Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 75, 8 December 2020

From vast visions of vehicles to little local landmarks (and not much in between).

There's no real middle ground in this Consultation Digest, it's either big trunk road projects and wide strategies or wee villages, School Streets and a potential public square.

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. Websters Theatre – A New Public Space at Kelvinbridge
2. North Lanarkshire Council – Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure (RAI) project, closes 11 December
3. Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way, Key Links consultation, closes 13 December
4. Glasgow City Council – School Streets, Glasgow (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) Order 202_, closes 11 January 2021
5. East Dunbartonshire Council – Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), closes 15 January 2021
6. Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF), closes 29 January 2021
7. Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this time

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. Glasgow City Council – Traffic Calming Scheme (Ashgill Road)
2. Glasgow City Council – Traffic Calming Scheme (Auchinleck Avenue)
3. Glasgow City Council – Traffic Calming Scheme (Cleeves Road)
4. Multiplex/University of Glasgow – Campus Development, November 2020 Newsletter

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

1.1: Websters Theatre – A New Public Space at Kelvinbridge

GoBike received an email from David Robertson at Websters Theatre in the West End of Glasgow (the former church east of the Kelvin Bridge on Great Western Road). It's about the space next to the theatre at the end of North Woodside Road:

"We have recently submitted the above proposal for a New Public Space at Kelvinbridge in response to the council's "Animating Spaces" initiative, which is operating to a tight schedule.

There are a couple of points in the Proposals I would draw your attention to:

• The space in question, which is in front of the main entrance to Websters theatre, would remain fully public and in the control of the Council
• The idea is for a temporary use over summer in response to Covid-19 i.e. without requiring major investment. If it is seen as a success a more permanent arrangement might be pursued in terms of creating a formal public square

Consultation process:  We are currently seeking consultation responses, so please circulate this as widely as possible. If you know any individuals or groups who might particularly benefit from this, please do let us know. And of course we very much look forward to hearing your own thoughts on our proposals."

North Woodside Road is stopped up at Great Western Road and is a slightly neglected area so it's positive that it may be improved. It's a link between the Kelvin and Great Western Rd so hopefully cycle access and bike parking will be considered. See Webster's proposal details (PDF) and feedback form. No deadline was given but we assume they need responses quite quickly.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Council – Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure (RAI) project,
(closes 11 December)

This first featured in Digest 68, Item 3.3, when GoBike asked to be notified if a detailed consultation was planned. The day after the last digest, we heard from North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) that a consultation had opened. The main features are a new road into Ravenscraig, the massive former steelworks site in Motherwell, and road widening on Airbles Road (B754).

While the new road does help connectivity across the railway to Ravenscraig, there's a wider context about the 'Pan Lanarkshire Orbital Route', linking the M8 and M74. It's funded by Glasgow City Region's City Deal, as their newsletter says (with a few typos):
"The RIA is a key component part of the council’s Plan Lanarkshire Orbital Route, combined with investment currently underway at Motherwell Town Centre Interchange and the future East Airdrie Link Road, to create a transformational road and infrastructure travel spine through North Lanarkshire."

It's certainly transformational but in a way some of us thought we'd left behind in the 20th century. The scale of the Airbles Rd/Windmillhill St roundabout is shocking – around 100m across at its widest point (over 300ft). It's similar in size to the Whirlies roundabout on the edge of East Kilbride. However, this junction is in the middle of a busy town centre street, right outside the Civic Centre HQ where NLC declared a Climate Emergency in 2019.

The multi-national Sweco have made a Ravenscraig 'story map' for the consultation. It sounds like the same old story about congestion:
"The new junction at Windmillhill Street is significantly larger than the existing roundabout. This is to accommodate the level of traffic expected in future years and also to accommodate safe movements of all vehicles including heavy goods vehicles."

However, the roundabout is bigger than other signalled roundabouts, which also accommodate HGVs (such as nearby Hamilton on the A723). NLC will install shared pavements (3m wide) for "improved walking and cycling links". There wasn't actually any cycling provision there to improve upon and the new road will cut off a quieter route along Orbiston St. The roundabout will have split crossings and no new ones are being added to the new dual carriageway or the rest of Windmillhill St (despite a school, health services and Fir Park nearby).

A smaller roundabout would give NLC the space to try to improve on their first attempt at a 'Dutch-style' roundabout, about half a mile along Windmillhill St at the current entrance to Ravenscraig (next to New College Lanarkshire – see below).

Airbles Rd runs west to the Hamilton Rd junction with Strathclyde Park, which is a magnet for cycling. A protected cycle route would offer a safe alternative to get to the new park being built in Ravenscraig. The road widening on Airbles Rd offers potential to add a segregated cycleway alongside so it's disappointing NLC haven't taken that opportunity. The Ravenscraig site itself is mostly empty, so there are literally acres of space for a segregated cycleway. Neighbouring South Lanarkshire Council have just built one on West Mains Rd, East Kilbride if NLC/City Deal need an example to follow.

Plans were first made public in August but NLC have since changed their website and removed the links. Luckily, GoBike can help provide access to the PDFs: Airbles Road widening plan, Windmillhill Street roundabout plan and Ravenscraig access road plan. We've also combined the different sections into larger images (as above): Airbles Road widening combined plans and Airbles Rd–Ravenscraig combined plans.

