Category: GoBike

Posted on

GoBike Public Meeting and AGM Agenda

Our 2019 Public Meeting and AGM is only 1 week away, next Saturday, 16th November. This year we are extremely pleased that Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Convener Edinburgh City Council Transport and Environment Committee, will be our Guest Speaker. This will provide us with an opportunity to understand what is being planned for Edinburgh, the issues they are facing and what lesson could be learned for Glasgow.

Please make sure you spread the word that everybody is welcome to attend the whole event. To help us gauge numbers you can book tickets on here.

Click to book your place at the 2019 AGM

The agenda for the afternoon is:

14:00 Registration, Tea and Coffee

14:15 Open AGM
– Co-convenors welcome, apologies, quorum
– Approval of 2018 minutes
– Nominations to the Committee

14:20 Treasurer’s report

14:30 Co-convenors review of the year

14:45 South City Way Campaign – Bob Downie

14:55 Members Motion – Pat Toms
Motion Text:
GoBike is concerned that GCC officers do not act consistently in accordance with council policy on Active Travel – with regards to new inappropriate facilities (South City Way, Sauchiehall Street and elsewhere) and inappropriate approval of a planning application (the recent University development for which there is inappropriate provision for increased traffic on University Avenue).
The council is asked to investigate why there is recurring non-compliance, to identify changes that would ensure compliance and to take appropriate action.
This meeting wishes this motion be presented to the Active Travel Forum, all councillors, be sent to the press with a press release and be sent to Glasgow’s Urbanist, who is being employed by GCC to consider officer skills in part.

15:05 AOB – Cycling for Scotland Event Cancelation – Jimmy Keenan

15:10 Close AGM

Short Comfort Break

15:20 Guest Speaker: Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Convener Edinburgh City Council Transport and Environment Committee

16:00 Q&A Panel Session

16:30 GoBike Public Meeting 2019 Closes

The AGM will be held at Bike for Good’s Community Space at their Victoria Road location.

Posted on

Consultation Extra, Byres Road, Glasgow, not 1, not 2, but 3 Traffic Regulation Orders

Yes, we had been told to expect the public consultation to restart in November so we busy volunteers were a little surprised when these 3 emails dropped into our inbox on 28 October! Read on for the full details.

Continue reading “Consultation Extra, Byres Road, Glasgow, not 1, not 2, but 3 Traffic Regulation Orders”
Posted on

‘Cycle out with GoBike: Sunday 3 November – The White Cart Wanderer



Sunday 3 November – The White Cart Wanderer
We will head to Renfrew before loosely following the White Cart upstream to Linn Park. Attractions en route include the Inchinnan Bascule Bridge, Paisley Abbey, Anchor Mill, Pollok Park and the Snuff Mill Bridge. On the way to Renfrew we’ll have a look at some new cycle infrastructure in Govan.

Continue reading “‘Cycle out with GoBike: Sunday 3 November – The White Cart Wanderer”
Posted on

Consultation Digest Issue 46, 29 October 2019: Queen Margaret Drive and Automated Vehicles are back, plus lots more.

There’s news from Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire as well as items from Glasgow, including a Glasgow University public meeting, covering University Avenue and a failure to acknowledge a dimension error, if you get to the very last item, in this wide-ranging mix of cycling interest. Do read on.

Continue reading “Consultation Digest Issue 46, 29 October 2019: Queen Margaret Drive and Automated Vehicles are back, plus lots more.”
Posted on

Consultation Digest Issue 45, 15 October 2019: Commuter parking, Byres Road delay, speed cameras and a GoBike member’s petition feature in this issue.

Commuter parking continues to be of concern, not just in leafy Hillhead but in Dalmarnock. We feature a petition to keep NCN 75 through Glasgow Green open during events – it needs your signature – plus a conversation about George Square, and, in feedback, we learn how speed cameras may not be installed by local authorities alone. Do please read on.

