Glasgow City

Thornwood Roundabout and NCN7 Project

A long overdue project for active travel improvements around Thornwood Roundabout and National Cycle Network Route 7 (NCN7). The roundabout plans are for new crossings and pavements/shared paths (widened onto verges). Crossings at north and east are 2-stage but close to ‘desire line’, with a few pinch points at corners. Crossings at west and south are set much further back (on existing paths). Sawmill St has a shared path south to crossings to a bi-directional cycletrack on South St/Castlebank St. That protected route runs most of the way to Pointhouse Place where there’s a shared path from the corner at the Riverside Museum. There’s a useful fly-through video of the route on the council webpage (and many visuals, which show cyclists riding on the right!). The cycletrack continues west along South St to the crossing at the end of the old railway path on the north side (near Dilwara Ave). While Thornwood roundabout is still car-dominated the plans are an upgrade for active travel. The cycletrack would be a very welcome improvement compared to NCN7’s current shared pavement.
Links: Thornwood-NCN7 consultation, Thornwood-NCN7 survey, Thornwood roundabout plans (PDF) and NCN7 plans (PDF).
Deadline: Sunday 17 December 2025.

Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove – Phase 4

“Proposals include an enhanced public realm outside Exhibition Centre Train Station, with plans aiming to create a more inviting and accessible space that supports sustainable travel. This project also explores how Corunna Street, Minerva Street and St Vincent Crescent could be improved to better support walking, wheeling and cycling, while creating more welcoming and accessible public spaces. Proposed improvements include making Corunna Street one-way northbound with a dedicated southbound cycle lane, upgrading pavements and crossings, and adding clearer signage to improve wayfinding.”
Links: Connecting Yorkhill–Kelvingrove Smartsurvey (see plans in updated Connecting Yorkhill–Kelvingrove StoryMap).
Deadline: 7 November 2025.

Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhood – Phase 1

“Plans for the Anderston Liveable Neighbourhood build on earlier community feedback, and focus on improving the environment for pedestrians at Kent Road, Brechin Street, Claremont Street, Breadalbane Street and Dover Street. Proposed changes include upgrading pavements with dropped kerbs and tactile paving, improving pedestrian crossings, and adding new infrastructure such as cycle shelters, green planting and enhanced drainage.”
Links: Yorkhill to Anderston LN Smartsurvey (see plans in updated Yorkhill to Anderston LN StoryMap).
Deadline: 7 November 2025.

South Lanarkshire

East Kilbride Masterplan – planning consultation event

SLC have announced a further consultation event for the first phase of East Kilbride town centre redevelopment. It follows previous consultation and events in EK shopping centre. This one may be linked to a Pre-Application Notice (PAN), ahead of plans being submitted, but it’s not clear. The redevelopment site is south of Cornwall St, which has a Spaces for People cycleway on its northern side. An article in South Lanarkshire View says: “The proposals that local residents and communities are being consulted on include:

• a reduction of 42% in retail floorspace
• up to 400 new homes in a new town centre neighbourhood
• a new Civic Hub
• a food supermarket as an anchor retailer
• the transformation of entrance points, including a new hotel”

Event: East Kilbride Central Library from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday 30 October.
Links: East Kilbride Masterplan, SL View article.

Country Park Masterplans

Visuals and plans for Calderglen Country Park (East Kilbride) and Chatelherault Country Park (Ferniegair/Hamilton). These follow consultations last year (see Digest 165). Plans for both parks include upgraded facilities and infrastructure. The highlight for cycling is a proposed new active travel path and bridge over the burn at Calderglen. An article in South Lanarkshire View says: “Phase one projects include the creation of a new ‘pump track’ for three–to seven-year-olds close to the existing adventure playground at Calderglen.” Also, “a study is underway to look at options to reinstate the White Bridge at Chatelherault. The council’s approved budget for 2025/2026 includes an allocation of £1.35m towards both projects. Approved Masterplans for each park will mean that the council can pursue new UK and Scottish Government funding as and when available.”
Links: SLC Country Parks website (note: survey has closed).

Town centres dominate this issue – one in South Lanarkshire (visualisation in featured image, above) and no less than eight in East Renfrewshire! Elsewhere, North Lanarkshire’s consultations continue and South Ayrshire looks at car parking. Glasgow has a few projects in both the West End and in the north of the city – one of the latter links with East Dunbartonshire.

On 26 March a vigil was held for Una Brandreth, who was killed while cycling in Bearsden a week before. The petition to improve road safety in the area now has over 2,000 signatures.

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

1.1: North Woodside Road (Outdoor Public Space)

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: This started as an idea from Websters Theatre for a temporary public events space in the cul-de-sac outside their building. It was put forward for a council programme called Animating Spaces but has since become part of the wider Connecting Woodside project. The latest plans feature a path, dropped kerb, cycle hire station and rain garden. The street is a useful link between the Kelvin Way and Great Western Road (and doesn’t currently have a drop kerb). While the plan might seem modest, removing two car parking spaces to fit it in might still get a negative reaction from some in the West End.
Featured: Digest 75, 1.1 (originally as “Websters Theatre – A New Public Space at Kelvinbridge”).
Website links: N Woodside Rd storymap and N Woodside Rd survey
Deadline: 12 April 2024.

1.2: Conservation Area Consultations (Coatbridge/Cumbernauld)

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: Two consultations about lesser known Conservation Areas. The Coatbridge one is either side of Blairhill train station and the other is in Cumbernauld Village (the original settlement north of the town centre). While not directly related to cycling, the last few survey questions mention traffic and development.
Website links: Coatbridge: Blairhill and Dunbeth Conservation Area Consultation and Cumbernauld Village Conservation Area Consultation.
Deadline: 12 April 2024.