Please let the council know there's demand for higher quality cycling infrastructure in Motherwell. NLC are auditing active travel in their council area (again) but opportunities like this project are rare. See NLC's Ravenscraig consultation webpage and email comments to nlccitydeal@northlan.gov.uk. There isn't long to go before the closing date of Friday 11 December 2020.

(PS: NLC's colleagues at NL Culture sent GoBike an invitation to the online show Lost in Pantoland – we're not sure what they're trying to tell us!)

1.3: Community Action Lanarkshire – Make Your Way, Key Links consultation,
(closes 13 December)

At the other end of the scale, GoBike received an email via South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership from Sarah O'Sullivan at Community Action Lanarkshire:

"The public Make Your Way - Key Links consultation has just launched, seeking views on active travel links between Abington - Abington Services, Douglas - NCN74 and Leadhills - Wanlockhead. Closing date Sunday 13 December.

Share on Facebook: Community Action Lanarkshire | Facebook
Retweet on Twitter: CommunityActionLan (@CommunityActLan) / Twitter

Members of the public can take part in the consultation online via the virtual consultation room: Make Your Way - Key Links (ironsidefarrar.com) or view an abridged version at Abington General Store, Douglas Crossburn Service Station, Leadhills General Store Noticeboard, or Wanlockhead Community Noticeboard. Pick up and return paper surveys at Abington General Store, Douglas Crossburn Service Station or Leadhills General Store.

The consultation is part of a Feasibility Study which will be completed in April 2021. Subject to funding, detailed design and further consultation will take place until April 2022, with construction ready to take place at that point. This part of the project is managed by Rural Development Trust's Community Action Lanarkshire programme with Sustrans funding. The project contractors are Ironside Farrar."

The villages, above, are deep in the countryside of South Lanarkshire, where the Rural Development Trust is based (in Douglas Water, south of Lanark). NCN74 shadows parts of the M74 motorway and nearby roads have featured in rides by Cycling UK. If you know the area, check out the link to the 'virtual consultation' (in 3D – link above). Click the note to leave comments by Sunday 13th December.

1.4: Glasgow City Council – School Streets, Glasgow (Prohibition of Motor Vehicles) Order 202_, (closes 11 January 2021)

Glasgow has been piloting School Streets, which ban cars from the street next to the gates at the start and end of the school day. This Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) aims to make those pilots into permanent measures.

The council TRO notice includes PDF maps of School Streets for the following primary schools: Bankhead PS plan, Broomhill PS plan, Hillhead PS plan, Lourdes PS plan, Our Lady of the Rosary PS plan and St Blanes PS plan. They also include a background report, press advert and (brief) statement of reasons.

GoBike is in favour of School Streets and hopes these first examples can inspire more across the city. Please email GCC if you support these to LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk by 11th January 2021.

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

East Dunbartonshire Council are still looking for comments about their LDP2 for another month or so. Maybe not about the incomplete Bearsway or them being the only mainland council not to bid for Spaces for People funding. See Digest 72, Item 1.8 for further details.

1.6: Glasgow City Council – North Glasgow Strategic Development Framework (SDF),
(closes 29 January 2021)

Just over the border, the North Glasgow SDF is another long term document, which covers a large area of the city. This featured in Digest 74, Item 1.5 with the GoBike response written by Brenda. While the canal has been a focus in recent years, parts of it will be out of action for some time as the new bridge is built. Maybe that focuses the mind on other active travel routes that could benefit from a segregated cycleway, like the one being completed on Garscube Rd. Could similar projects work in Royston or Ruchill? You have a bit longer to answer since GCC extended the deadline.

1.7: Glasgow City Council – Protected Junction Trial consultation (Victoria Rd)

GCC also want to hear your views on their new protected junctions on the South City Way (as seen in Digest 74, Item 1.6). Have any of you tried the 90º turn around the CCTV mast yet? If so, feel free to fill in the council about your experience. See GCC's Protected Junctions webpage for more information (no deadline).

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None forthcoming this time.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1/3.2/3.3: Glasgow City Council – Traffic Calming Schemes (Ashgill Road/Auchinleck Avenue/Cleeves Road)

Regular readers may be able to guess what's in this consultation response from GCC. Predictably, there is a complete lack of changes to all three of these so they've been lumped together. It's not clear what the collective noun should be for speed cushions. In the absence of any guidance, let's go for a 'plump' of speed cushions.

• The first plump (is the deepest – 38 of them) for Ashgill Rd – see Digest 50, Item 3.12.
• The penultimate plump has 39 going up Auchinleck Ave – see Digest 68, Item 1.6.
• Lastly, the final plump down on Cleeves Rd (13 cushions) – see Digest 69, Item 1.7.

The bollards in all these schemes seem like a good excuse to mention the wonderful World Bollard Association twitter account.

3.4: Multiplex/University of Glasgow – Campus Development, November 2020 Newsletter

We end where we began in the West End of Glasgow. This one slipped through the net last time. Apologies if you were dying to know the latest about Glasgow Uni's new campus. Feast your eyes on all two pages of updates in their November 2020 Newsletter. At least one type of Multiplex has still been going over the last few months.