Glasgow City Council have found 3 more areas that don’t yet have speed cushions – why can’t they wait for the Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan to be adopted? GoBike agrees that speeding motor traffic is a menace but our view is that the solution is bigger than speed cushions, as we explain in Section 1.
North Lanarkshire have found millions of pounds to spend on roads to Ravenscraig but not a cycle lane to be seen, see Item 3.3.
Better news: there’s still time to support Living Streets for their excellent campaign to get parked cars off our pavements and do please respond to the online survey on the Town Centre Action Plan.

Contents

Section 1: Current Consultations

1. **NEW** SCVO charity awards, vote for Living Streets Pavement Parking Campaign online, closes 04 September
2. Glasgow City Council, Hermiston Road (Shettleston) Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 08 September
3. Glasgow City Council, Muirhead Road (Baillieston) Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 09 September
4. Glasgow City Council, Newlands Park Area Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 09 September
5. South Lanarkshire Council, Hamilton, Abercorn Drive and Chestnut Crescent, Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 11 September
6. **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Auchinleck Avenue, Robroyston, Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 17 September
7. **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Maxwell Drive, Pollokshields, Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 17 September
8. **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Maxwell Park Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 22 September
   **Additional Item: Glasgow City Council response on Traffic Calming**
9. Scottish Government, Town Centre Action Plan Expert Review Group, online survey, closes 30 September
10. UK Department of Transport, Review of the Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, closes 27 October 2020

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

1. South Lanarkshire Council, East Kilbride cycling routes
2. Glasgow City Council, Transport Strategy, City Centre Transformation Strategy and Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan consultation commences 21 September
3. North Lanarkshire Council, new roads to Ravenscraig

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

1. GoBike Digest Survey results
2. Glasgow City Council, Helensburgh Drive Traffic Calming, 1 year on
3. North Lanarkshire Council, New Road Plans on the Agenda!
4. East Dunbartonshire Council, Local Development Plan Newsletter No 58
5. Glasgow City Council, Renewal of Planning Consent, Glasgow Harbour, initial response
6. Scottish Government, Response to Town Centre Action Plan Review submission
7. Glasgow City Council, Govan Partick Strategic Development Framework consultation update
8. Glasgow City Council, Draft River Strategic Development Framework consultation update

Section 1: Current Consultations, in date order for responses

1.1 **NEW** SCVO charity awards, vote for Living Streets Pavement Parking Campaign online, closes this Friday, 04 September

GoBike supported moves to ban pavement parking and, as we reported in Digest 65, Item 3.4, we are bitterly disappointed that the new legislation has not yet come into effect. Living Streets played a pivotal role in the campaign for the ban. Tricia is a personal member of Living Streets and here’s the email sent out to the organisation’s members on 17 August:

“Living Streets Scotland’s
pavement parking campaign has been nominated for the SCVO charity awards

Dear member,

Living Streets is thrilled to have been nominated for the SCVO charity awards for our work on pavement parking in Scotland.

The ban in October 2019 was the culmination of over a decade of campaigning by Living Streets Scotland and disability charities, and we could not have done it without your support – thank you!

The Scottish Charity Awards recognise the best of the voluntary sector in Scotland, and our nomination recognises the 10-year campaign led by Living Streets and the Responsible Parking Campaign. 

Now we need your votes!
Members of the public can have their say and vote for their favourite campaign. 

VOTE FOR LIVING STREETS

In the meantime, it is clear that speed cushions are not an effective measure:

• they either push bikes into the gutter or into the centre of the road rather than allowing riders to maintain a primary position on the road
• many current vehicles are so wide that, even as larger and larger speed cushions are used, they can straddle the cushions necessitating only a minimal reduction in speed, if any
• they do not prevent motor drivers using residential streets as rat runs
• they deteriorate, as shown on the feature photo for this Digest and again in Item 3.2 below
• we are not aware of any evidence that speed cushions reduce maximum speeds or make roads safer for people to cross them

The points above plus the prospect of a Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan for Glasgow form the basis of this letter that GoBike has just sent to Glasgow City Council in respect of the 6 schemes and the letter sent to South Lanarkshire Council featured in Item 1.5 below.

1.2 Glasgow City Council, Hermiston Road (Shettleston) Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 08 September

This was included as Item 1.10 in Digest 67 and given that Hermiston Road is just 2 streets to the west of Greenfield Road, also proposed for the speed cushion treatment, see Item 1.8 in Digest 67, which, in turn runs parallel to the main road, Springboig Road, it seems sensible to address this area as a “liveable neighbourhood”, see Item 2.2 below. Both roads are being used as alternatives to Springboig Road and we suggest that a series of modal filters be installed to prevent motor traffic using the area as a short cut.

