Category: News & Opinion

How can mapping pavements help support physical distancing?

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date August 25, 2020

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Mapping pavement widths can help local authorities identify pinch points in urban centres or where physical distancing is otherwise unachievable. High Street, North Berwick. Neil Hanna/Sustrans

Responding to a crisis

With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, the scarce amount of space allotted to people across Scotland’s towns and cities is firmly in the forefront.

Attempting to maintain a two-metre physical distance from other pavement users whilst navigating by foot or wheel can be a nuisance at the best of times and an impossibility at others.

In aid of this, Sustrans’ Spaces for People programme, funded by the Scottish Government, has distributed almost £40 million to local authorities to provide temporary infrastructure to help people walk, wheel and cycle.

Spaces for People is delivering temporary infrastructure throughout Scotland to help people walk, wheel and cycle safely through the Covid-19 pandemic. Forrest Road, Edinburgh. Sustrans/Neil Hanna

With a common bid by local authorities’ being to widen public footways, Sustrans have set to calculate and map pavement widths in towns and cities through Scotland to help identify potential crowding pinch points and support physical distancing.

Early mapping in Edinburgh

In 2010, City of Edinburgh Council began work on developing an Active Travel Action Plan, a long-term city-wide project to improve the accessibility and safety of walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure.

One of the ways Sustrans has been assisting the council with this ambitious project is by undertaking the painstaking work of mapping individual pavement widths throughout the city.

Princes Street allows 6.8m of pavement width. However, for such a busy street this often is not enough

With physical distancing guidelines now in effect as a matter of public health, the construction of a working pavement width database for the whole of Scotland has taken on a new urgency.

Once lockdown was announced, Sustrans accelerated work on providing City of Edinburgh Council with a comprehensive dataset of pavement widths.

This was achieved by adapting code developed for New York to complement Ordinance Survey data.

From this initial success, Sustrans has been able to develop further datasets for Glasgow, East Lothian, Dundee, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire, with the offer being extended to any other local authorities who would find such data useful.

The coding process

Infrastructure Coordinator for Sustrans Alasdair Anderson was a key player in developing the mapping datasets. As lead on the project, he explains:

“The Python code used to do the analysis utilised Ordinance Survey’s most detailed Mastermap Topograpic Area mapping.
This identifies pavements and paths within a given local authority and accomplishes the surprisingly difficult task of measuring the width of an irregularly shaped object by using a tailored algorithm.
By first calculating the centreline for each of the thousands of bits of pavement that have already been identified, the algorithm then measures the distance back from individual pavement centre point to the pavement edge to calculate the width.
Finally, the results are compiled into a GIS dataset which can be analysed statistically or displayed on a map”.
Alasdair Anderson, Infrastructure Coordinator, Sustrans

Even Edinburgh’s busiest shopping streets have very narrow pavements. Raeburn Place, Stockbridge. Ordinance Survey.

Using the data

An immediate benefit of this data is that it can be used to help people navigate routes which only follow wider pavements.

For example, Sustrans officers have been looking to use pavement widths data to enable them to plan led walks with volunteers or school children once lockdown restrictions are sufficiently eased.

The larger impact, however, of these mapping capabilities is apparent when the data is combined with other information in order to identify the narrowest or busiest streets in order to prioritise them for widening interventions.

While the £38.97 million available under the Spaces for People fund is a lot of money, it is not nearly enough to widen every pavement in Scotland. As such, working out how to prioritise pavement widening initiatives becomes crucial.

Pavement distancing description	Width	km	%
Easy	>4.7m	133.97	4
Comfortable	3.8 to 4.7m	105.93	3.1
Possible	2.7 to 3.8m	362.75	10.7
Difficult	2 to 2.7m	608.84	18
Too narrow	1.5 to 2m	975.01	28.9
Less than minimum design guidance	<1.5m	1192.8	35.3
Total ‘difficult’ or narrower	<2.7m	2776.65	82.2

Table demonstrating the widths of pavements throughout Edinburgh as they relate to physical distancing health guidelines.

Applications in Dundee

One of the first practical applications of Sustrans’ pavement mapping capabilities took place in Dundee city centre.

