Gridlock Glasgow

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

I remember a week or so ago seeing a couple of guys wearing Arup engineers' jackets going along the bridge taking pictures, probably for the Buchanan Galleries extension, but perhaps the bridge as well?

I'm not a traffic expert but I can't see why re-opening that bridge couldn't help (correct me if I'm wrong )

...and they can get rid of Best Kebab while they're at it. It's a miracle I've got any immune system left after the food in there. Why does that place always seem amazing when yer pished...

[M_Riaz]

Page 18 ( 31 pages ) of the Planning minutes Elaborates on the traffic impact on cathedral St and surrounding areas of the Buchanan Galleries.

Originally Posted by GCC

The application is based on the assumption that most members of the public visiting the Galleries will travel by private car and that doubling the size of the shopping area will require a lot more car parking on site. A tiny proportion of shoppers arrive by car and the City should be looking to reduce that number further.
Comment: Land Services have no objections to the proposed number of car parking spaces.
The application also proposes massive increases in the numbers of delivery lorries which would be unacceptable to residents and other users of the area.
Comment: It is accepted that there will be an increase in the number of delivery lorries, however, these are likely to be at off-peak times and Land Services have no objection to this consequence of the proposal. A planning condition will require the submission of a delivery management strategy at reserved matters stage.
The proposal to increase parking provision should be refused. At worst, the new development should do no more than replace those 2,000 car parking spaces it demolishes. At best, in line with City Plan 2, there should be a restriction/reduction in the amount of spaces to reduce car trips to the City Centre.
Comment: Currently there are 2000 car parking spaces within the Galleries car park and 750 within the Concert Square car park, representing a total of 2,750 spaces in the area. This application proposes to combine the two car parks with parking provision for up to 3,000 spaces, representing a total increase of provision in the area of 250. Whilst this represents a small increase in the existing provision it is in line with City Plan policies and Land Services have offered no objection to this number of spaces.
The applicant proposes to replace the existing bus station with an indoor one. Such bus stations are inevitably, unavoidably, like the Hielieman’s Umbrella, dark and full of fumes, despite technology’s best efforts. This will not be a positive move to encourage more use of buses to come into the city. Additional on street stances on Killermont Street can certainly not be seen as an improvement.
Comment: The detailed design of the finalised bus station will be submitted at the reserved matters stage and so it is conjecture to assume that it will be dark and full of fumes. The final design of the station will have to satisfy SPT as bus station operators and will have to meet current and future operators and passenger requirements. The issues of noise and fumes will have to be dealt with in order to satisfy the Council’s Environmental Protection Services Department.
There will be a 50% increase in cars to other access points of the site and a doubling or more of lorry traffic on Cathedral Street as well as a substantial increase in traffic movements on Cowcaddens Road and North Hanover Street.
Comment: This is to be expected as the car park is relocated further north and the entrance to it will be from Cowcaddens Road. Land Services have no objection to the proposal.
The opportunity for improving pedestrian provision supported by new active frontages on the Cathedral Street bridge will not be pleasant if there are lorries thundering past all the time, and does, in any case, depend upon some highly uncertain outcomes in respect of the repairs needed to the bridge.
No figures have been provided for the expected vehicle movements in and out of the new service yard off Cathedral Street. A substantial amount of lorries are likely to be moving along this route over an already fragile bridge and congested crossing, adding to noise and pollution for residents and those at the adjacent colleges and universities.
Comment: The applicant has indicated that they can access their service yards without using the Cathedral Street bridge and Land Services are happy with these arrangements. A planning condition will require the submission of full details of the number, route and arrangements for service delivery vehicles at the reserved matters applications.
There will be a moderate increase in NOx pollution. No development should be allowed that has a built in increase in pollution.

[M_Riaz]

This is another Feature and part of the Evening Times Get Glasgow Moving campaign

A clear winner
BY FOOT
I reached the Argyle Street junction from Renfield Street in a comfortable seven minutes and 29 seconds.

BY BUS
It took a full three and a half minutes longer. The stopwatch was on 11 minutes exactly as the bus pulled away from the Union Street traffic lights and turned left into Argyle Street.

[Chief]

A completely pointless exercise. Doesn't tell us anything we didn't know already.

How many pages did they manage to squeeze out of this one? It's like they've all been hit over the head at the ET and completely forgotten what journalism is supposed to be.

A monkey could do what they do.

[M_Riaz]

Chief yer so moany these days the London water must be gettin to ye.

[escotregen]

I’m just desperately hoping I do not today have a repeat of my Glasgow experience last week trying to get home from Govan.