1.3 Glasgow City Council, Muirhead Road (Baillieston) Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 09 September

Muirhead Road featured as Item 1.11 in Digest 67 and this is not as obvious a rat run. However, if the road were closed to through motor traffic, apart from buses and emergency vehicles, at the railway station, then the road would be quieter. Motor traffic would still have the option of, north of the railway, access via Glasgow Road / Main Street to Glasgow and the motorway system and south of the railway, where there is a lot of residential development, access to Glasgow and the motorway system via Boghall Road. Significant amounts of public money have been spent on motorway construction in this area and motor traffic should be directed towards it.

1.4 Glasgow City Council, Newlands Park Area Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 09 September

The Newlands Park scheme was Item 1.12 in Digest 67 and is presumably proposed to stop vehicles speeding as they try to cut through from Merrylee Road to Kilmarnock Road. The roads being proposed for speed cushion treatment are Beverley Road, Calderwood Road, Carlaverock Road and Lubnaig Road. This is an affluent area so probably many of the motors will be large enough to glide over the cushions with little, if any, discomfort to the passengers. Reducing traffic overall with a series of modal filters would be a far more fitting solution.

1.5 South Lanarkshire Council, Hamilton, Abercorn Drive and Chestnut Crescent, Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 11 September

Digest 67 featured this proposal as Item 1.13 and here’s the link to the details. Last October in Digest 46 we publicised proposals for a modal filter on Silvertonhill Avenue, which we very much supported. However, it seems that the residents do not wish to lose their freedom for uncontrolled road use and the current proposals are for speed cushions and parking restrictions.
The survey is, apparently, limited to local residents, but if you do wish to comment just enter the street you live in and hope to proceed.

Here is the letter of concerned objection that GoBike has submitted today.

1.6 **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Auchinleck Avenue Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 17 September

This area of Robroyston is just to the north of the M80 and the shopping area, with carparks of course, which includes the Robroyston Asda. A vast amount of public money has been spent on the roads in this area, not just the M80, but all the connecting roads such as the new roundabout and all the roads to the south of the motorway, where many new houses are being built. There’s the new station too, but are there cycle lanes to it? Shared footways south of the motorway and nothing to the north of the motorway, which isn’t really the way to encourage active travel. It’s a bit scary on the bike round here.

Even with all the new roads, drivers still want a short cut and are cutting through this residential area. Surely the obvious answer is to get them to use these expensive roads by putting modal filters on these 2 roads?

However, the City Council propose speed cushions and here’s the specific detail from their email of 20 August:

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

• 7 sets of 3 (differing width) speed cushions
• 9 sets of 2 (differing width) speed cushions
• The supply and installation of 32 bollards

Please provide any comments you wish to make on these proposals within 28 days. 
Please reply directly to LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.“

The 6 plans attached are:
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals-Section-1-Btwn-roundabout-and-north-of-Cumnock-Rd
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals-Section-2-Btwn-north-of-Cumnock-Rd-and-east-of-Pathead-Gardens
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals-Section-3-Btwn-west-of-Glenbuck-Drive-and-north-of-Saughs-Avenue
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals-Section-4-Btwn-Saughs-Avenue-and-south-of-Auchinleck-Avenue
Auchinleck-Avenue-TC-Proposals-Section-5-Saughs-Avenue

The cushion spacing varies from a kerbside gap of 0.5 to 1.0m, making it tricky to maintain a primary position of about 1.0m from the kerb without going over the cushions. 2 modal filters, one on the north and one on the south part of the Auchinleck Avenue loop would be much less expensive and time consuming to install and might even encourage residents to cycle to Asda!

1.7 **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Maxwell Drive Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 17 September

Maxwell Drive in Pollokshields, Glasgow, is a wide road and, if you look carefully at the photograph below, it’s just possible to see a cycle lane painted on the road – it’s under the parked cars, so no surprise there!

The email from the City Council, received on 20 August, contains this critical information:

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

• 2 sets of 3 x 2m wide cushions
• 2 sets of 4 x 2m wide cushions
• 4 sets of 3 x 1.9m wide cushions
• 1 set of 4 x 1.9m wide cushions
• The supply and installation of 22 bollards

Please provide any comments you wish to make on these proposals within 28 days.    
Please reply directly to LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk.”