While nearly empty during lockdown, Union Street in Dundee has been closed to traffic in anticipation of crowds of people returning as businesses reopen. Union Street, Dundee. Paul Reid/Sustrans

A dataset of shops and services in Dundee was first created. This was then overlaid with the footway width dataset Sustrans had created to help identify narrow pavements where high footfall was likely to occur. From this, a unique set of Covid-19 emergency proposals for shopping streets in Dundee was able to be generated.

Using these emergency proposals, Sustrans was then able to highlight particular areas where it would be most crucial to prioritise pavement widening interventions.

Areas in blue are streets which would most benefit from widened pavements. Similar approaches have now been utilised in Edinburgh and East Ayrshire.

Looking forward

Looking beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, the datasets Sustrans has created provide local authorities with an invaluable resource with which to maximise the benefit of footway renewal programmes.

Initial progress can be made by first focussing on pavements which fall short of 1.5m, normally considered to be the minimum.

Interventions in areas such as these would improve accessibility for those with additional mobility support needs immensely, such as those manoeuvring a wheelchair or a pram.

Recent adaptations in the code used to calculate pavement widths have now enabled Sustrans to calculate the widths of entire streets.

This new capability could be instrumental in helping Scottish local authorities understand where it would be most beneficial to deliver cycling infrastructure in the future.

Gallery

Take a look at some of the Scottish towns and cities Sustrans has created GIS pavement width maps for in the image gallery below.

Tags Places for Everyone, Spaces for People

News News & Opinion

Why we need to adapt travel infrastructure for genuine sustainable travel choices

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date December 10, 2019

Case study photos taken as part of Bike Life Perth 2018 report Children

by Chiquita Elvin, Sustrans Scotland Infrastructure Manager, Places for Everyone

Our transport infrastructure and built environment needs to adapt in order to provide people with genuine sustainable travel choices.

We need fundamental changes to the way we travel.

In order to respond fully to the climate crisis we need to reduce our dependency on cars altogether, not simply change the type of cars we use. The importance of this cannot be over emphasised enough.

Too often electric cars are seen as the answer to how we respond to the climate crisis, be that as individuals or within the transport planning and design community.

But although electric vehicles appeal to our sense of newness and novelty, whilst keeping the status quo, they do not address a number of the key issues faced by professionals working to ensure climate adapted infrastructure is integrated into master planning and regeneration.

Ultimately, an electric car is still a car, and they impact on place, safety and sedentary lifestyles in the same way as conventional cars.

People need genuine sustainable travel choices

Our transport infrastructure and built environment needs to adapt in order to provide people with genuine sustainable travel choices. And not just in Scotland, but across the UK and across the rest of the world as well.

Not only would this bring many positive environmental impacts, from lowering net carbon emissions, reducing noise pollution and the environmental cost of building and maintaining news roads, but active and sustainable travel infrastructure offers improved health and economic benefits too.

Designing for everyone

In practice, this means accounting for the most vulnerable groups in society first in the design process. By designing our streets and public places to be accessible to all, we end up with places that work for everyone.

So, for example, if we make our footpaths safe, attractive and appropriate for the setting, then this has a knock on effect for other road users and the natural environment.

Slowing and/or reducing traffic volumes and the types of vehicles which use our streets then makes them safer and more pleasant for people to walk, wheel or cycle through.

Making sure we include green and blue infrastructure, such as trees, rain gardens or other sustainable urban drainage systems, means that our streets and public places are more pleasant to spend time in.

Thinking about the context

As planners and designers we must also consider the context in which people travel and how their lives can often dictate this. Responding to the needs of women as a group, for example, means taking into account travelling with children, fears around personal safety and recognising that women more often trip-chain than men.

By then, for example, ensuring there is widespread, affordable public transport which is more accommodating of all users, would provide people with a realistic option to leave their car at home for more (if not all) of the journeys they make every day.

Equally, creating an extensive network of continuous, safe walking and cycling routes in an urban area would enable parents with children, along with everyone else, to travel more actively and sustainably. This could be through addressing the way traffic flows through our streets, as above, or by incorporating protected cycle lanes where this is more appropriate.