1.3: A803 Stage 2

Council: East Dunbartonshire (and Glasgow CC/City Deal).
Subject: The A803 includes Springburn Rd and Kirkintilloch Rd between North Glasgow and Bishopbriggs. Consultation in 2022 (with Atkins) led to three route options (by Arcadia).
Option 1 – bus lanes (mostly southbound) with nothing for cycling.
Option 2 – some southbound bus lanes and a shared path for walking/cycling. Except near Bishopbriggs town centre it zigzags off into a ‘quietway’ cycle route. Then back to a shared path before it gives up at Hawthorn St.
Option 3 – some sections of 2-way cycleway in north Bishopbriggs then shared path/quietway again until Hawthorn St (where it “will tie into a proposed cycle route that Glasgow City Council is developing”). However, what would happen in the meantime? Alternatives would include using grass verges/upgrading existing paths or actually taking road space from the A803 dual carriageway. However, EDC doesn’t offer those options.
A drop-in event has already taken place.
Website links: A803 Stage 2 storymap and A803 public consultation page (with downloads of plans for Option 1, Option 2 and Option 3).
Deadline: 21 April 2024.

1.4: Hamilton Town Centre Masterplan

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: One of Scotland’s biggest towns gets a radical rethink to reduce retail and reintroduce residences. The same team who did East Kilbride’s plans are looking at potential demolition of both the New Cross and Regent shopping centres (and maybe the former Baird’s and M&S buildings). However, initial plans keep the 4/5-lane A723 around the south-eastern edge of the town centre, which severs it from neighbouring areas (Barncluith and Silvertonhill). The Masterplan material mentions active travel but very few images have cycle lanes. There are some inventive ideas but many cluttered shared spaces, which could do with some kind of segregation (like rows of trees, to take inspiration from the historic ‘Great Avenue’). The only current cycle route in the town centre (between Hamilton Central station and Strathclyde Park) is mostly paint, except a short stretch of shared path on Leechlee Rd protected by a hedge. The masterplan process is a golden opportunity to push for cycleways like recent ones in Glasgow or East Kilbride town centre.
Drop-in events (remaining):
4 April, 10am–4pm – Former Quiz shop unit, Regent Shopping Centre (Regent Way).
5 April, 10am–4pm – Asda, Palace Grounds.
Website links: South Lanarkshire View article, Hamilton Masterplan website and Hamilton Masterplan survey.
Deadline: 28 Apr 2024.

1.5: Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: Former ‘Cycling Village’ bid by YoKeCoCo (big Sustrans funding winner back in 2019). Since the pandemic it’s been rebranded as a GCC ‘Connecting…’ project.
Phase 1 – Yorkhill North includes previous plans for Radnor St, Haugh Rd, Gilbert St and Sandyford St (between Kelvin Way and SWG3). Another 2-way cycleway up Yorkhill St would link to infrastructure on Old Dumbarton Rd (behind the Kelvin Hall).
Phase 2 – widen footways along Kelvinhaugh St and add 1-way cycleways at the wide Argyle St junction.
Phase 3 – add bidirectional cycleways on Derby St to link from Kelvinhaugh St, across Argyle St and Sauchiehall St, to Kelvingrove Park.
Phase 4 – look at Corunna Street and Minerva Street (near Exhibition Centre train station). Also, there will be changes to car parking provision to better match the number of spaces and permit holders (currently two of the latter on Kelvinhaugh St for 203 spaces!).
Drop-in event: Thursday 18 April 2024 at 3.30–7pm in The Pyramid at Anderston, 759 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8DS.
See below for related Liveable Neighbourhoods projects and Traffic Regulation Order.
Website links: Connecting Y&K storymap and Connecting Y&K survey.
Deadline: 28 Apr 2024.

1.6: Yorkhill to Anderston: Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: The above Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove work means the Liveable Neighbourhoods projects focus on Anderston (and part of Sandyford). These include adding some cycleways to the West City Way and tweaks to other sections. So, there’s a new cycleway for the quieter bit of Argyle St between the Buttery and Pyramid, near St Patrick’s Primary School. Some raised tables removed and the Elderslie St/Argyle St corner is remodelled. New 1-way cycleways go north of St Vincent St with a revised crossing on Elderslie St. Also, Kent Rd would get a 1-way section and some greenery. However, there are no upgrades for Berkeley St – the bus boarder and junctions at Elderslie St and Claremont St (near the Gaelic School) are untouched. North Claremont St is still disrupted by building work but it’s hard to follow the logic of the rest. Hopefully, the joint consultation event will provide some answers (18 April, as above). Also, these works raise questions about the level of provision in other LN areas.
Website links: Yorkhill–Anderston LN storymap, Anderston LN survey and Yorkhill to Anderston consultation (on GCC’s LN webpage).
Deadline: 28 Apr 2024.

1.7: Prestwick parking consultation 2024

Organisation: Ayrshire Roads Alliance (on behalf of South Ayrshire Council).
Subject: Proposals to add further streets to an existing residents car parking permit scheme around Main Street, Prestwick. The new town centre streets added at the northern end of the area include Berelands Road, Mieklewood Avenue and Links Road. The latter is part of NCN7, along with Station Rd and Kirk St.
Website links: Prestwick parking consultation webpage.
Deadline: 03 May 2024.

1.8: East Renfrewshire Town Centres

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: Further consultation about eight East Ren town centres: Clarkston, Eaglesham, Giffnock, Barrhead, Busby, Neilston, Newton Mearns and Thornliebank. The last phase collected suggestions about changes to each place. Some of the most popular options are now available to choose in ‘Final verification surveys’. Questions are grouped under headings: ‘Roads, transportation and active travel’, ‘Buildings, retail and meeting spaces’ and ‘Green space and path networks’.
Featured: Digest 121, 1.14 (and 112).
Website links: East Renfrewshire Town Centres Commonplace site.
Deadline: 05 May 2024.

