Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 165, 22 August 2024

A fork in the path?

This issue includes a regional strategy, a few TROs, openings, development plans, Lanarkshire parks and Renfrewshire villages.

There’s another event about Elderslie TODAY 2–7pm in Erskine Sport Centre.

There have been some responses about the future of the Digest. They’ve been split between ones who like the current Digest and those in favour of a more general newsletter.

I’m still open to receiving more responses. Please send your thoughts about the Digest to: consultations@gobike.org.

Featured Consultation

SPT Draft Regional Active Travel Strategy

Organisation: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Subject: A chance to have your say about a proposed network of walking/cycling routes for towns and villages across the Strathclyde region. The gist is main ‘spoke’/corridor routes towards Glasgow, a few radial routes and a triangle of links in Ayrshire. These are shown in the loosely labelled Connecting Places map and other numbered AT network maps (which can be hard to follow). SPT seem to prioritise cross-boundary routes, with varying results. For example, the existing route from Uddingston to Viewpark (SPT number it as 50_10) – a 1km upgrade where NCN 74 & 75 meet on North/South Lanarkshire boundary – is a ‘top’ priority. Meanwhile, a niche cross-region route from Lanark to Livingstone (CRR_12 – South Lanarkshire/West Lothian) is ‘high’ priority at 32km! However, a 5km route from East Kilbride to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire (37_10) – currently 60mph roads with no safe cycle route between Scotland’s 6th and 8th largest settlements – is only ‘medium’ priority!? The quality of cycle track described is an improvement on some of the plans SPT have funded in the past (most notably the redesign of Pollok Roundabout). However, the strategy has no timescales or budgets and SPT lost all their capital funding last year. Despite that setback, they are influential in the regional Glasgow Bus Partnership and on ‘bus vs cycle’ routes (via Glasgow’s Spatial Delivery Framework).
Featured: Consultation Extra (20-10-23).
Website links: Regional Active Travel Strategy webpage, Regional AT Strategy storymap (including interactive Priority map), draft Regional ATS document (PDF) and Regional ATS online survey.
Deadline: 1 September 2024.

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

1.1: Calderglen & Chatelherault Country Parks masterplans

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Consultation about masterplans for Calderglen Country Park, East Kilbride and Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton/Ferniegair. Calderglen (by A726 Strathaven Rd) could become part of segregated route already started on Churchill Ave and due to go via nearby SL College. Chatelherault contains part of current NCN74 (between Larkhall and Hamilton). Potential for cycle infrastructure at eastern entrance and possible links west to Barncluith.
Website links: SL View webpage with survey link.
Deadline: Officially passed [14 August 2024] but survey seemed to still be open.

1.2: North Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 2 – Topic Paper Consultation (Batch 3)

Council: North Lanarkshire.
Subject: Supplementary guidance topic papers for NL LDP2.
Featured: Digest 158, 1.6 (Batch 1 – we seem to have missed Batch 2, apologies).
Website links: NL LDP2 Topic Papers Consultation webpage and Topic Paper Consultation – Batch 3 survey.
Deadline: 29 August 2024.

1.3: Elderslie For Everyone (further workshop)

Council: Renfrewshire.
Subject: Turns out there’s another event for Elderslie consultation.
Event: Thursday 22 August, 2pm – 7pm in Erskine Sport Centre, Kilpatrick Dr, Erskine PA8 7AF. An online survey is due to open. “If you live in Erskine, share your views and help determine future improvements to greenspaces within the town centre and riverfront…”
Website links: Erskine town centre consultation webpage, Elderslie for Everyone Commonplace website and Elderslie online survey (opens 22 Sept, after event).
Deadline: 6 September 2024 (5pm).

1.4: New parking laws (Renfrewshire)

Council: Renfrewshire.
Subject: How Renfrewshire will implement the national pavement parking prohibitions. Apparently “enforcing these in Renfrewshire from November 2024.” However, 22 locations would be exempt – the consultation is about the exemption order. RC invite feedback but only by letter or email: ei@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
Website links: Renfrewshire Council’s New parking laws webpage.
Deadline: 11 September 2024.

1.5: Renfrewshire Villages Safe Walking Initiative

Council: Renfrewshire.
Subject: Despite the name, it seems to include cycling: “…transport consultants Stantec [will] carry out a study in Bishopton, Bridge of Weir, Elderslie and Lochwinnoch. The study aims to create a safer environment in the villages for all road users by managing traffic speeds, to encourage people to walk, wheel, and cycle more often for local trips.”
Website links: Renfrewshire Villages Safe Walking Initiative storymap, Renfrewshire Council VSWI webpage, Bishopton survey, Bridge of Weir survey, Elderslie survey and Lochwinnoch survey.
Deadline: 22 September 2024.

1.6: Tell Us About Your Place (West Dunbartonshire)

Council: West Dunbartonshire.
Subject: A survey based on the Place Standard tool to ‘score’ areas of the county. 
Events – In Person drop-in (with presentation at 4.30pm):
– Alexandria Community Centre, 28 August 2024, 3pm – 7pm
– Dalmuir Community Centre, 11 September 2024, 3pm – 7pm.
Virtual Drop-in events: 28 August, 10am – 11:30am and 3 September, 6:30pm – 8pm.
Website links: Tell Us About Your Place webpage (including survey link).
Deadline: 30 September 2024.

1.7: South Lanarkshire – Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3)

Council: South Lanarkshire.
Subject: Plan to “set out how our places will look in the future”.
Website links: South Lanarkshire View article and LDP3 webpage (including survey link).
Deadline: 30 September 2024.

Section 2: Consultation Feedback

2.1: Govan – (Yorkhill) Partick bridge opening

Council: Glasgow.
Subject: The official opening of the bridge will be on Friday 6 September. This might be for invitees only but it’s meant to be open to the public on Saturday 7 Sept. Since it’s a swing bridge, that should mean the deck is closed so people can actually cross it. Either way, it will be a major new pedestrian/cycle link between Govan and the West End. It will allow people to cycle directly to/from the middle of Govan Road, avoiding Pacific Drive/Prince’s Quay. Also, the northern path from the bridge by the Riverside Museum goes to the (slightly hidden) underpass to Ferry Rd, where new protected cycleways lead towards Byres Road.

2.2: Irvine building openings

Council: North Ayrshire.
Subject: Two openings in Irvine that could shape the next generation of active travellers. The former is Marress House, an office block converted into an early years centre. It’s next to the council HQ, by a dual carriageway, and opening a year late (but at least has some secure bike parking). The latter is Montgomerie Park Primary School, in a recent estate with decent existing (shared) paths (despite being close to A736 Long Drive). Just to show, sometimes things do follow good practice…

Section 3: Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

3.1: East Dunbartonshire TROs

Subject: A807 Auchenhowie Road – 30mph speed limit/Redetermination of pavement. Two TROs to prepare for the A807 Active Travel Corridor route between Milngavie and Torrance. One extends the 30mph zone towards Milngavie, the other makes the existing northern pavement into a shared path. It seems to be set back at side roads but we’ll try to find out more about priority and infra plans.
Website links: East Dunbartonshire TROs.