The knock on effect of this would allow all groups access the vast range of benefits that active and sustainable travel brings. From a boost in health and wellbeing through increased physical activity, air pollution and carbon emission reduction, inclusivity, economic benefits (can we add a hyperlink?) and a number of other outcome areas.

The best way to ensure that future urban transport systems support people’s wellbeing, and support flourishing, healthy communities, is to invest in infrastructure that can be shown to make a positive impact.

Tags Opinion

News News & Opinion

Shoreditch Parklet – An urban jungle

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date November 1, 2019

Shoreditch is not the first area of London you think of when you think “parks”. Shoreditch High Street is a hub of trendy shops, with high tech start-up stretching off to either side and on fleek bars peppering the area. It’s the place to go in London for an artisanal coffee or a craft beer rather than relaxing in the sun.

In 2017, the urban greens and design agency Meristem was commissioned by three local authorities to create a modular system which would bring park life to Shoreditch’s Calvert Avenue. Taking over just two parking bays, an outdoor seating area for up to fourteen people was created outside the paper&cup coffee shop. .

The seating alone isn’t the biggest impact on the local area. The parklet contains twelve meters of planters with hardy shrubs, which screen the seats from the road and help to adsorb pollution in the local area. There are also two trees providing shade and increasing urban biodiversity, as well as parking for eight bikes.

The new seating created by the parklet provides more space for customers visiting local businesses and encourages people to linger in the area, helping the local economy. More cycling spaces encourages people to cycle or use public transport rather than driving to their destination.

A Parklet for People

The Shoreditch Parklet is one example of what can be done in a small space to open it up to the community. Temporary parklets, as Friends of the Earth created on George Street, Edinburgh, can help show the impact that reduced traffic can have on an area, while we can support the creation of permanent or semi-permanent parklets through the Community Links scheme, to let communities create a new space for relaxation.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out how a parklet can be added to your town, street or village through Places for Everyone.

Tags Blogs, Opinion

News News & Opinion

£60 million investment in active travel across Scotland through Places for Everyone

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date July 31, 2019

Representatives of the each of the successful projects with Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson outside the AK Bell Library, Perth — Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity at Places for Everyone Launch 2019

Five major transformative projects in Perth, Edinburgh, Arbroath and Glasgow (x2), will benefit from Sustrans funding, expertise and support to make walking, cycling and wheeling more accessible to all. They will receive almost £60m over the course of their development.

During the next year (2019/20), a further 200 projects across Scotland will benefit from the Places for Everyone expertise, support and funding.

The investment was announced in Perth by Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, alongside the launch of the public consultation for Scottish Government’s new National Transport Strategy (NTS2) for Scotland.

Speaking in Perth, Mr Matheson said:

“The National Transport Strategy sets a clear direction for a future where we have a sustainable, inclusive and accessible transport system that helps deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland.

“We know cycling, walking, use of public transport and shared transport options all need to be more affordable, accessible and attractive if we are to make this vision a reality.

“The Strategy is being launched alongside the allocation of £60 million for five new active travel projects, underlining the importance of sustainable transport and the added benefits that it can bring.”

By putting people back in the heart of places – whether in cities or smaller towns, Places for Everyone makes it easier for people of all ages and abilities to travel actively and to create healthier, happier places to live, work and play.

SUSTRANS SCOTLAND DIRECTOR, GRACE MARTIN

Sustrans Scotland Director, Grace Martin, said: “We are delighted to announce the projects that will be supported by Sustrans Places for Everyone programme, funded by Transport Scotland. Five large scale projects that will make a real difference to the residents of Perth, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Arbroath.

“Working in partnership with the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme provides support and expertise through all stages, from concept and design to delivery and construction. The programme helps to connect communities and create liveable towns and cities.

“We’re excited by the new National Transport Strategy designed to make sure transport helps Scotland to meet its priorities for prosperity, reducing inequality, tackling climate change and healthier people.

“Sustrans Scotland looks forward to working with our partners to deliver these goals by helping more people to walk, cycle and wheel.”

