WHEELS OF CHANGE ARE TURNING ON STREETS OF GLASGOW...
We took a trip to see impact of recent work on city cycling routes
MORE people have taken to two wheels over lockdown for exercise – but also to avoid public transport when travelling. The city’s NextBike hire scheme has also seen a huge increase in registrations and hires.
The Glasgow Times took a trip around the city centre and key routes in and out with cycling group GoBike, to check out what’s changed.
The starting point was George Square to see what measures the council has put in place to increase space for people to allow physical distancing as more return to the city centre.
We headed along on the road on St Vincent Place then down the painted line cycle lane in West Nile Street and into Gordon Street, and then into Union Street – which is mostly car free because of the bus gates.
Under the Hielanman’s Umbrella is a new painted bike lane heading west. It allows cyclists to head along Argyle Street and then turn down Robertson Street to reach the Broomielaw.
Much is still bike lane, then road, before reaching another bike lane.
Thomas Cornwallis, GoBike co-ordinator, says the new measures are good – but that routes are still disjointed, and he believes it could be difficult for some people to know where they should be cycling.
He suggests a blue bike road sign or more green paint on roads so it is clear.
As well as getting around the city centre, people have to get in and out from communities around the city.
New “pop-up” lanes were marked out using cones but are being changed to little armadillo-style bumps to separate bike lanes on approaches into the city.
On Clyde Street/Broomielaw, a new lane has been created westbound from Glasgow Green to the Squinty Bridge.
It links with cycle routes on the south of the river all the way from Paisley.
The West City Way towards Kelvingrove Park is not far away either.
Thomas says better signage is needed to let new cyclists know where all the routes are and how to get to them.
He also suggests letting people know how long it will take to cycle.
He said: “I think people would be surprised how quick it is to get around a city on a bike.”
One of the best examples we saw was coming in from the east on London Road. A segregated two-way cycle lane comes from the Emirates Arena and is being extended further east. However, it stops at Bridgeton Cross and then turns off to join a shared pavement route down into Glasgow Green. It could be extended all the way to rejoin the short segregated route at the Barras and right into the city centre.
Not everyone has received the message though. We saw a van driver on London Road near Glasgow Cross mount the segregating kerb and park half on the cycle lane, half on the pavement.
When informed it was a cycle lane, he said: “I’m doing a delivery.”
Another driver had decided to move the barriers on St Vincent Place to drive a car into the extra space for pedestrians. And more than one private hire cab sat blocking bike lanes.
Thomas said: “We at GoBike are glad to see the council increasing the amount of cycle lanes in the city to help everyone to get around safely and easily.
“We’re looking for small improvements to make routes slightly better, but that’s expected with the Spaces For People which is helping us see the city in a new way by letting people have a go cycling on these temporary pop-ups.
“It was great to see the London Rd section on the tour with the Glasgow Times, and how it’ll connect into existing infrastructure in the city to create 3km route. It just needs a last section from Bridgeton to Glasgow Cross to be a full route.
“We’ll keep the pressure up and also support the council on these pop-ups, to help make the whole city accessible with a network of routes and clear signage/markings to make cycling simple for all ages and abilities.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We have tried to link pop-up cycle routes into existing