1.9: Flourishing Molendinar

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: A project started by St Paul’s Youth Forum and their On Bikes team. Their original base is on Langdale St, Blackhill which had one of the first Spaces for People streets created during lockdown. More SfP streets followed on Royston Rd, Provanmill Rd and Cumbernauld Rd before the wider project was taken over by Glasgow City Council. These (very) detailed draft plans would make those protected lanes permanent and add a new public space in the middle of Langdale St (on a block with no houses facing onto it). Also, they’d add crucial connections to places like Smithycroft High School, taming junction 12 of the M8 motorway in the process.
Public Drop in Events: Wednesday 24 / Thursday 25 April 2024, 3pm – 7pm.
Molendinar Community Centre, 1210 Royston Road, Glasgow G33 1HE
Website links: FloMo poster, FloMo plans sheet 1, FloMo plans sheet 2 and FloMo plans sheet 3.
Deadline: 13 May 2024.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership meeting – 25 March 2024

Subject: SLCP members include councillors, officers and external groups like Sustrans, Camglen Bike Town and GoBike. The main presentation was about the finished active travel studies for Clydesdale (split into three areas). The council now has active travel studies covering the whole of South Lanarkshire.
The other main presentation was about funding changes – Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has had its capital budget cut to zero. Also, funding that used to come via Sustrans is changing to direct funding from Transport Scotland. This has affected some ongoing projects but it looks like TS funding may go towards work around the new Hairmyres station (which goes to planning soon).
Updates included Bike Town planning expansion into East Kilbride, following their work there on bikes for refugees (with EK Integration Network) and tours of the new cycling infrastructure.
Also, some success for GoBike – following consultation, SLC are looking at an alternative route up from the Raith Interchange on Laighlands Rd/Bothwellpark Rd (instead of the steeper Langside Rd).

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Subject: Order about disabled car parking spaces.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.

3.2: Glasgow City TROs and Traffic Calming

Subject: Traffic order for North Hanover St and Kyle St – in advance of works for the Avenues project. TRO plans show 2-way lanes are due to go on the eastern side of N Hanover St then a diagonal crossing will take them to the northern side of Kyle St (to connect with the new Sighthill bridge). A GoBike response raised several issues, especially about junctions/future connections including George Sq, Cathedral St, Cowcaddens Rd and Dobbies Loan. The GCC response answered some of our points but seemed to misinterpret others. Unfortunately, as GoBike are still quite stretched, we didn’t manage to get back to them before the public TRO went out. Deadline: 19 April 2024.
Other ongoing TRO consultations include Yorkhill Area/Radnor St and Duke St/John Knox St. The page also lists recent ‘made’ orders for St George’s St/Clarendon Place and the North East Active Travel Routes (NEATR).
Website links: GCC Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders and GCC Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

3.3: North Lanarkshire TROs

Subject: Changes to restrictions in Airdrie at the pedestrianised part of Graham St and on Wellwynd (next to New Wellwynd Parish Church). Deadline: 19 April 2024.
Website links: Graham Street and Wellwynd, Airdrie – Traffic Regulation (Consolidation) Variation Order.

After a few issues led by other areas, Glasgow strikes back in this edition. A report on the City Network Delivery Plan offers new hope. Also, the former city ‘Cycling Village’ lands with new proposals (phase map shown, above – sadly the event for it has just passed). Elsewhere in the West End, there’s a Glasgow Uni event about its campus coming soon (see below).

Also, there are projects from South Lanarkshire, East Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire plus reports from Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and East Renfrewshire.

Forthcoming events

Uni of Glasgow Campus Development – Community Engagement Event:
Tuesday, 9 May 2023, 17:30 – 20:00.
Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB.
Register via Eventbrite.

Contents
(new consultations in bold)

1: Current Consultations

1. Westerhill Regeneration Area Framework Masterplan
2. Clydesdale Active Travel studies
3. Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove
4. Improving Southholm Roundabout (Erskine)
5. North Woodside Road consultation
6. East Renfrewshire Third Local Development Plan
7. East Kilbride Town Centre Active Travel Network – Phase 1.4
8. North Ayrshire Local Development Plan 3
9. North Lanarkshire Council – Green and open space survey
10. Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Partnership Plan
11. Devon Street Urban Park

2: Consultation Feedback

1. City Network – Delivery Plan (Phase 1)
2. Causeyside Street Regeneration – dropped
3. City Centre District Regeneration Frameworks (DRFs) approved by Council
4. Glasgow Uni Campus newsletter – April 2023

3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

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

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

1.1: Westerhill Regeneration Area Framework Masterplan

Council: East Dunbartonshire.
Area: Regeneration area, north-east of Westerhill Rd, Bishopbriggs (around Low Moss prison).
Subject: First public consultation on plans for Westerhill. The good news is plans already include walking and cycling paths. The existing Wester Way off-road path, parallel to Westerhill Rd, currently stops near the former Aviva offices. It seems to link to paths in the proposed plan but it’s not clear what the junctions or path widths would be like.
Website links: Westerhill Framework Masterplan.
Deadline: 16 May 2023.

1.2: Clydesdale Active Travel studies

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Area: Clydesdale/Clyde Valley split into three (quite arbitrary) regions: North-west (Lesmahagow/Douglas), North-east (Carstairs/Biggar) and South (Abington/Leadhills). They miss out Carluke and Lanark, as these towns already have Active Travel studies.
Subject: Consultation on draft Active Travel Studies for each of the three areas (by Aecom). The M74/NCN74 corridor runs through the north-east and south areas but not all villages have paths to it. Recent active travel projects by the council in Clydesdale include Carstairs and Leadhills. Also, Leadhills is part of a joint active travel project to connect it to Wanlockhead, Dumfries & Galloway. Further links between routes in South Lanarkshire, D&G and Borders are part of the Clydesdale Way project.
Website links: Clydesdale Active Travel studies webpage.
Featured: Digest 129, Item 1.1.
Deadline: 19 May 2023.