The plans attached to the email are:
Maxwell-Drive-TC-proposals-Section-1-Btwn-St-Andrews-Drive-and-Maxwell-Grove
Maxwell-Drive-TC-proposals-Section-2-Between-Maxwell-Gardens-and-east-of-Woodrow-Road
Maxwell-Drive-TC-proposals-Section-3-Btwn-west-of-Woodrow-Rd-and-east-of-Woodrow-Pl
Maxwell-Drive-TC-Proposals-Section-4-Btwn-number-106-and-number-136
Maxwell-Drive-TC-proposals-Section-5-Btwn-number-152-and-Nithsdale-Rd

Reinstating the cycle lanes would be a start here and, at a decent width with any parking on the outside, the width of the road would be reduced such that traffic would move more slowly. With separated cycle lanes people walking or cycling would have some protection from the motor traffic thus making the area much safer.
Unfortunately, the plans fail to show that there have ever been cycle lanes here and the kerb to cushion dimensions vary between 0.6 and 1.0m width.

1.8 **NEW** Glasgow City Council, Maxwell Park Traffic Calming Scheme, closes 22 September

This proposal covers Fotheringay Road from Darnley Road west to Springkell Avenue, Springkell Avenue from the railway south to Titwood Road and Dolphin Road from Fotheringay Road to Titwood Road.

The City Council’s email arrived on 25 August and here is the critical section of it:

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

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

Please provide any comments you wish to make on these proposals within 28 days.
Please reply directly to LESTraffic@glasgow.gov.uk“

Here are the relevant plans:
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Dolphin-Road
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Fotheringay-Road-section-1
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Fotheringay-Road-section-2
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Fotheringay-Road-section-3
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Fotheringay-Road-section-4
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Springkell-Avenue-section-1
RS.19.96-Maxwell-Park-proposals-Springkell-Avenue-section-2

From the plans it may be seen that the kerb to cushion gap varies from 0.7m to 1.0m, but this width, as may be seen from the view of Fotheringay Road above, is no use for cycling if you have to bump over setts. The alternatives are to either cycle 3m out from the kerb, or to cycle on the footway (tut, tut) to avoid the cushions.

GoBike member, John, who lives in the area and who has young children, would by far prefer to see traffic reduced by a series of modal filters and he refers to the speed cushions on nearby Terregles Avenue which are starting to break up. Some of you will know that Springkell Avenue was closed to motor traffic for quite some time when the railway bridge was reconstructed and Dolphin Road was stopped up for a year during the Shieldhall Tunnel works and John reports that the area was very pleasant at the time with only a modicum of motor traffic.

Additional Item: Glasgow City Council response on Traffic Calming

In Digest 67, in the general item 1.4 to 1.8, we published this letter in response to 5 traffic calming schemes. Today, 01 September, we have received this very disappointing response:

MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF KEVIN HAMILTON, HEAD OF ROADS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Dear Ms Fort,
Thank you for your undernoted enquiry.

I can advise that this section within the Council is focused on reducing injury accidents throughout the city. The section has limited funding and resources available to implement traffic calming schemes and in order to make sure these resources are directed at the locations with the greatest potential for casualty reduction, a site risk assessment is undertaken for each request. This process assesses the location against criteria including the history of injury accidents, measured vehicle speeds and the presence of any local amenities such as being close to a nearby school or nursery.

I can further advise that in our experience, cushions with a width of 1800mm or less have little impact in reducing the speed of vehicles travelling over them. Previously, this has led to complaints by local road users following the installation of cushions as they consider them to be ineffective. It is therefore our intention to propose cushions of no less than 1900mm and no greater than 2000m for all future traffic calming schemes, depending on the available width of the carriageway.

I can also advise that the Local Transport Note for Traffic Calming (LTN 1/07), which gives guidance on the design, effectiveness and installation of traffic calming measures, states that “Distances between cushions, or cushions and the kerb, should not generally exceed 1200mm, with 1000mm as an ideal maximum. These dimensions are designed to deter drivers of small vehicles from attempting to drive in the gap.” Whilst we would always aim for 1000mm, the gap between cushions and the kerb is likely to differ at each location depending on the available width of the carriageway.

