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Cycling surge
The number of people using a bike to travel into the centre of Glasgow has soared by more than 80 per cent over the past two years as efforts continue to drive down car use, according to new figures published by Glasgow City Council.
“Glasgow is a very polluted city and desperately needs measures such as many continental countries have had for decades – much better public transport, better, safer cycle lanes, more bus lanes. Glasgow is behind even by UK standards. Traffic lights too could give more green light time to busy bus routes, as they do more or less everywhere else. The subway is one of the world’s oldest but many opportunities have been missed to extend it.
“That’s a city that urgently needs a more people friendly approach, it’s very good news that more people are taking up cycling…” Michaela Holberg, heraldscotland.com
“Electric cars and buses are surely likely to help cut pollution – but one future problem that’s already beginning to bite is the potential conflict between newly designated cycle routes and bus lanes and stops.
“And the removal of the stop for the shuttle bus that connects Central with Queen Street and the bus stations from the Central forecourt to the opposite side of bus-infested Union Street is just plain daft – it had already been shifted to the wrong side of Killermont Street for the bus station.
“I’d like to see the risk assessment for those decisions.” Robert Wakeham, heraldscotland.com
“I think that they are starting to realise that they can’t compete with Silverburn and Braehead when it comes to people wanting to arrive by car.
“Glasgow needs to compete by being different to the out of town experience. It needs to provide places which are pleasant to be in, not dominated by vehicles. For want of a better phrase, they need their streets not to remain ‘traffic sewers’, so that the type of people that want to arrive by public transport can enjoy them.”
Al Robb, heraldscotland.com
“The idea seems to be to cut down on car transport, so will that be a continuing option for the elderly and disabled? I don’t want priority; merely consideration on how the disabled and elderly can carry on their more or less normal lives.”
John Munro, heraldscotland.com
“No better way to wake yourself up than a cycle to work each morning. Do your workout on the way home.
“I bought a folding bike this lock down. It means I can fold it up under a desk, take it shopping, and take it on buses trains etc. Absolutely brilliant little bike.”
Jo Macdiarmid, heraldscotland.com
‘Ferry’ angry
People in some of Scotland’s most remote communities are furious after their “lifeline” ferry company told them it was hiking charges for freight by 300 per cent, sparking fears that life in some places could become unsustainable.
“It seems incredible that a wholly owned Government Ferry Company can introduce this level of charging without the Government, Kate Forbes, knowing. Someone needs to get a grip of Calmac not to mention CMAL.”
Ian Mcnair, heraldscotland.com
“Aged ferries are breaking down more often. Two replacement ferries are massively over budget and there’s no more being built after them. The SNP response is to keep quiet and ignore the issue.
“Anyone living on any Scottish island who votes SNP really needs to ask themselves why?
Michael Kent, heraldscotland.com
“Either Calmac is a public service or it isn’t. Imagine if the users of Rest and Be Thankful had to pay a toll to keep it open.”
Graham Hanson, heraldscotland.com
“Why do these people need everything subsidised? Support yourself.”
Steve Smith, heraldscotland.com