1.3: Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: Phase 1 – Yorkhill North; Phase 2 – Yorkhill South; Phase 3 – Kelvingrove; Phase 4 – Corunna St & Minerva St.
Subject: Formerly ‘Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Cycling Village’ – still funded by Spaces for Everyone. Phase 1 proposals show a bi-directional cycletrack from Kelvin Way on Radnor St, Haugh Rd, Gilbert St and Sandyford St. The Gilbert/Sandyford corner links to a path to Centurion Way, the 2-way lanes on Ferry Rd (separate City Deal project) and the Expressway underpass to NCN7. Yorkhill St links south to Kelvinhaugh St and north to Old Dumbarton Rd (also City Deal). There are public realm improvements, new crossings and a new cycle hire station on Kelvinhaugh St. Most of this looks promising although it’s a 2-way cycletrack so could be tricky to join or leave (especially at diagonal crossing from Radnor St to Haugh Rd). It passes opposite Bike for Good and Dockyard Social (maybe partly to avoid loading vans). Also, expect issues with car parking (used by visitors to the SEC, SWG3 and Finnieston).
Featured: Digest 107, 1.11.
Website links: Connecting Yorkhill & Kelvingrove storymap.
Deadline: 21 May 2023.

1.4: Improving Southholm Roundabout (Erskine)

Council: Renfrewshire.
Area: Old Greenock Rd/A726 junction south of Erskine.
Subject: Revisiting one of the junctions from the Erskine junction safety consultation. Results were in favour of action to improve road safety. Southholm Roundabout is set amongst trees on the edge of town but hemmed in on the south-west by a low stone wall. There may be enough space for a proper Dutch-style roundabout (as speed limit is changing to 30mph). These tend to be single-lane with a cycle lane in a separate outer ring (crossings on each arm leave a gap for cars to stop). However, neither of the two options offers that. One proposal is for a single lane roundabout but it expands the centre instead of pulling the kerblines in. Both options have shared pavements too. Meanwhile, neighbouring East Renfrewshire’s Dutch-style roundabout at Malletsheugh on A77 is under construction. However, at least the options don’t follow comments on local councillors Facebook page calling for more lanes.
Featured: Digest 125, 1.2.
Website links: Improving Southholm Roundabout: Concept Designs.
Deadline: 28 May 2023.

1.5: North Woodside Road Consultation

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: This project was started by Websters Theatre in 2020, as part of GCC’s “Animating Spaces” initiative. Now part of Connecting Woodside, it’s back for further consultation. It’s about the stopped up end of North Woodside Rd at Great Western Rd outside the theatre (formerly Lansdowne Church). Active travel is mentioned, as well as a performance space, but there don’t seem to be any formal plans yet. Instead, there’s a survey and postcard.
Featured: Digest 75, Item 1.1.
Website links: N Woodside Rd survey and postcard.
Deadline: 29 May 2023.

1.6: East Renfrewshire Third Local Development Plan

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: ERC are consulting about how best to engage people ahead of the new Local Development documents coming out. “Stage 1: Pre-Engagement Surveys. The first stage is finding out how communities and other stakeholders want to engage on LDP3 preparation and receive updates.”
Website links: East Renfrewshire Third Local Development Plan Commonplace website.
Deadline: 31 May 2023.

1.7: East Kilbride Town Centre Active Travel Network – Phase 1.4

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Area: West Mains Road at its eastern end, from Creighton Grove to the Priestknowe (Three Bears) roundabout.
Subject: Section of W Mains Rd past housing to link to bike paths on Churchill Ave. There are two options to continue east of the existing 1-way cycletracks (from zebra crossing). Option 1 has a short 2-way cycletrack then shared path, with green space made into a ‘pocket park’ (keeping most parking bays). Option 2 is mostly 2-way cycletrack, except for short breaks at disabled parking bays, then shared path round corner at roundabout. The latter would remove most of the current car parking spaces and convert the grass area into a residents car park. While the council have to keep residents on-side, it’s a bit of a Hobson’s choice between the two options. Also, SLC haven’t addressed links from Creighton Grove up to Hunter Community Health Centre and Andrew St, which need resurfacing/re-signed.
Featured: Digest 110, 2.3.
Website links: East Kilbride Town Centre Active Travel Network – Phase 1.4 webpage.
Deadline: 2 June 2023.

1.8: North Ayrshire Local Development Plan 3

Council: North Ayrshire.
Subject: First consultation stage for the next Local Development Plan by North Ayrshire. It may be one of the first in Scotland under the new National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4 came into force in February 2023). As a result, it should have more emphasis on the environment, including active travel. Getting cycling routes/networks, developer obligations, etc. mentioned in the LDP makes them more likely to be delivered. Also, if developers proposals miss out or go against the LDP, these give people grounds to object and have plans altered or conditions added.
Website links: North Ayrshire LDP3 consultation website.
Deadline: June 28 2023.

1.9: North Lanarkshire Council – Green and open space survey

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: Survey and audit data to feed into an Open Space Strategy and other policies. NLC avoid on-street protected cycle lanes, so anything affecting off-street paths could have a big impact on cycling in the county. Areas like the Seven Lochs Wetland Park have cross-border active travel routes (Hogganfield Loch to Drumpellier Country Park, Coatbridge). NL’s other country parks, Palacerigg (see above) and especially Strathclyde Park, are also havens for active travel. The latter has added and upgraded paths near Bellshill with more of NCN74 due to be re-routed through the park. The council ignored a GoBike suggestion for links between Strathclyde Park, Duchess Park, Ravenscraig and the existing Greenlink route (as part of redevelopment of Airbles Rd). There’s potential for similar links around some of North Lanarkshire’s dozen nature reserves. The consultation has a general survey and one about specific places that are important to visitors or residents.
Website links: Green and open space surveys.
Deadline: 10 July 2023.