Whilst I appreciate your concerns regarding our proposed traffic calming schemes and note your suggestions for each location, I can advise that your suggestions would involve the re-design of roads, introduction of traffic signals and the promotion of Traffic Regulation Orders as well as a host of other measures. The provision of such measures would involve considerable costs and resources, both of which are unavailable to this section, and I am unable to consider their introduction at this time.

I trust that this clarifies the current situation.

Kevin Hamilton
Head of Roads, Neighbourhoods And Sustainability

This response is disappointing, not simply because it ignores some of our arguments, not simply because this department of Glasgow City Council does not have the funds to make thorough improvements to the city but also because the Scottish Government et al are still spending large amounts of public money, ie our money, on such private motor dominated schemes as the dualling of the A9 and the City Deal projects that North Lanarkshire is so keen on.

1.9 Scottish Government, Town Centre Action Plan Expert Review Group, online survey, closes 30 September

No doubt you have seen increased use of public space during lockdown, not just with more people cycling but exercise classes being held in public parks and, if we are very lucky, or perhaps with good planning and management, we can get this to continue.

In Digest 66, Item 1.4 we gave details of this survey and in Digest 67, Item 1.3, was the GoBike letter in response to the questions posed on the website, which had to be submitted by 21 August. Also on the website is a link to a short, easy-to-do survey, where you may support your views for people-friendly urban centres. Do please respond to it (I have already done so, on a personal basis, and going back to the site tells me so, but the survey is easy to find on the opening page of the website).

1.10 UK Department of Transport, Review of the Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, closes 27 October 2020

We are working away on our response to this consultation and hope to be able to publish it later this month.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

2.1 South Lanarkshire Council, East Kilbride cycling routes

GoBike member, Derek, attended the South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership meeting on 24 August and reports that segregated cycle lanes are to be consulted on for East Kilbride. There are no details as yet, but as soon as we hear we will let you know.

2.2 Glasgow City Council, Transport Strategy, City Centre Transformation Strategy and Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan consultation commences 21 September

On Bikes, based in the north-east of Glasgow, recently held an event at which a Sustrans officer, currently embedded with Glasgow City Council, told the audience that consultation on the City Council’s Transport Strategy, City Centre Transformation Strategy and Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan would commence on 21 September and will last for 6 weeks. GoBike will be looking out for these and will report back in the Digest.

All 3 are about “prioritising people over traffic” but what is the Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan? It was reported on in this document from the City Council’s City Administration Committee and the pertinent information is on page 4 in sections 3.8 and 3.9. Here they are:

“3.8 The Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan (LNP) for Glasgow aims to reduce the city’s
dependency on cars and make walking, cycling and public transport the first
choice. It is essential that our residents benefit from safer, quieter streets that
facilitate play, walking and cycling. Through a place-based approach, the LNP
will help to limit the city’s contribution to climate change and develop an
inclusive network of accessible and revitalised neighbourhoods designed for
the benefit of all, with integrated green infrastructure and enhanced public
spaces.
3.9 This will be achieved through a variety of physical interventions and behavioural
change measures including filtered permeability, traffic reduction around
schools, improvements for walking and cycling, secure bike storage and
management of residential parking. Through collaborative and purposeful
engagement, the LNP will transform streets and neighbourhoods into more
pleasant, safe and attractive environments with noise and air pollution being
tackled through measures that encourage active travel, helping to reduce
inactivity and ultimately improve public health. Progress towards making sure
our neighbourhoods are more protective, comfortable, and enjoyable for people
spending time there will be measured through inclusive mechanisms such as
the Place Standard Tool.“

It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? The cynic might ask whether the rush to get all the speed cushions in is to clear a shed load of them before the enlightened thinking comes into play. The 2 Strategies are detailed in the same document.

2.3 North Lanarkshire Council, new roads to Ravenscraig

See item 3.3 below for consultation details.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1 GoBike Digest Survey results

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent Digest survey. Overall people appreciate the Digest, and recognise its value. Not surprisingly people expressed particular interest in consultations in their own area, and would welcome template responses to help them respond more quickly to consultations. Some respondents find the Digest rather lengthy, but again recognise this might be due to the number of consultations.
Many apologies – this Digest is particularly long, so thank you for reading this far!

Please do get in touch with us via consultations@gobike.org, if you were one of the respondents who said they’d possibly be interested in helping to produce the Digest or respond to the consultations (which most of you did – which is great!)

