be amended to become more accessible and include better designed streetworks to decrease isolation and disruption to peoples lives, especially those who do not use cars and those groups who require more space to move around in public (wheelchair users, people with mobility problems, disabled people, neurodiverse people, etc).”

If you’d like to take part, see the SurveyMonkey link, above – preferably before the end of November to allow time for the report to be put together.

1.2: Glasgow City Council – (Y)our Districts Online Ideas Workshops (Townhead: 2 December/Cowcaddens: 7 December)

We received emails about upcoming consultations and events for the District Regeneration Frameworks project by Glasgow City Council. These are very wide-ranging consultations covering housing, business, leisure, etc. as well as transport. The ‘districts’ are areas around the city centre – some have already had plans completed, including Blythswood, Central, Broomielaw and St Enoch – see the Districts page on the City Centre Strategy website (under their huge map).

The project’s CommonPlace map for all Districts can be found at the links, below.

“You can check out what’s been said so far and contribute your thoughts online at https://yourcitycentre2020.commonplace.is/ and http://www.yourplacemap.org/.”

The next two areas with consultation events arranged are Townhead and Cowcaddens (with Merchant City and the ‘Learning Quarter’ to follow at some point).

Townhead district covers the area you might expect from Cathedral St to the M8. The “potential bridge” in the map is the new pedestrian/cycle bridge to Sighthill (due Spring 2021). The “route of potential Avenues” on Castle St and Springburn Rd isn’t in the current version of the Avenues Programme (but would be very welcome if GCC want to update it).

(Y)our Townhead Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Wednesday 2 December

• Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Townhead Workshop, Afternoon session
• Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Townhead workshop, Evening Session

Cowcaddens district goes from Buchanan Bus Station to an area north of the M8 at St George’s Cross. This is where the ‘Underline’ from GCC’s Avenues Programme was due to go (from Cambridge St) but it’s missing from the map.

(Y)our Cowcaddens Online Ideas Workshops (via Zoom) – Monday 7 December

• Afternoon Workshop: 2pm – 4pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Afternoon Workshop.
• Evening Workshop: 6pm – 8pm, Tickets to the Cowcaddens Evening Workshop.

“Each session will be facilitated by the (Y)our City Centre project team. We hope to map out with you issues and ideas you feel will help make the difference and improve Cowcaddens in the future.

Sign Up on Eventbrite and join in with these Workshops. If you do not have access to the internet contact the Freephone line number listed below to enable you to #ShareYourIdeas.

Further Workshops will be scheduled in early 2021 and we hope to arrange some [physical] events… when Covid restrictions allow.”

These events, and the forthcoming consultation under item 2.1, mean big changes could be coming for the north of the city centre. They also tie in with the North Glasgow SDF – see item 1.5.

1.3: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay masterplan

This was covered in Digest Issue 73, Item 1.1. However, it arrived just before the Digest went out and we missed a few details. The consultation is by Glasgow Harbour/Peel L&P (not the city council – apologies).

It’s about potentially building high-rises on the strip of land at the river between Riverside Museum and the new distillery. The intro video talks about a “long derelict site” without mentioning Peel (formerly Clydeport) have used it for storage for several years. It’s a pre-planning consultation as no planning application has gone in yet. There’s a summary of the possible proposal (on Urban Realm), article by Peel L&P, Yorkhill Quay ‘boards’ (PDF) and consultation website [removed Dec 2020]. Deadline for “formal” comments is 4 December (but deadline to view plans/ask questions is 30 November – email: advice@mcinally-associates.co.uk).

1.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2),
(closes 15 January 2021)

As covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.8. You’ve to email EDC if you want to comment about local development issues, like the lack of Spaces for People projects or phase 2 of the Bearsway, for example. See the EDC website: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/LDP2.

1.5: Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework

This document is about a huge area north of the M8 from the length of Maryhill Rd across to Milton, Springburn and Royston. It’s looking decades ahead and has already been five years in the making. Brenda has written a detailed GoBike response to the North Glasgow SDF. See the North Glasgow SDF consultation on GCC’s website. The deadline has been extended to 29 January 2021.

1.6: Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation

This consultation is about the new protected junctions on Victoria Rd, at Calder St and Allison St, as part of the South City Way. It was covered in Digest 73, Item 1.5. If you want to show support for the new junctions, or just find out more, see GCC’s Protected Junctions webpage for further images, a video, a PDF document and a contact link. The junction trial will last two years but there’s no deadline mentioned for feedback.

1.7: OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum – short survey for Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme

This multiple choice survey (as covered in Digest issue 72, Item 1.1) was originally looking for quick feedback but remains open. OnBikes and St Paul’s Youth Forum are working on a Places for Everyone project to improve active travel infrastructure in parts of North East Glasgow like Smithycroft, Riddrie and Blackhill.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1: Glasgow – Early Engagement Information: Creating people first infrastructure, a city centre context

This is potentially a lot more important than the vague title would suggest. We received an email from Stantec (a multi-national design/engineering company) on behalf of the University of Strathclyde. They want to develop active travel routes through their campus and the ‘Learning Quarter’ around Cathedral St and North Hanover St:

“The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow City Council have secured Sustrans’ Places for Everyone funding for the project ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’. Stantec are assisting the project team in this exciting endeavour.

