New roads uni

Plans are just the ticket

Stirling University is hoping to create a new transport“hub” and campus roads network.

Plans have been submitted to Stirling Council which would see vehicles removed from the Queens Court area and new pedestrian paths, bus shelters, lighting and landscaping created, as well as a new link road and widening of some existing roads to accommodate buses.

A new car park would also be built on land next to and east of Logie Lecture Theatre.

The new public transport hub is currently a gravel car park south of the Cottrell Building and displacement car parking for 56 cars would be created south of the Stirling Court Hotel, next to an existing car park built in 2015. The spaces lost would include 38 from the existing car park where the hub is being created, six from the existing southern car park to make room for buses and 12 from the road outside the Iris Murdoch Centre.

A proposed link road will run over what is now rough grassland and a new section of road and a bus gate linking to the Innovation Park will provide a through-route for bus services to Alloa via the Hillfoots.

Landscape architects Ian White Associates told planners: “The proposals will provide a relocated hub for public transport, together with improvements to the university roads network to facilitate movement of buses to and from the new bus hub.

“The public transport hub and road improvements will displace existing car parking spaces and an extension to the southern car park is proposed to accommodate these spaces so that there is no net loss or gain to car parking numbers on campus.

“The creation of this new public transport hub will allow Queens Court to function as a pedestrianised space and prepare the way for future development of the core part of the campus.”

People arriving at the campus by public transport would get off at Pathfoot, the sports centre and the new transport hub next to Logie Lecture Theatre, with bus stops and the hub at “key locations” to provide access to the wider campus. There would be a ‘bus only’ link to the Innovation Park, controlled by an automatic bus gate.

The architects added: “The new bus hub will allow for buses entering and leaving in both directions, providing for buses incoming from the Hillfoots Road as well as from Airthrey Road. This will cover all bus services that pass through the university.

“Departing buses for Stirling will stop at the Pathfood bus stop before leaving the campus.

“Those buses heading for Alloa via the Hillfoots will stop at the bus stop at the junction with Hillfoots Road as they leave the campus. Those buses that currently serve Alexander Court and the residences will continue to do so, but will route via the new bus hub rather than Queens Court.”

Council planners will consult with statutory bodies and issue a recommendation in due course.