1.10: Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Partnership Plan

Organisation: Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.
Area: The park ranges from Loch Eck and Loch Goil in the west to Loch Earn and Callander in the east. Also, from Killin and Crianlarich in the north to Balloch in the south (but it misses out Helensburgh and Gare Loch).
Subject: A wide-ranging five year plan for the park. It includes a section on ‘Low Carbon Travel for Everyone’. Cycle routes and active travel are mentioned briefly but most of the section is about buses. That may make sense, considering the size of the park, but it’s still a bit disappointing. There’s already a cycle route from Balloch up the west side of Loch Lomond (and there were plans for an active travel route to Inverarnan as part of A82 works). Active travel paths were extended along the River Goil in 2021 and there seems to be plenty of scope for more.
Website links: Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Commonplace site.
Deadline: 19 July 2023.

1.11: Devon Street Urban Park

Organisation: Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS).
Area: Southside between Eglinton St and Pollokshaws Rd.
Subject: Formerly GUS M74, now revised and renamed… “The Devon Street Urban Park project is a proposal from Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS), a community led organisation, that aims to transform an unused area of land under the canopy of the M74 motorway, on the southside of Glasgow, to create a new public urban park and community leisure space.” While the project still involves building a skatepark it seems to have broadened out a bit to gain more community support. There are new partner organisations on board and a new survey to fill in.
Featured: Digest 92, Item 1.14.
Website links: Devon St survey, new GUS website.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: City Network – Delivery Plan (Phase 1)

Subject: An important report from the council about how the City Network will be delivered. The main headline is the phasing and distances planned.
Phase 0 – existing projects: East City Way, Connecting Battlefield, Connecting Woodside, Connecting Yorkhill & Kelvingrove, City Deal: Byres Rd/Sighthill and Flourishing Molendinar.
Phase 1 – City Network Advanced Delivery Areas in the North (24km), South (33km) and Greater Govan (20km). There are no specific timescales except that the network will be done in ten years (or 2030 in some docs).
“GCC are committed to delivering the City Network in partnership with other sustainable transport modes, recognising that there will be occasions where conflicts arise and decisions have to be made with regards specific priorities on key links.” Perhaps including places like Paisley Road West? Further phases will appear in future Digests.
Website links: City Network – Delivery Plan report.

2.2: Causeyside Street Regeneration – dropped

Subject: Plans for a 2-way cycletrack on Causeyside St, Paisley have been dropped by Renfrewshire Council. Businesses in the town centre had reacted negatively to the redevelopment, despite the fact it would’ve kept current car parking spaces. Councillor Kenny MacLaren, said he hadn’t heard “one person speak positively about it”. This Digest has been positive about the lanes linking between Gilmour St station and NCN7 at Canal St. It’s unfortunate this happened while GoBike has been restructuring. We’d ask any members in Renfrewshire who are disappointed by this decision to get involved in our new structure and at our AGM when it’s announced. It’s important to have people ‘on the ground’ to counter campaigns like the petition against the Causeyside St Regeneration.
Featured: Digest 132, Item 2.1
Website links: Cycle lane plans dropped by council.

2.3: City Centre District Regeneration Frameworks (DRFs) approved by Council

Area: Cowcaddens, the ‘Learning Quarter’ (around Cathedral St), the Merchant City and Townhead.
Subject: A further four District Regeneration Frameworks (DRFs) are approved by Glasgow City Council.“These four DRFs will now become material planning consideration for the city centre. Five [previous] DRFs (the Blythswood, Broomielaw, Central, Sauchiehall/Garnethill and St Enoch districts) have already been approved and are currently being delivered.”
Featured: Digest 128, 1.4.
Website links: Four City Centre DRFs approved by Council.

2.4: Glasgow Uni Campus newsletter – April 2023

Subject: Update about works at the new uni campus. This time the focus is the Adam Smith Business School and a community event to update on progress (9 May, see above). Nearby, the redevelopment of Byres Road is making progress up the hill near Torness St.
Website links: Glasgow Uni Campus newsletter – April 2023.

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Areas: Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Lenzie, Lennoxtown, Milngavie, Milton of Campsie, Torrance, Twechar and Waterside.
Subject: Orders about disabled parking spaces.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.

3.2: Glasgow City Traffic Calming

Subject: One proposal for the Gaelic School on Berkeley St (deadline: 12 May).
Website links: Glasgow City Proposed Traffic Calming Schemes.

3.3: North Lanarkshire TROs

Areas: Towns and villages throughout the county.
Subject: Part-time 20 miles per hour speed restrictions –many around schools.
NLC have a consultation about parking in Cumbernauld village focussed on locals (asks for name/postcode – ends 22 May). Also, one on Planning and Noise Supplementary Guidance (ends 17 May).
Website links: North Lanarkshire Live Consultations.

Happy Easter! Things are a bit dead, before numbers rise again after the election, so it’s a chance to bring back consultations that slipped through the net in the last few months. The 12 local authorities in the Strathclyde area don’t always let us know what they’re up to!

This issue features East Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire for the first time in a while. North Ayrshire and Inverclyde still have consultations open. Also, regulars like Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire. The latter had a consultation that fell between Digest issues (see featured image, above) and sent a new update on NCN74.

Also, ahead of the local elections, check out Walk, Wheel, Cycle, Vote and consider a trip to Edinburgh for Pedal on Parliament‘s new route on 23 April (just after Earth Day).

Forthcoming consultation

Grassyards Road: Temporary cycle route extension (to MacKenzie Drive, Kilmarnock). Expected early May 2022 (presumably after the local elections).

