Swinton Avenue, Baillieston: proposed speed cushions will leave cyclists in the gutter

Glasgow City Council propose, in a recent e-mail headed “Swinton Avenue Traffic Calming Scheme”: “to consider the introduction of the above named Traffic Calming Scheme and I wish to establish the views of your organisation.

Background to the proposed Scheme

The scheme is aimed at improving road safety by reducing vehicle speeds and discouraging rat-running.

Roads affected by the proposed Scheme

The list of roads affected by these proposals are:-

Swinton Avenue

Details of the proposed Scheme

The proposed Scheme (as depicted on the attached plan) will comprise of:-

• 4 sets of 1.9m x 1.9m 75mm high speed cushions.”

Their drawing: Swinton Avenue Traffic Calming Propsal shows only 0.5m at the outer side of each set of speed cushion, ie one would have to cycle right in the gutter, over the cushion or in the 0.7m gap between the 2 cushions.

There appears to have been no consideration of active travel and we have proposed options of one-way chicanes with cycle bypasses or for the road to be stopped up allowing only cycle through traffic, and we have copied our letter, GoBike Consultations Swinton Avenue Traffic Calming 13 Dec 2017 to the 3 Councillors for the Ward, ie Ward 20, Baillieston.  We have also mentioned the potential impact of Mark Ruskell’s 20mph bill – if you haven’t written to your constituency and list MSPs to ask them to support this, please do so!

Comments on the Swinton Avenue proposal are required by this Friday, 15 December – sorry for the short notice – but if you wish to put your comments in please do so to: LandServices.Mailroom@glasgow.gov.uk