At Ibrox Underground we were advised that (yet again) the service had been disrupted and only a partial shuttle was running. I opinioned to the friendly lady staffing the ticket booth that this was a real bummer given that Paisley Road West in the afternoon rush hour, where the bus alternatives are, is a nightmare at the best of times. She helpfully suggested that I could get the Underground partial shuttle back up to Partick and from there get a surface train into town.

Was a bit of a round-about but it seemed do-able. But when I went down to the platform I found that the shuttle was ‘partial’ to the extent that it mostly did not exist. Trains came to a repeated stop on the opposite circle platform and then did the reverse journey, but the member of staff would not allow any pasengers to get on the train for the reverse journey. After almost a half hour wait there was a heated argument growing between some would-be commuters and this member of staff who is clearly still waiting for her place on the customer care course.

When that argumnet got to the abusive stage I left and tried my luck on Paisley Road West. Got on a bus fairly quickly – only to find that it hardly moved more than a couple of hundred yards in twenty minutes. It turned out that Paisley Road West was also seemingly partially closed with consequent grid lock as far as the eye could see!

We then went on an extended crawl through a revised route around obscure parts of Ibrox and Cessnock and then over the Swiggly bride and into the town centre.

End result was that I started on my journey at 4.20pm and arrived home at 6.10pm – a journey on a good day I can do in under 45 minutes.

[Monkey9000]

That was probably due to the work on the M74 causing cracks in the underground tunnel close to West Street. There's a link in the M74 page to a BBC news story reporting it. So perhaps they can be forgiven in this case?

[escotregen]

Hmmm... not sure that they should be so readily be forgiven for being unable to organise an effective shuttle service (it is their business after all) nor for train staff lacking basic skills such as 'how not to wind up your paying customers' - after all the nice wummin in the ticket booth went out of her way to be helpful and informative in the circumstances and that can make all the difference to the commuters' experience in an unavoidable crisis.

[Chief]

Sorry Mo - I know what you mean but I just hate things that are crap. Particularly things that are crap that are passed off as things that are really good/important/useful/made a big deal of.

It's worse when it's in the media - they are in the very privileged position of having a mouthpiece to broadcast whatever they want to thousands of people, yet this is the best they can do with it.

Same thing goes for those of us who work in the built environment industry - the cities we all live in are knitted together from the buildings, infrastructure and and developments we plan, design and deliver. To put up crap that blights the population for decades is rude, arrogant and lazy. I wish more people appreciated just what a privilege it is to be able to shape the built environment and took it more seriously.

As a country we're not nearly tough enough on mediocrity.

[M_Riaz]

You are of course right chief,i empathise with your sentiments on crap design on the urban fabric of the land and buildings design ethos.

I don't believe for a minute that all planners & planning systems follow the same route, there will be a large precentage that share the same views of bringing in good design to large projects in bringing visual eye candy than the boring concrete jungle that is usualy imposed upon the public, on saying that they will be probably stoped by Bureaucracy and budget constraints to do anything to impose their views on that.

I dont know much about the planning laws in large urban infrastucture multi million pound public projects but there should be a bill that introduces good design that have massive impact on the joe public.

And yes decades of looking upon boring architecture does get you grumpy.

[M_Riaz]

Don't need no bloody summit to realise that theres a problem with the traffic mrs.

ET

City congestion must be tackled

GLASGOW needs a transport summit to recognise and deal with the city's congestion problems, according to a city MSP.

SNP MSP Sandra White is a calling on all major transport operators and agencies to get together to ensure a better integrated public transport and flowing road system is in place.

Ms White challenged Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson to organise such a meeting, but the minister refused to commit, instead saying all the major organisations have their own plans in place for transport and already worked together.

[M_Riaz]

Didn't know where to to put this item, so...

Friday 14 August 2009

Consultation on mandatory 20mph zones for Glasgow

Glasgow City Council is to consult on plans to introduce mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas across the city following recommendations from a group set up to address Glasgow’s health record

