Residents fear green scheme will backfire
RESIDENTS fear plans for a new £6.5million South Side cycle route will backfire and cause increased congestion.
As told in the Evening Times, Glasgow City Council has plans to create the South City Way, a new route running down Victoria Road and on to the Merchant City.
Maps of the new cycle route show two new bus stops to be placed at the top of Victoria Road near to Queen’s Park.
But residents of tenement flats next to the proposed new bus stops claim they will hold up traffic and force cars to sit with engines idling.
Resident Jamie Spurway said: “I cannot see any justification for putting a bus stop at the narrowest point on Victoria Road. It is obvious that it will lead to a lot of traffic backing up behind the buses when they stop.
“During the busiest times there are frequent buses in both directions and them having to stop at a point where other vehicles cannot go by would just cause the road to grind to a halt.
“And that would lead to a lot more pollution in a busy residential area.”
The South City Way is an “active travel” route from Queen’s Park to Stockwell Street, which will be funded by £3.25million of external funding with Glasgow City Council also contributing £3.25m.
Locals at Victoria Road point out that with the road being reduced to one lane in each direction, when the buses stop all traffic will have to stop.
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “Another potential problem that may be caused by the bus stops being placed there is that if there are passengers getting off and on a bus stopped in both directions at the same time, this will totally block the road for any emergency services that may need to pass by immediately.
“I have e-mailed my councillor Mhairi Hunter to ask her to find out if the proposal has been brought to the attention of the emergency services or not.
“We are keen to highlight these issues as they will affect many others who live and travel on Victoria Road.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “The aim is not to encourage through traffic along Victoria Road but to make it a place that people wish to visit, and encourage those to consider sustainable forms of travel.
“In the design a wide number of issues have been considered and consulted on as part of the scheme and the provision of a bus boarder facility enables buses to be used as a form of traffic calming whilst at the same time enabling us to maximise parking for the shops.
“The measures aim to encourage more people to use sustainable forms of transport and will improve air quality.”