News News & Opinion

South Glasgow fund boosts local organisations

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date June 13, 2019

Exterior of the Bike for Good Hub, Govanhill — First Use Courtesy of Sustrans Glasgow - South City Way Henry Northmore Senior Communications and Public Affairs Officer | Sustrans Scotland Rosebery House | 9 Haymarket Terrace | Edinburgh | EH12 5EZ 0131 346 1384 | 0782 466 4445 Copyright © John Linton 2019 All rights reserved John@lintonpix.com 07986592673

The funding comes from the South City Way Small Grants Fund, which was created to inspire communities and organisations along the 3km segregated active travel route to form new places for people to gather and mingle, new artworks and projects to encourage walking and cycling.

Projects receiving grants of up to £5,000 have been put forward by a range of local groups including the Govanhill Baths, local cycling charity Bike for Good and South Seeds, who have previously developed a community croft for the area. Other funded projects will see the creation of a new mural in the Queens’s Park Arena, development of a new public space by residents of Albert Avenue and new additions Glasgow’s rich landscape of city murals.

Lucy Gillie, General Manager of South Seeds said, “This small fund has enabled us to run some short life projects which we hope will have a big impact, the first is to brighten up Queen’s Park Station and we already have loads of volunteers.”

Several projects are focused on the challenges facing locals who want to cycle more. Soul Riders is restarting and expanding a group encouraging women to start cycling by hosting led rides, training and cycling events to inspire those who are unconfident on a bike or new to cycling. South Seeds are seeking to tackle bike storage issues common in tenements by installing a new secure cycle locker in the local area. Other projects include new facilities to secure bikes along the route and creation of sculptures from recycled bike components.

Tierney Lovell, Infrastructure Manager for Sustrans Scotland said, “We have had tremendous support from the local community for South City Way. We wanted to make sure that the project reflected the diversity and the passion of the communities along the route, and we have been able to give our support to an amazing array of projects as a result. We’re really pleased that South City Way is going to create an artistic and cultural legacy for the area.”

South City Way was the first project to be awarded funding from Transport Scotland though Sustrans Scotland’s Community Links PLUS scheme (now Places for Everyone), with match funding from Glasgow City Council. The project will see the creation of a segregated cycle route from Queens Park to the Trongate, with improved pavements and crossings. A brand new artwork is being created in cooperation with the New Gorbals Housing Association, Glasgow City Council and Pidgin Perfect.

Phase 3 of the project is currently underway, with the construction of new cyclelanes, pocket parks and upgraded pavements along Victoria Road between Queen’s Park Station and Coplaw Street. Phase 3 of the route is expected to be completed in early 2020.

News News & Opinion

Enlightening Candlemaker Row

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date June 5, 2019

Meadows to George Street is one of the winners of Sustrans Scotland’s 2017 Community Links PLUS competition, now known as Places for Everyone. Places for Everyone is an opportunity to conceptualise, design and deliver exemplary and inspirational walking, cycling and placemaking projects in Scotland.

Our vision is to transform cycling, walking, public spaces and accessibility for all on some of Edinburgh’s busiest and most iconic streets.

Our design proposals include new segregated cycleways, wider pavements, and pedestrian priority areas. We propose to close some streets to some types of traffic. We also want to plant new trees and create new public seating areas.

As part of our consultation we wanted to invite people to enjoy a street usually dominated by vehicles, to have time to pause, look up and enjoy the architecture and see the street in a new way.

Join us as we pedestrianise one of Edinburgh most historic streets for a FREE family fun day of buskers, circus performers and incredible art installations on Sunday 9 June, 10am – 4pm.

Street art specialists Open Close will create a huge installation with natural turf covering much of the street road surface. They invite you to claim the space as your own and imagine what Candlemaker Row would be like if it was pedestrianised. How would you use it?

Chris Rutterford is one of Scotland’s leading mural artists and he will be displaying several pieces from his portfolio which largely focus on crowd scenes from iconic Scottish moments. He will also be painting live during the event.

There will be roaming circus performers from Think Circus who will be delivering ad-hoc workshops for any budding acrobats, clowns or jugglers who want to get involved!