The vision of this project is to create an attractive, safe and walkable ‘learning quarter’ in the north-east of the city centre through the design of an innovative urban realm, which improves the physical environment and allows the general public, residents, students and staff to travel to, and move freely between the University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College, nearby Glasgow Caledonian University and the rest of the city centre.

The improvements that are being explored in the project area will provide significant value to the extended community. By aligning this project with other projects being delivered by Glasgow City Council, ‘Creating People-First Infrastructure in a City Centre Campus’ will also benefit a range of other people who live, work and travel through the city centre. The Avenues Programme and Spaces for People are examples of Glasgow City Council’s ambitions to rebalancing streets in favour of people walking cycling or wheeling in the city centre.

The key routes to be enhanced in the learning quarter as part of this project have been identified through a feasibility and options appraisal process and are shown in the figure below.”

“In the next few weeks we will be launching a public consultation website to present and receive feedback on proposals developed for the learning quarter so far. This site will be updated as the project progresses, proving an important resource. We hope that you will be able to contribute to this consultation to help shape the project for your local community by viewing proposals, leaving feedback and sharing the consultation website with your networks.

For any further information in the meantime please contact the project team at PfEGlasgow@stantec.com

Kind regards,
The Project Team”

This may be of interest to current and former students of the universities/colleges in this area. It sounds quite wide-ranging but seems to emphasise walking rather than cycling. A lot of change is due in the next few years, including Strathclyde Uni demolishing the current ‘Strathy Union’ on John St as part of their ongoing campus redevelopment (see their Campus Update for more details).

This consultation is also relevant to the ‘(Y)our Learning Quarter’ district consultation due soon. Nearby streets are earmarked as ‘Avenues’ and the ‘Avenues Plus’ project (due to be built between 2023–25). So, there’s a lot of potential to transform the area north-east of George Square. Once Stantec update us about the website, we’ll pass on the link.

Section 3: Consultations Feedback

3.1: Glasgow City Council – Maxwell Park area, Traffic Calming Scheme

We have a few more responses from the city council about traffic calming. Firstly, this one for the Maxwell Park area was first covered in Digest 68, Item 1.8. I wonder if GCC have changed their mind about the speed cushions?

“Further to my preliminary email of 25^th August 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.

I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:

• 5 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Dolphin Road,
• 6 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Fotheringay Road,
• 11 sets of 3, 2m wide 75mm high, speed cushions on Springkell Avenue
• The installation of 44 bollards

Roads affected by the proposed Scheme:

• Dolphin Road
• Fotheringay Road
• Springkell Avenue

I enclose a plan of the scheme.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”

Nope, nothing has changed despite GoBike’s letter of objection. The previous plans were in Digest 68, as above if you want to see them.

3.2: Glasgow City Council – Ryehill Road, Traffic Calming Scheme

Here’s another one from the following Digest 69, Item 1.9. Maybe this response will be the one where GCC have a ‘road to Damascus’-style revelation and change their minds?

“Further to my preliminary email of 10^th September 2020, I can confirm that it is my intention to proceed with the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme.

I can confirm that there has been no changes to the original proposed scheme which will comprise of:

• The installation of 12 speed cushions
• The supply and installation of 8 bollards

I enclose a plan of the scheme.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please e-mail LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”

Nope, no changes there either. Again, see Digest 69 to pore over the unchanged plans.

3.3 East Dunbartonshire Council – LDP2 November Newsletter

On the subject of councils not changing their minds about things, here are EDC again with a nice LDP2 newsletter, November edition (PDF). Previous issues on EDC’s LDP2 Newsletters webpage in case you want some light reading for the winter nights.

3.4: Urban Roots – Malls Mire/Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project

GoBike received an email from Dr Gemma Jennings at Urban Roots about an ongoing project:

“Dear All,
I am excited to share with you the latest news from the the North Toryglen Greenspace & Active Travel Project, which following our community consultation has been rebranded simply as ‘Malls Mire’. Work begins on site this week and will run until summer 2021 – please find attached the first Malls Mire newsletter from Clyde Gateway for details. I have also attached details of path closures and diversions that will be in place for the first phase of works. 
We will share ongoing project updates on social media via our Malls Mire facebook and twitter pages – both @MallsMire.”

Malls Mire is the name of the greenspace between Rutherglen and Toryglen. While it’s possible to trudge your bike over the hill next to the woods, upgrading the paths will make a big difference to the area. As mentioned, Urban Roots sent us drawings of closures and diversions – works on the west of Malls Mire and works on the east of Malls Mire. There’s also a short newsletter about the Malls Mire project.

Hope you like the changes in this Digest. New editor, new improved ideas, says the previous editor!