Contents
(new/updated items in bold – link jumps to article)

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. City Centre Campus/‘Learning Quarter’ (People-First infrastructure)
2. Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods
3. Ardrossan Harbour Consultation
4. Drumchapel Local Development Framework
5. Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

1. Foregate Square/James Shaw Lane, Kilmarnock (Temp. Pedestrian and Cycle Zone) TRO
2. Active & Sustainable Travel Strategy and Action Plan (ASTSAP), West Dunbartonshire
3. Churchill Ave route (& Cornwall St), East Kilbride
4. NCN74 Bothwell/Uddingston
5. East Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2 formally adopted

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

1.1: City Centre Campus/‘Learning Quarter’ (People-First infrastructure)

Organisation: Stantec on behalf of a partnership between University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow City Council.
Area: Townhead/Cathedral St area, north-east of city centre.
Subject: Consultation on the so-called ‘Learning Quarter’ where many streets are due to be in the city’s Avenues Project, including Cathedral St and North Hanover St. The campus project would link between those to the universities and college. Firstly, the Western Route includes steep Montrose St, as it goes past Strathclyde Uni’s ‘Heart of the Campus’ (Rottenrow Gardens). There’s another hill past City of Glasgow College towards Buchanan Bus Station. Secondly, the Eastern Route would connect to Rottenrow East and link to Avenues Plus routes on George St and John Knox St. Thirdly, the Northern Route goes from Cathedral St east of the college towards the new Sighthill Bridge. The survey asks about different options for streets on the routes. Stakeholder workshops will take place after Easter.
First featured: Digest 74, Item 2.1.
Website links: Public Engagement Web Hub.
Deadline: 8 May 2022.

1.2: Yorkhill to Anderston Liveable Neighbourhoods

Council: Glasgow City.
Area: From Yorkhill, Kelvinhaugh, Stobcross, Sandyford, Finnieston to Anderston.
Subject: The latest Liveable Neighbourhoods consultation covers the area between the River Clyde, River Kelvin, Kelvingrove Park and M8. Popular active travel infrastructure in the area includes NCN7/75 and the West City Way. Also, the (almost finished?) lanes funded by City Deal on Bunhouse Rd and Old Dumbarton Rd. Further segregated cyclepaths are due for Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Cycling Village. These include Minerva St and Haugh Rd (where Bike for Good have their West hub). However, there are still plenty of gaps, as shown when the riverbank was shut during COP26. A new bridge across the Clyde at the Riverside Museum is due to start construction. Meanwhile, the SEC’s redevelopment may close off the red ‘smartie tube’ bridge at Exhibition Centre station. The M8 motorway remains a barrier to destinations like the Mitchell Library and Anderston station.
First featured: Digest 107, Item 1.11.
Website links: Yorkhill to Anderston LN (Commonplace).
Deadline: June 2022.

1.3: Ardrossan Harbour Consultation

Council: North Ayrshire.
Subject: Ardrossan Harbour and ferry terminal redevelopment “…will improve the facilities and operations at Ardrossan to meet the additional capacity provided by the MV Glen Sannox.” The much-delayed ferry is due to enter service later in 2022. Part of the proposals are about active travel routes into the site. The consultation interface is 3D but the plans are squashed into slides from a presentation. There seem to be walking and cycling lanes into both the west side (Harbour Rd) and east side (behind the Housing Association building). The presentation also mentions cycle parking, which may be at the south-west corner of the terminal. However, the plans are very hard to read. The cycle lanes should link into the Ardrossan Connections project in the town. Despite some reaction against the project in the local paper and a petition, it has held consultation events in March/April.
First featured: Digest 109, Item 1.5.
Website links: Ardrossan Harbour Consultation page and Ardrossan Harbour survey.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.4: Drumchapel Local Development Framework

Council: Glasgow City.
Subject: The latest framework consultation, following previous strategic ones for Glasgow North, ‘Inner East’, etc. Drumchapel is known as one of the ‘big four’ post-war council housing estates (along with Castlemilk, Easterhouse and Pollok). The Drumchapel Cycle Hub is based near the sports centre but there’s very little cycling infrastructure around the area. The map has made it past 25 comments.
First featured: Digest 102, Item 1.12.
Website links: Drumchapel Commonplace map, Drumchapel survey link and background.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

1.5: Greenock to Battery Park SfP lane

Council: Inverclyde.
Subject: A Spaces for People temporary route between Greenock town centre and a coastal park. A recent council vote was 9:2 in favour of keeping the lanes for another six months, with a further review in September. Photos in the consultation survey show a mixture of on-road ‘soft’ segregation and painted lanes on footways and across side roads. While some of the junction and bus stop treatments may not be ideal, there seem to be decent protected sections too.
Website links: Greenock Town Centre to Battery Park – Community Engagement and Inverclyde Now article on council vote.
Deadline: No obvious deadline.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Foregate Square/James Shaw Lane, Kilmarnock (Temporary Pedestrian and Cycle Zone) TRO

Council: East Ayrshire (via Ayrshire Roads Alliance).
Subject: A TRO from a few months ago, which extends the previous Spaces for People scheme (which your author missed – apologies). James Shaw Lane has a taxi rank and car parking beside a multi-storey car park. It leads to Foregate Square at the Burns Mall Shopping Centre and the bus station (with links to pedestrianised King St). The Order bans general car traffic but allows Blue Badge holders, taxis and some loading. The council SfP page shows the painted treatment and signage at the tarmac end of James Shaw Ln. However, Google StreetView images (see above) suggest there’s an issue with enforcement. The multi-storey car park is due to be closed and demolished later this year. The new Order came into force on 24 February 2022.
Website links: Foregate Sq/James Shaw Ln TRO and Foregate Sq/James Shaw Ln plan.

2.2: Active & Sustainable Travel Strategy and Action Plan (ASTSAP), West Dunbartonshire

Council: West Dunbartonshire.
Subject: A new Active & Sustainable Travel Strategy consultation sadly finished in March. Unfortunately, GoBike don’t hear much from West Dunbartonshire Council (unlike East Dunbartonshire, where we’re Stage 1 consultees). The strategy’s website does mention networks of active travel routes but doesn’t mention standards like the revised Cycling by Design. As the graphic shows, there’s an emphasis on electric vehicles over active travel. However, it does at least mention an e-bike charging network. There is some good active travel infrastructure in West Dumbartonshire, like the Bowline. But, as in most council areas, they lack protected everyday routes outside the National Cycle Network. This includes tourist destinations like the car-centric Loch Lomond Shores. WDC share some transport and environmental functions with East Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde councils. Inverclyde recently posted a Shared Services update on behalf of the local authorities.
Website link: Active & Sustainable Travel Strategy and Action Plan site, Results of Strategy Consultation (Phase 1 PDF), ASTSAP Appendix A (Emissions PDF), ASTSAP Appendix B (Sustainable Travel. PDF).