A programme of six busking musicians will be playing throughout the day, alongside the Bubble Whisperer, to help bring the street to life.

We invite you to come and participate in this fantastic FREE event and a rare opportunity to see Candlemaker Row pedestrianised! There is no particular schedule for the day and no matter what time of the day you arrive you will be able to enjoy all of our outlined activities.

Date: Sunday 9 June
Time: 10am – 4pm
Venue: Candlemaker Row & Merchant Street

Tags Project Updates

News News & Opinion

Connecting Woodside introduces 20mph zone

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date August 27, 2018

Lowering traffic speeds in towns and cities to 20mph can seem like quite a small change to make to an area, but the move can have a hugely positive effect on local communities and businesses as well as the environment.

Glasgow’s Woodside area has become the latest in Scotland to adopt a lower speed limit. The move, which extends the current 20mph limit in the majority of the city centre, follows on from the completion of Edinburgh’s city-wide reduction in speed earlier this year – which was funded by Scottish Government through our Community Links programme.

Sustrans’ vision is for active travel to become the default option in cities and communities throughout the UK. And there is a growing body of evidence around the world showing that reducing speed limits on roads can reduce the risk and impact of collisions, helps our towns and cities thrive and can make streets more appealing for walking and cycling.

When 20mph limits were introduced in London there was a significant reduction in the number of casualties in road accidents. Evidence from the Department for Transport, meanwhile shows that people on foot are more likely to be severely injured when cars are travelling above 20mph. The move doesn’t just benefit walkers however, and the same study found that drivers were less likely to be injured in collisions at lower speeds.

Safety issues aside, one of the more pleasing findings from Edinburgh’s roll out of 20mph limits was that the changes meant that more children were now playing outside, thanks to the decreased risks. People also report benefits such as less noisy streets – particularly at night – as well as better air quality.

As a winner of Sustrans’ 2017 Community Links PLUS design competition, Connecting Woodside aims to introduce safe, segregated cycle routes, walking opportunities and links to nearby neighbourhoods. However a key part of the project, which is being run in partnership with Glasgow City Council, is also focused on improvements the local area, making it an attractive place to live and visit.
Introducing 20mph limits in residential zones will be key to meeting these aims.

By doing so, the move will help to transform the neighbourhood into a safer, more attractive place for people to live, invest and visit helping to contribute to a healthier, more active Glasgow for everyone.

Find out more about how we can support 20mph schemes in your local area.

Tags Project Updates

News News & Opinion

Edinburgh residents invited to feedback on Meadows to George Street active travel project

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date July 16, 2018

Funded by the Scottish Government through our Community Links PLUS design competition, the project aims to transform this busy transport route in the heart of Edinburgh.

Residents are being invited to visit the project webpage to sign up for updates and take part in the online Placecheck tool. The tool allows the public to feedback on what they would like to see improved on specific sections of the planned Community Links PLUS funded route.

Placecheck will be open for feedback until the 31^st July 2018.

There will also be the opportunity to chat with the project team in person on Saturday 21^st July. Tell us what you like, don’t like and what you would like to see improved between 10am – 3pm, near the Greyfriars Bobby statue on the corner of Forrest Road and George IV Bridge.

If you would like to participate but can’t make it along on Saturday, there is also a freepost address:

FREEPOST-RTCHJJEK-TCCZ, G4 MGS, Active Travel Team, The City of Edinburgh Council, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG

Find out more about Community Links PLUS.

Update 31/08/2019: Community Links PLUS has become part of Places for Everyone. Details for the new programme can be found here.

The latest updates on Meadows to George Street can be found at the dedicated project site.

Tags Project Updates

News News & Opinion

Eight Scottish local authorities successfully shortlisted in Community Links PLUS 2018

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date July 9, 2018

Run by Sustrans and funded by the Scottish Government, the CLPLUS delivers pioneering and game-changing projects which inspire public bodies in Scotland to design better places and spaces for people to live, walk and cycle in for everyday journeys.

Proposals from Angus, Edinburgh, Dundee, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Perth and Kinross, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire councils have all been selected to go through to the second phase of the competition, and funds each of the 10 projects with a grant of £50,000 to further develop their proposals.

