Thousands back town petition
Residents demand council to step up and help town
More than 6,000 people have signed a petition calling on South Lanarkshire Council to develop a strategic plan to improve Cambuslang Main Street.
The signatures were handed to Councillor John Ross, leader of South Lanarkshire Council, on Monday.
Around a dozen members of the community and elected members turned up at council HQ in Hamilton to deliver the petition.
More than 6,000 people have signed a petition calling on South Lanarkshire Council to develop a strategic plan to improve Cambuslang Main Street.
The 6,128 strong petition demands the local authority create a plan that will physically regenerate the town, revitalise business and attract more custom through improved parking and accessibility.
Created by Cambuslang resident Clare Williams, the petition was handed to South Lanarkshire Council leader John Ross on Monday.
Clare said she wanted a personal commitment from the SNP leader that there would be fundamental changes made in Cambuslang during his term in office.
She said: “6,128 local residents and business owners have signed the petition and I have been staggered at the strength of feeling people have displayed at the lack of investment in their town.
“These signatures represent over 50 per cent of the population of the Cambuslang Community Council area and a quarter of the wider town’s population.
“The scale of response to the petition and the comments offered by these residents reflect their despair, frustration and anger at the state of the Main Street, the lack of facilities available in the town and the lack of a South Lanarkshire Council strategy to improve the situation.”
Clare has urged Mr Ross to commit to an economic and physical regeneration strategy developed in partnership with local businesses, residents and community groups, as well as feedback to business and community surveys completed by Cambuslang Community Council.
It should, she said, in the first instance address the lack of parking, poor mix of shops available, lack of banking facilities, and the unattractive look of Main Street.
Council leader John Ross said: “I have met representatives of local businesses and Cambuslang Community Council many times now to discuss these issues, as have those colleagues who are the area’s councillors.
“We share local peoples’ desire and enthusiasm to improve the local area, especially the high street. I was pleased to meet representatives again on Monday morning to receive their petition.
“We will always listen to our communities and work with them to find the right way forward for them, and we will live up to our pledge to support and strengthen all of our town centres. Many of the challenges are being faced by similar areas across the country so the solutions won’t be easy, but we will do everything possible to work with local people to make progress.”