Glasgow City Council is to consult on plans to introduce mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas across the city following recommendations from a group set up to address Glasgow’s health record.
The idea is among 20 proposals from the Council’s Health Commission which were considered by the Council’s Executive Committee today (Friday, August 14).
The recommendations are largely focused on children and families and include ideas like introducing mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas, greater emphasis on tackling violence and alcohol-related harm, and creating a child-friendly city.
There is also particular interest in seeing greater investment in interventions and support for the early years, and more engagement with the city’s communities.
The commission was put together at the request of Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, with the backing of key partners including Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS and the Glasgow Centre for Population and Health.
After years of sustained economic regeneration in the city, Cllr Purcell asked the commission for recommendations which could transform the health of all people in Glasgow.
The commission was part of a major push against health inequalities in the city and forms form a key part of the Council’s efforts to ensure the 2014 Commonwealth Games leave a lasting legacy for all Glaswegians.
It has put forward 20 recommendations, including
• Creating a child-friendly city
• Tackling violence & alcohol-related harm
• Creating mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas
• Shifting emphasis and resources towards safe, active and sustainable modes of transport
• Extending the pilot on secondary school lunchtimes
• Focusing services on the early years
• Developing a new model of support for children & families
• Supporting early steps towards employment
Councillors were told that further work would now be undertaken with Council services and Community Planning partners to examine the recommendations in detail.
However, the Council will implement the proposal for mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas, subject to consultation. The Commission said there was clear evidence that this would save young lives, reduce the severity of injuries and prevent accidents in our more deprived neighbourhoods. This measure would also benefit elderly and disabled residents.
The recommendations were produced after extensive consultation with community groups across Glasgow and experts in a variety of relevant fields.
It has aimed to offer recommendations which can be implemented in a relatively short timeframe, as well as to set a course for future development which will help to build sustainable long-term health improvement.
Councillor Purcell said: “The creation of mandatory 20mph zones in residential areas in Glasgow could reduce traffic accidents and make the city a safer place to live.
“There are many interesting proposals in this report, and we will be examining all the recommendations made in order to identify the best way to improve the health record of the city.”
Professor Pamela Gillies, chair of the Health Commission, said: “The Health Commission for Glasgow has welcomed the opportunity to work with others to find straight-forward solutions to the longstanding, deeply-rooted heath and social inequalities which blight lives and stifle opportunities for too many.
“We have identified activities which involve investing in our young people, building on the talents and strengths of our communities, challenging our services in all sectors to work together in new ways, enhancing the excellent work of our culture and sports activities and growing a greener, as well as healthier city.
“Our recommendations don’t cover every possible aspect of this issue, but they are realistic and achievable and form a good basis for the transformation of the health and wellbeing of all our citizens and especially of those in the most difficult circumstances.”

Details of the consultation will be announced later.

[M_Riaz]

ET

Green light signals change

THE Evening Times campaign to Get Glasgow Moving will result in more than £1million being spent improving one of the most congested areas of the city.
Every day thousands of buses and cars inch their way through the shopping heart of the city resulting in accidents, congestion and high levels of pollution.
Earlier this year, the situation got so bad the Evening Times launched the Get Glasgow Moving campaign and demanded roads bosses come up with solutions for the hotspots causing the biggest problems.
It asked readers to identify areas of particular concern and have now responded with the first phase of measures aimed at easing the flow of traffic and improving safety for pedestrians.
Over the next few months, action will be taken to improve the Renfield Street/Union Street/Jamaica Street corridor, Gordon Street between Hope Street and West Nile Street and the Oswald Street/ Hope Street corridor.
The biggest problem in the city centre is at the junction of Argyle Street, Union Street and Jamaica Street which has twice the number of casualties of any other junction.
Three of the top five injury accident sites are in Renfield Street/Union Street, the main north to south route for buses travelling through the city centre.
Around 230 buses travel along Renfield Street and Union Street every hour of the day and at some bus stops, up to 65 buses stop to load and unload passengers every hour - more than one a minute.
Roads bosses also say narrow pavements along some section of the route result in crowded conditions for pedestrians.
In a bid to solve some of the problems, it is planned to remove the area of pavement which juts into Renfield Street at the Gordon Street junction.
That will mean buses which stop at the bus stop north of Gordon Street could stay in the inside lane and travel unhindered to the bus stops on Union Street - hopefully easing congestion in the process.
Because of the high number of pedestrians using that junction, it is also planned to pedestrianise Gordon Street between Renfield Street and West Nile Street.
In order to maintain access to the Mitchell Street multi-storey car park, West Nile Street will be made two way between St Vincent Street and Gordon Street.
Roads officials say this will have the added advantage of reducing traffic travelling south on Renfield Street approaching Gordon Street.
A new pedestrian crossing will also be built on Union Street at the side entrance to Central Station.
Changes will also be made in the section of Gordon Street directly in front of the main entrance to the station.
Taxis parked at the rank will no longer be able to exit the street into Renfield Street but will use a new turning circle and return to Hope Street.
Buses running between Queen Street and Central stations and goods delivery vehicles would still be able to enter Gordon Street from Renfield Street.
The pedestrianisation and changes for taxis have been welcomed by Glasgow Taxis.
Chairman David Mackie said: "Glasgow Taxis were represented at the consultation meetings for the City Centre traffic management proposals and are in support of the initiative, especially as access for taxis to Union Street has been agreed between 10pm and 5am to accommodate the Nite Zone."
Changes are also planned for the Oswald Street/Hope Street corridor which is used by 120 buses an hour and is used by a large number of cars travelling across George V Bridge - one of the main routes into the city centre from the South Side.
A section of Oswald Street, north of Midland Street and the Arches, will be reserved for buses only, meaning private vehicles heading further into the city centre, will have to travel along Broomielaw as soon as they cross the Clyde and up York Street and West Campbell Street.
Pavements will be widened in the west side of Hope Street at bus stops south of Bath Street and Sauchiehall Street which are often congested with pedestrians.
The final work in the first phase will be either to make Jamaica Street one way southwards or to build an island in the middle of the road for pedestrians.
City council roads director Robert Booth said: "We ran a campaign with the Evening Times about hotspots in the city centre and asked for feedback from the public about what they thought the problems were."
Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken welcomed the council's bid to cut congestion. She said: "Modern cities need modern solutions to moving people about because congestion and delays frustrate everybody."
A spokesman for bus company First said: "First in Glasgow wholly supports any efforts to improve traffic flow in Glasgow city centre and continues to work very closely with Glasgow City Council in this respect.
"The removal of the pinch-point' at Gordon Street, for example, is something we have campaigned strongly for and something we feel will be very beneficial for bus users.
"Allowing buses to proceed through the city centre as smoothly as possible is a first step in achieving a shift to public transport."