Continue reading “Consultation Digest Issue 45, 15 October 2019: Commuter parking, Byres Road delay, speed cameras and a GoBike member’s petition feature in this issue.”
Posted on

Away from busy roads – the University of Glasgow Travel Survey

When is away from busy roads not away from busy roads? When it’s beside it, but protected from traffic.

The results are out from the latest travel survey undertaken at the University of Glasgow and are online here and here for everyone to peruse.

We have been looking through it at GoBike and have major concerns with the wording of one of the provided responses to questions about cycling – “More cycle routes away from busy roads”.

Table 3.12 – Encouraging Cycling (top responses for Gilmorehill Campus)
What would encourage you to cycle more?
39% – Better / safer cycle routes and improved lighting
39% – More cycle routes away from busy roads
34% – Nothing would encourage me to cycle / cycle more
28% – More direct cycle routes

We would argue (and we know others had highlighted this during the survey process too) that “away from busy roads” could as easily be read as “protected from busy traffic” and therefore “segregated cycle lanes” as opposed to the assumption the report is making, that respondents are indicating a preference for quieter cycle routes through the campus, and away from direct routes such as University Avenue. We certainly would suggest that a fear of mixing with traffic is at the heart of why these respondents have chosen this answer for why they don’t cycle more, and not necessarily that they want to be able to cycle a longer more convoluted route to get to where they are going.

The finding of a preference for “away from busy roads” is repeatedly referred to within the final report (e.g. 5.3.2 The most popular response for both staff and students is a desire to see better / safer cycling routes and improve lighting around the University campuses and / or more cycle routes away from busy roads.)

We fear that the ambiguity of the wording may allow for this finding to be artificially skewed. UofG are likely to be looking for backing for their plans to provide cycle routes through their campus in lieu of ignoring the more important direct arterial route of University Avenue. We are highlighting it here in the hope that it might avoid this happening and the 700 people who signed our petition agree.

Protected bike lanes seem the most obvious solution to providing space for cycling “away from busy roads”, and they also tick the important requirement for routes to be direct.  The cost of inconvenience is that people will often choose not to cycle. There has also been another suggestion from within our team though. How about solving the need to create space “away from busy roads” by “making the roads not busy”. Now wouldn’t that be a mind blowing idea!

Buried within the appendices of the UofG Travel Survey Report 2019 are a couple more pertinent comments which we sincerely hope will be taken on board:

Posted on

Winter Maintenance Update

After the extremely dangerous conditions of the cycle paths last winter, we called for action from Glasgow City Council for a drastic reprioritisation of the winter maintenance policy.  We requested a policy that more fairly reflects the right for all people to get around, not just those who have access to a car. 

We are gladdened that the Council not only listened, but have acted upon this, with the announcement of the purchase of a vehicle which will de-ice segregated cycle paths with a salt solution.

Continue reading “Winter Maintenance Update”
Posted on

More evidence that improved cycling infrastructure is good for health.

We have recently linked to a new report published by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Scottish Government on our Evidence pages (see Health) called the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines that provides a wealth of evidence to show just how valuable exercise such as active travel is, not just to ourselves personally, but also on a much wider scale. We believe this goes a long way to show just how much of a health issue active travel is and should be treated as, particularly when it comes to funding considerations.

Here are some key quotes and infographics pulled out by one of our members for us.

Continue reading “More evidence that improved cycling infrastructure is good for health.”
Posted on

Dumbarton Loop – ride out this Sunday with GoBike for a 35 mile tour.

Sunday 6 October – Dumbarton Loop
We will head out of Glasgow along the Loch Lomond Railway Path, but only as far as Dumbarton. After the lunch stop there will be a tour around the Dumbarton area to see some of the local attractions, including passing Strathleven House, before returning to Glasgow.
35 miles, largely on the flat.
Meet 10am Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.


More details of GoBike Rides are on the Rides page on our website.