The next stage will include extensive engagement with local communities and stakeholders and developing designs which could be taken to construction. Out of these 10 finalists, a number of successful projects will be selected to be taken to construction after 2020.

The grants will total £500,000 from Transport Scotland funds, delivered through Sustrans Scotland. Each project is expected to begin further development of the proposals within the next month with the judging stage of the competition set to take place in April 2019.

CLPLUS is demonstrating that designing places around the needs of people delivers a wide range of benefits, including boosting local economies, supporting smaller retailers, healthier communities and safer, more attractive streets.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said:

“The Community Links Plus fund generates some of the most exciting ideas for introducing the infrastructure we need to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and make journeys by bike or on foot.

“It’s very encouraging to see we have eight different local authorities which have not only identified opportunities in their areas but have been shortlisted for this stage of the competition. We will look forward to finding out which ideas are taken through to construction.

“The Scottish Government doubled the active travel budget to £80 million to help create an active nation of people leading healthier and more active lifestyles.”

Sustrans Scotland Head of Infrastructure Matthew Macdonald said:

“These 10 shortlisted projects are a bold step towards a healthier, more sustainable and vibrant Scotland which designs places around the needs of people over vehicular access.

“With the backing of Transport Scotland, Sustrans will now work in partnership with the eight shortlisted local authorities to help develop their pioneering visions into realistic proposals which have the support and input of their local communities.

“These exemplar projects demonstrate the wide ranging benefits that well designing safer, friendlier places bring, such as boosting footfall for local business, improving the health of local people and creating safer environments that are more pleasant to live in and move through.”

Councillor Lynne Short, Dundee City Council city development convener, said:

“This is an exciting win for Dundee as we look to offer more opportunities for people to cycle and walk safely around the city and beyond.

“Reaching the next stage of this process will allow us to further develop our ideas and consider options on how to improve multimodal connectivity between the centre of the city and communities.”

The 10 shortlisted projects are:

1. Angus Council: Accessible Arbroath, Active Travel, Active Town

The redesign of the A92 in Arbroath to create a segregated cycleway and footpath through the town and reduce the number of car lanes from four to two. The project would also create a 1.5km active travel corridor linking the West Links play area to the Abbey and would include redesigned junctions, crossings and landscaping to encourage and enhance cycling and walking for visitors and residents.

2. City of Edinburgh Council: Edinburgh Active Travel Network

Creating a connected network of routes across the capital, enabling cycling to be a realistic journey choice from many parts of the city to the city centre, Edinburgh Park/Gyle, Leith and the Waterfront and the Bioquarter, and also bringing significant benefits to pedestrians and to the wider public realm.

3. Dundee City Council: Northern Links

The creation of three strategic cycle routes connecting the city centre and the communities to the north east and west. These routes would form a joined up network and cross the city’s inner ring road, to encourage more people to walk or cycle to the city centre and waterfront.

4. East Renfrewshire Council: A727 Active Travel Corridor,Toll to Toll, and the A77 Newton Mearns to Glasgow Cycle Corridor

Linking Thornliebank with Clarkston the A727 Toll to Toll project would see the creation of dedicated cycle paths and improved walking routes as part of an enhanced public realm. The project would also create improvements for people walking and cycling along the A77 from Newton Mearns and Giffnock to Glasgow, by creating segregated cycle ways and connecting to key public transport links in the area.

5. Glasgow City Council: North City Way

The North City Way (NCW) aims to deliver a coherent, predominantly segregated, walking and cycling route from Milton into Glasgow City Centre, via Ashfield, Cowlairs, Keppochhill and Sighthill. It will utilise a vehicle-free bridge over the M8 and a new bridge over the Glasgow – Edinburgh railway, creating a quiet and safe route to the City Centre for people on bikes and on foot from the north of the city and beyond.

6. Glasgow City Council: Yorkhill Kelvingrove Cycling Village

Through partnership working with Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, the Community Council have already overseen some enhancements to the area including improved roads, footways and signage, installation of cycle racks and on-street cycle pumps and new Nextbike stations. Following this success, this project aims to improve the look and feel of the area, prioritising the needs of pedestrians and cyclists and creating an attractive ‘gateway’ to the SECC/Hydro.