2.3: Churchill Ave route (& Cornwall St), East Kilbride

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: This consultation came up between Digests (with a deadline the day before the next one!). The route starts on Cornwall St and should solve some of the issues going east at the taxi rank. The segregated 2-way cycletracks go north on Churchill Avenue towards West Mains Rd and Aldi. The rest of the route goes south-east, where it links with an existing path towards South Lanarkshire College. An alternative route under the roundabout avoids the double road crossing but the new route doesn’t connect directly to it. Perhaps due to concerns about underpasses, from college students/staff at the consultation workshop. While the above route uses verges, it would change some kerblines and require roadworks. W Mains Rd’s Places for Everyone project drew criticism for that so there may be more flak to come. W Mains Rd is due further work to build a protected junction at Torrance Rd.
First featured: Digest 102, Item 1.4.
Website link: Churchill Ave proposal 1 (PDF), Churchill Ave proposal 2 (PDF), Churchill Ave proposal 3 (PDF) and EK town centre network phasing.

2.4: NCN74 Bothwell/Uddingston

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Also in South Lanarkshire, GoBike member Denny passed on a response from the council about re-routing NCN74 between the Raith Interchange and Uddingston. SLC said: “the proposed rerouting and improvement designs will shortly be going out to Public Consultation.” Also: “construction has started on an off-road section between North British Road and Bellshill Road. This path will now incorporate a 3m wide cycle lane accompanied by a 2m wide pedestrian pavement. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by 15 April 2022, weather depending.” This section was already a popular off-road path so the extra width should help avoid conflicts between people.

2.5: East Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2 formally adopted

Council: East Renfrewshire.
Subject: East Ren’s new Local Development Plan finally made it over the finishing line. Following consultation, going to the Scottish Government Reporter, then Scottish Ministers (as we last heard in Digest 102, 2.5). ERC emailed: “As of 31st March 2022, the East Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2 is now formally adopted.”
First featured: Digest 47, Item 1.5 (response: Digest 49, 1.3).
Website link: East Renfrewshire LDP2 page.

The Digest will take a break and return in May.

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

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

Infrastructure Update

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

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

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

Section 1: Current Consultations

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

1.1: North Lanarkshire Council – Strathclyde Park road closure

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

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

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

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

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

1.2: Kinning Park Complex – Sustaining Choices events

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

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

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

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

1.3: East Dunbartonshire Council – Climate Conversation

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

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

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

1.4: Maryhill North Transformational Regeneration Area – Masterplan Consultation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

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

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

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Background

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

Active Travel Studies

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

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

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

Spaces for People

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

Make Your Way

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

Tinto Hill Improvements

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

Clyde Cycle Park

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

3.4: East Dunbartonshire Council – Local Development Plan Newsletter

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

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:

In this Digest there are consultations for a few parts of the Southside and traffic orders for a few City Ways. Also, surveys and events on traffic and town hubs in North Lanarkshire.

If you’re in the city, see Andy’s three infrastructure routes around Glasgow to take in Spaces for People infrastructure. Part of the Southern route includes the SfP ‘pop-up’ bike lane on Dumbreck Road, which was recently removed “by mistake” but then reinstated.

Andy has also started to inform GoBike about closures and diversions; if you hear of any please do let us know.

Looking further ahead towards spring, and an election, Pedal on Parliament have news about their events in April.

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. Glasgow City Council – St Andrews Drive (Sustainable Transport Route) Order – closes Sunday 7 March
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events – events from 8–18 March
3. Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order – closes Friday 12 March
4. Glasgow City Council – London Road/Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order – closes Friday 12 March
5. Scottish Canals – Stockingfield public meeting – Thursday 18 March
6. Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 – closes Friday 19 March
7. North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall – closes Sunday 21 March
8. Waverley Park Collective – Liveable Streets Waverley Park
9. Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park survey

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Urban Roots – Malls Mire Newsletter February 2021
2. Sustrans – Glasgow Cycle Counters (revisited)

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

1.1: Glasgow City Council – St Andrews Drive (Sustainable Transport Route) Order –Sunday 7 March

Digest 80 covered the St Andrews Drive TRO to extend the South West City Way. The order deals mainly with parking to clear the way for the route.

Further details about the route are still available on the original consultation website (from 2019/2020) including a ‘Storymap’ and links to PDFs of technical plans. The existing SWCW is 2-way (bi-directional), with both lanes on one side of the road. The extension will be too but using ‘cycle lane separators’ (a.k.a. zebras/orcas/armadillos) instead of kerbs.

A GoBike response to the SWCW extension plans was sent to Glasgow City Council in late January 2020. An updated GoBike response supports the order but notes that the other design issues haven’t been addressed.

There’s a consultation period for the TRO with a deadline of 7 March. Since it involves car parking, there are likely to be objections. Supportive emails may help to counter those. See the GCC website at www.glasgow.gov.uk/proposedtro.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Town hub community engagement events

More from North Lanarkshire Council for the second Digest in a row. This consultation isn’t strictly cycling-related but is relevant to the eight places in NLC’s Town Visions plans (Digest 80).

NLC 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. To do this, hubs will be places where education is delivered alongside other council and community services. Hubs will have a form and facilities based on the needs of the local community.”

Those needs should include access by active travel. Schools are also where Bikeability training (formerly Cycling Proficiency) takes place and some already have fleets of bicycles. NLC’s website has further background information on the town hubs.

An email from NLC said: “We are carrying out online engagement with our communities throughout March about potential locations for new town hubs in North Lanarkshire.”