Tricia, the current author of the Digest, is standing down from this role in November, and we are looking for several GoBike members to collectively keep the Digest going. Whether you responded to the survey or not please get in touch via consultations@gobike.org if you are interested in being involved – and for all those interested we will arrange a zoom call to outline the different roles/pieces of work involved in creating the Digest – we look forward to hearing from you. (The survey was completely anonymous, so we don’t know who you are!)

If you are looking for a quick way to respond to consultations, GoBike responds on behalf of its members (and we hope we are getting it right!) So GoBike’s letters are your letters and you may either simply email the contact address and say that you agree with and support the GoBike letter of (date) or attach a copy of the letter to your response.

3.2 Glasgow City Council, Helensburgh Drive Traffic Calming, 1 year on

In Digest 42, issued 03 September 2019, Item 1.7, we reported on proposals for traffic calming on Helensburgh Drive, Jordanhill Drive, Ryvra Road and Seggielea Road, the leafy area to the west of the High School of Glasgow and north of Jordanhill School. The view above, of Helensburgh Drive clearly shows the setts in the gutter (the new cycling zone for people not willing to cycle over cushions, in the middle of the road or on the footway). Here’s the letter that GoBike submitted to express our concerns and to suggest modal filters on 02 September last year, ie in the speed cushion 2019 season (August and September being the season)!

GoBike member Caroline, who lives in the area, has been in touch to say that speed cushions were indeed placed on these roads at the beginning of this year and they are already breaking up.

She went on to comment “Considering all of the SUVs in the area a majority of drivers simply sail over them without having to curb their speed at all. Also what are they using as surface dressing, weetabix? It’s eroded already.  Unsure why they didn’t use modal filters to curb rat runners & slow down the local racers.” 

Roll on Liveable Neighbourhoods!

3.3 North Lanarkshire Council, New Road Plans on the Agenda!

An email notice on 18 August tells us:

“Ravenscraig road plans on the agenda 

Plans for new roads and improvements to open up access to the Ravenscraig regeneration site will be considered by councillors this month.

Our Enterprise and Growth Committee will hear an update on the design and construction of the £127.2 million Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure project.

The project provides new and improved transport infrastructure to connect Ravenscraig north to the M8 and south to Motherwell and the M74.

The four elements of the project are:

• a new dual carriageway from the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility to Motherwell, crossing the west coast main line railway;
• a new roundabout with traffic signals at Airbles Road and Windmillhill Street, connecting to the dual carriageway;
• completion of the dualling of Airbles Road; and
• the dualling of the A723 from Ravenscraig to the M8.

It is part of the council’s Glasgow City Region City Deal programme to connect the main motorway networks.

The cost of the council’s Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure project is £127.2 million, including £71.2m for the connection to Motherwell and the M74 and £56m for dualling the existing A723 from Ravenscraig to the M8 at Newhouse.

The cost of the project are supported by the Glasgow City Region City Deal, providing £61.9 million, with £65.3 million being provided from the council over six years, from 2020 to 2026.

The first construction works will be creating the west coast main line crossing which is anticipated to take place in 2022, with construction of the new road to Ravenscraig and roundabout starting in 2023. Dualling of the A723 is planned to begin in 2023/24 and the work on Airbles Road in 2024/25.”

GoBike has not been made aware of any public consultation on these plans but GoBike member, Derek, has sent further information with a link to this page on the North Lanarkshire Council website and GoBike has now asked to be notified when detailed consultations go live.
It’s likely that the junction at the foot of Airbles Road, where it meets Hamilton Road will be popular with motor users as tailbacks are common at this pinch point. There is to be a large roundabout on Windmillhill Street just outside the Civic Centre and the Airbles Road Centre (community hospital), which won’t make walking or cycling to either of the places any easier.
All these new roads could have segregated cycle tracks, if the will was there, but we aren’t holding our breath.

3.4 East Dunbartonshire Council, Local Development Plan Newsletter No 58

Here’s the latest Newsletter from EDC, the second to be published in August, which we received on 21 August.

3.5 Glasgow City Council, Renewal of Planning Consent, Glasgow Harbour, initial response

We have received 2 responses to our submission opposing the renewal of the Planning Application (see Digest 67, Item 1.9), the first on 19 August and the second on 20 August:

“Dear Ms Fort,
I have passed GoBike’s representation to our admin team to be registered. Please note for future reference, representations can be submitted directly to planning.representations@drs.glasgow.gov.uk.
Kind regards,
For Duty Planner.“

“Thank you for the feedback Tricia. The link below takes you to the page that advises how to make representations on planning applications https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/makeacomment
Thanks
Planning Enquiries”

The first reply will be helpful for any future planning applications that we respond to.