[AshAshAsh]

Suppose this is the appropriate thread for this.

"CITY SNARLED UP BE STADIUM CROWDS"

treets in Glasgow have been swamped in a stadium rush hour as fans turned out for a major Euro football match and to see one of the world's top bands.

Police advised those travelling to Celtic's Champion's League home match and U2's concert at Hampden to leave early and use public transport.

Up to 110,000 people are attending both venues, which are less than four miles apart.

[escotregen]

Loved the ending to the extensive report in todays Herald on the nightmare when Glasgow’s transport system proved incapable of handling the US and Celtic v Arsenal clash this week:

"City’s transport system chaos on stage for all world to see".

The article tells of ten mile motorway tailbacks and an hour and a half or longer to get from Central station to Hampden and a further two mile queue to return to the city centre.

But best of all is the telling tailpiece of real Glasgow officialdom:

A spokesman for Hampden said he was aware of no problems experienced by fans attending the U2 gig.

He said: "We were very pleased with the traffic plans and there were no significant delays in approaching the stadium.

i.e. "Aye, we’re aw right we goat ra fans’ money – don’t know or waent to know about their problems".

This morning I was reminded of all this in having to make my way around the giant puddles that always form outside Ibrox underground, blocking the deplorably poor pavement that leads to Ibrox stadium – supposedly one of Glasgow’s international class facilities – just mind and bring your wellies (but don't wear them when starting at St Enoch's underground station where the escalators are probably not working again).

[gweilo]

Makes you wonder how Glasgow managed during say the 1960 European Cup final between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt when 130,000 people were squeezed into Hampden Park alone...

Of course the spectators may have done the unimaginable and actually walked to the stadium back then.

Glasgow, laziest city in the UK eh?!

[Gap74]

I'm still of the opinion that Glasgow traffic generally isn't all that bad, except during a few peak hours a day and special events, and that much of the congestion that does occur could be greatly relieved by a few tweaks to infamous bottlenecks, removing a few of the pointless restrictions on some streets, and most of all, by sorting those traffic lights which stay on for either too long or too short a time. As someone who drives around town quite a lot, I can spot these things after only a few trips - what I have to wonder is whether someone at the council responsible for roads knows this too? I'm not one for raving conspiracy theories, but is there a reason why congestion would be advantageous for someone??

[scottydug]

what about the express way what a nightmare getting on to the m8 at peak times.
they spent millions changing the layout and promised that we would notice a difference and the hold ups would be worth it but nope no difference at the main issue.
and can anyone tell me why they have cut the cut off lanes on the kingston bridge that take you onto the expressway??? if im working in govanhill i need to drive into the city center and get onto the expressway from anderston complete nightmare

[Adieu8]

and can anyone tell me why they have cut the cut off lanes on the kingston bridge that take you onto the expressway???

Yea i've been wondering that aswell, I live in charing cross and coming east bound over the kingston bridge I have to go through the centre then back over the M8. The charing cross/woodlands lane is completly blocked off to east bound traffic. Major pain in the ass.

[Gap74]

If I recall rightly, they did that because folk switching into and out of that lane at the last minute were found to be causing much of the congestion and a fair few of the accidents on the bridge - and am I right in remembering this was only discovered when they closed access to it during the major repair works 15 or so years ago to jack the bridge up, after which it was decided to make the restriction permanent?

I don't see why there can't be some other solution, though, like providing an entry point much further west before the barrier, combined with clearer signs warning drivers what lane they are committing to.