• Kilsyth – Monday 8th March – 6:30pm
• Cumbernauld – Tuesday 9th March – 6:30pm
• Airdrie – Wednesday 10th March – 6:30pm
• Coatbridge – Thursday 11th March – 6:30pm
• Bellshill – Monday 15th March – 6:30pm
• Motherwell – Tuesday 16th March – 6:30pm
• Wishaw – Wednesday 17th March – 6:30pm
• Shotts – Thursday 18th March – 6:30pm

The link for each town goes to an Eventbrite sign-up page to register for the event.

1.3: Glasgow City Council – East City Way Phase 1 (London Drive to Daldowie Road) Order – Friday 12 March

The East City Way traffic order was covered in Digest 80. Phase 1 is currently under construction on London Rd and Hamilton Rd around Mount Vernon train station. The order prepares the ground for it hopefully being finished soon. A new GoBike response about ECW went to Glasgow City Council, referencing our points from our response at the draft stage. Mostly about the switch between 1-way and 2-way cycle lanes and the banned turn. The order will be on GCC’s Proposed TRO webpage for comment until Friday 12 March.

1.4: Glasgow City Council – London Road/Hamilton Road (30mph Speed Limit) Order – Friday 12 March

The London Road/Hamilton Road 30mph Speed Limit was also in Digest 80. It lowers the speed limit all the way along London Rd and Hamilton Rd between Dewar’s distillery and the Dog’s Trust. Again, we sent a new GoBike response supporting the change of speed limit and the order is up for comment until Friday 12 March.

1.5: Scottish Canals – Stockingfield public meeting – Thursday 18 March

Scottish Canals maintain and develop canals, towpaths and bridges, including the major works at the Stockingfield junction on the Forth & Clyde canal. This is the canal t-junction without a bridge, where you had to cross by going down through a narrow road tunnel on Lochburn Rd with no pavements or bike path. The plans for a large 3-span canal bridge were approved in March 2020 and works started in autumn. Parts of the towpath will be closed and won’t re-open until later in 2022. Further information about the project is on the Stockingfield page on the Scottish Canals website. If you have questions about issues, like diversions or the new bike-only signals on Lochburn Rd, Scottish Canals are having an online meeting about the project on Thursday 18 March.

1.6: Glasgow Harbour Ltd – Yorkhill Quay Phase 2 – closes Friday 19 March

This development first appeared on our radar in Digest 73, Item 1.1. It had a brief consultation which swiftly disappeared from the company’s website (as we noted in Digest 74, Item 1.3). That was to do with a pre-application about the masterplan for the site. Apparently, “a Proposal of Application Notice (PoAN) associated with the development was submitted to Glasgow City Council on 20th November 2020”. So, this consultation about the eastern side of the site is part of the 12-week pre-application period before plans go in.

The developer’s Yorkhill Quay website has new visualisations (which look very plastic) and reworked PDF plans. It’s not clear from the plans what will happen to the current path behind the site, between the Riverside Museum and the distillery. Nor how wide the new riverfront path will be (but it seems to have street furniture and trees splitting it up).

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.

1.7: North Lanarkshire Council – Consultations on traffic issues in Calderbank and Chapelhall – Sunday 21 March

Back in North Lanarkshire, the council is consulting about traffic in the villages of Calderbank and Chapelhall, between Airdrie and the M8. Their email says:

“In response to road safety concerns raised by local residents, the council undertook a series of detailed surveys to assess traffic conditions through both villages. Information from these surveys will be included in the reports.

The public consultation, which will run until 21 March, will give both communities the opportunity to provide feedback on a range of potential road safety improvements.

The reports and online consultation are available from 24 February on our website at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/traffic-studies.”

The Chapelhall Traffic Study, in the ‘Potential Improvements’ section, suggests speed tables and mini-roundabouts. The Calderbank Traffic Study proposes mini-roundabouts too but also includes a new crossing on Main St. Each study has a survey link at the end. If you know the areas you have until Sunday 21 March to respond.

1.8: Waverley Park Collective – Liveable Streets Waverley Park

Waverley Park is an area of Shawlands in the Southside of Glasgow (where the streets are named after characters in Walter Scott novels). The Waverley Park Collective are a grassroots group of residents who’ve previously organised community events for children as well as things like cycling training. They’ve recently won funding to plan changes to local streets and set up the Liveable Streets Waverley Park consultation. If you know the area, you can add a pin to the map. No obvious closing date for this one (seems to be open-ended).

1.9: Glasgow Urban Sports – GUSM74 Urban Sports Sculpture Park

This item is about a different kind of cycling to your average GoBike ride! The Glasgow Urban Sports group want to bring land under the M74 extension into productive use as a park for ‘urban sports’ – BMX, skateboarding, inline skating, parkour, etc. The area is between the back of West St Subway station and Eglinton St (a few blocks from Batley’s cash & carry warehouse). The idea for the project originally came up around 2014 (as a legacy of the Commonwealth Games).

Recently, GUS have come up with a new survey to try and demonstrate support for the project. It’s mainly aimed at skaters, or their families, to find out how often they/their relatives might use the park, etc. If you’re not likely to be down there yourself grinding any rails then feel free to share it with friends or family who might. No obvious closing date.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Urban Roots – Malls Mire Newsletter February 2021

Malls Mire was first covered (under its current name) in Digest 74, Item 3.4. The latest February issue of the Malls Mire newsletter reached us this week. It has a few updates about progress and related projects like Polmadie Plots Community Garden.

3.2: Sustrans – Glasgow Cycle Counters (revisited)

In Digest 79, Item 3.3 we bade farewell to the public cycle counter near Saltmarket in Glasgow Green as it was switched off. We were assured that “two replacement cycle counters were installed in the following locations: NCN75 at St. Andrew’s Suspension Bridge and NCN75 at Cuningar Loop Footbridge”. Turns out the new counters aren’t like-for-like replacements…

The new counter feeds back figures to Sustrans/the council only. While that is fair enough for collecting data, it’s not so good for campaigning. The public counter used to prove how many people cycled past, which could be useful to point out to doubters of cycling/active travel. It would be a shame if Sustrans had moved away from public counters altogether. When will we see the Saltmarket counter’s LED like again…?