3.6 Scottish Government, Response to Town Centre Action Plan Review submission

Here’s the acknowledgement for our letter of response received on 20 August:

“Good evening Tricia,
Many thanks for your written evidence to support the Town Centre Action Plan Review. It is very much appreciated the time and effort you have taken to assist us with your valuable insights to help formulate a robust set of actions.
After reviewing all of the evidence we receive we may be back in touch to explore particular avenues with you to gain further insights.
Thank you for your time.
Project Executive
Scotland’s Towns Partnership“

Please don’t forget to complete the survey, see Item 1.9 above.

3.7 Glasgow City Council, Govan Partick Strategic Development Framework consultation update

In Digest 33, issued 30 April 2019 we printed the first response to our submission on this Framework. On 28 August 2020 we received this update:

“Dear Ms Fort,

I am writing to update you with regard to the adoption of the Govan-Partick Strategic Development Framework (SDF), which you commented on during the consultation phase.  The Govan-Partick SDF was formally adopted as statutory Supplementary Guidance to the Glasgow City Development Plan (2017) on 31^st August 2020.  You can view the adopted Govan-Partick SDF here.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your input to the consultation process, which we gave careful consideration to as we worked towards the adopted Govan-Partick SDF.  In line with the Scottish Government guidance we produced a Table of Responses, which shows how every comment made was taken account of through the redrafting process.  You can view the full Table of Responses, including our response to your own comments, here.   For reference purposes you can view the consultative draft Govan-Partick SDF here. 

It has taken considerably longer than was anticipated at the time of the consultation to bring the SDF to formal adoption.  The first major delay was caused by the impact of revised climate change modelling for the River Clyde which emerged in early 2019.  This required the Council to review the proposals contained in the Govan-Partick SDF in light of the potential impacts of higher tide levels on the River Clyde.  However, whilst this caused delay, we believe that this has been time well spent developing an approach which will be resilient in relation to the impacts of climate change.  The other major delay to the process has been caused by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Thank you again for taking the time to contribute to the shaping of the SDF.  If you do have any questions or comments with regard to the adopted SDF you can contact us via DevelopmentPlan@glasgow.gov.uk 

Best regards
Spatial Strategy Team
Development & Regeneration”

3.8 Glasgow City Council, Draft River Strategic Development Framework consultation update

Our submissions for this, and the above Strategic Development Framework, were both in Digest 27, Item 1.2 and here’s the update that we received on 28 August – could have been a busy day in the Spatial Strategy Team??

“Dear Ms Fort,

I am writing to update you with regard to the adoption of the River Clyde Strategic Development Framework (River Clyde SDF), which you commented on during the consultation phase.  The River Clyde SDF was formally adopted as statutory Supplementary Guidance to the Glasgow City Development Plan (2017) on 31^st August 2020.  You can view the adopted River Clyde SDF here.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your input to the consultation process, which we gave careful consideration to as we worked towards the adopted River Clyde SDF.  In line with the Scottish Government guidance we produced a Table of Responses, which shows how every comment made was taken account of through the redrafting process.  You can view the full Table of Responses, including our response to your own comments, here.   For reference purposes you can view the consultative draft River Clyde SDF here. 

It has taken considerably longer than was anticipated at the time of the consultation to bring the SDF to formal adoption.  The first major delay was caused by the impact of revised climate change modelling for the River Clyde which emerged in early 2019.  This required the Council to review the proposals contained in the River Clyde SDF in light of the potential impacts of higher tide levels on the River.  However, whilst this caused delay, we believe that this has been time well spent developing an approach which will be resilient in relation to the impacts of climate change.  The other major delay to the process has been caused by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Thank you again for taking the time to contribute to the shaping of the SDF.  If you do have any questions or comments with regard to the adopted SDF you can contact us via DevelopmentPlan@glasgow.gov.uk 

Best regards
Spatial Strategy Team
Development & Regeneration“

3.9 Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, Stockingfield Bridge – waiting for an update

In Digest 64, Item 3.5, we gave you news that construction of the new bridge was about to start and that we hoped to get you details of a diversionary route before too long. Well, sorry, we still don’t have those details but here are 2 photographs confirming, first, that work has started and second, that a bridge over the canal will be much better than the current underbridge, particularly if we get as much rain as we did before last Friday morning, when these pictures were taken.