7. Glasgow City Council: Glasgow Avenues Plus

The City Deal funded ‘Avenues’ project is a core component of the City Centre Strategy and Action Plan 2014-19, which aims to “ provide an excellent and sustainable quality of life and experience for citizens, visitors and investors that will drive growth in employment, population and shared prosperity”. Through the development of Avenues the project aims to introduce connected green routes across the city centre that will link key neighbourhoods, gateways and focus points, display a people-centred approach to street design, promote sustainable modes of transport and improve perceptions of the city.

The project builds on the Community Links PLUS partnership and will extend the benefits of both the pilot Sauchiehall Street Avenue (under construction) and ‘The Underline’ (one of the next Avenues due for completion in 2021) into the communities on the north-western fringes of the city centre. The proposed Glasgow Avenues Plus activity will further extend this connected network through and out into the wider city, provide short and long term cycle storage at key transport nodes and develop community based cycle initiatives across Glasgow providing the opportunity for all abilities all ages to participate.

8. North Ayrshire Council: Coastal Connections

Coastal Connections aims to improve the walking, cycling and public transport links between Irvine, Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan by creating new, segregated routes, bridges and new links between the towns. It will contribute to the regeneration of the areas, by creating placemaking hubs, improving waymarking and provide improved access to schools, employment areas, town centres, housing areas and key attractions including the

Maritime Museum and new Portal leisure centre.

9. Perth and Kinross Council: Perth City Region Cycle Network

The creation of eight new, safe and direct walking and cycling routes into the city centre which will encourage more active travel and help improve the look and feel of local areas. The routes would link to public transport and National Cycle Network routes in the area.

10. South Ayrshire Council: Accessible Ayr

Accessible Ayr is a project to transform how people access Ayr town centre and how the town centre links to key destinations in the area, including local attractions and residential areas. The project reimagines Burns Statue Square with the potential to link the rail and bus infrastructure through a new combined public transport interchange.

Find out more about Sustrans’ Community Links PLUS competition

Update 31/08/2019: Community Links PLUS has become part of Places for Everyone. Details for the new programme can be found here.

Tags Blogs

News News & Opinion

New walking and cycling project in Edinburgh to mark Clean Air Day

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date June 20, 2018

To mark Clean Air Day, Sustrans Scotland are inviting members of the public to share their views on the current conditions and issues along the streets and the types of improvements they would like to see, as part of a new “Meadows to George Street: Streets for People” project.

This initial engagement from the public in the project forms part of a series of events and activities over the summer which will gather the views of anyone who uses the route or who has an interest in it. People are invited to visit the project webpage to sign up for updates and share their views via the online Placecheck tool.

“Meadows to George Street: Streets for People” is funded by the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s “Community Links PLUS design competition”. It aims to transform this busy transport route in the heart of historic Edinburgh by significantly enhancing the quality of walking, cycling and public spaces. The project will extend along Hanover Street, The Mound, George IV Bridge, Forrest Road, Bristo Place and Teviot Place.

Sustrans Scotland head of infrastructure, Matthew Macdonald said:

“The ‘Meadows to George Street’ project will vastly improve the experience for people walking and cycling in Edinburgh and help create safe, coherent and attractive routes through the city centre.

“The City of Edinburgh Council have demonstrated real vision in their proposal and has shown they are keen to improve journeys for people on foot and on bikes, of all abilities, across the capital.”

As part of a City Summit to mark the International Clean Air Day, City of Edinburgh Council will hold a series of events, including closing one of Edinburgh’s central streets to cars and having a procession led by Scotland’s Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf.

Sustrans Scotland’s National Director, John Lauder said:

“Clean air has never been more important, and the need for action never more urgent. Walking and cycling are all steps people can take to do their bit in reducing emissions, while improving their health. In contrast, poor quality air has been shown to cause a whole range of health problems. The best and easiest way to deal with air pollution in cities is to reduce the number of cars in congested urban spaces.”