Greenspace concern over car park plans
Uddingston householders expressed concern last week over the “loss of greenspace” near their homes with plans to substantially increase parking at the adjacent village railway station car park.
They were also dismayed that the plans had been intimated before a formal planning application had been lodged with the local authority.
However, Scotrail this week insisted that the project, which is at an ‘outline’ stage, will not involve work outwith the existing car park’s boundaries.
Scotrail aim to expand the 228-space car park at Girdons Way by a third with an additional 116 spaces following the intervention of Central Scotland MSP Margaret Mitchell, who last week hailed the increase in spaces as “great news for the community.”
Some Kylepark residents expressed concern the work could involve building car parking spaces on adjacent greenspace which provides wildlife habitat as well as screening for their homes and muffling station noise.
Tony Wylie, who lives in Kylepark with wife Charlotte, said: “This land shelters houses from the noise of the station, provides privacy screening from the car park and a recreation area for local children and pets.
“It is alive with wildlife like badgers, foxes, many wild birds, voles, stoats and hedgehogs.
“I know of no planning application having been submitted, yet it’s being presented as a done deal. This undermines the democratic planning process.”
Commuters, however, have been complaining for years over inadequate parking provision at the park and ride facility. Some motorists unable to find spaces have been fined for parking outwith designated bays.
Mrs Mitchell took up the matter with Scotrail and by last December they had identified an additional 27 spaces – but that figure has now increased to an additional 116 spaces, bringing the total up to 344.
She said: “This is great news for commuters in Uddingston. These extra spaces will come as a huge relief to those who commute from this train station as parking has become increasingly difficult to come by.”
South Lanarkshire’s head of roads and transportation Gordon Mackay said: “As part of their commitment to provide additional park and ride spaces, Scotrail indicated to the Council a few months ago that they were proposing to reconfigure layouts at several park and ride facilities for which they are responsible, including Uddingston.
“We now understand that Scotrail will be developing their proposals in the coming months and through that process liaison with the Council will take place to establish whether planning permission is required.”
“The existing park and ride facilities at Uddingston are at capacity therefore, in principle the Council are supportive of additional spaces.
“We will be in a better position to understand any impacts of the proposals once Scotrail have concluded their detailed design.”
A Scotrail spokeswoman said this week they are at the ‘outline’ stage with plans and had already consulted with Transport Scotland, Network Rail and South Lanarkshire Council.
She added: “The plans involve a reconfiguration of the existing car park and will be contained within its current footprint. No trees will be felled, fences removed or any sort of landscaping undertaken.”
Mrs Mitchell also emphasised this week that the car park’s expansion would not interfere with greenspace and would take place within the curtilage of the existing car park.