Spaces for People
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic Scottish Government launched their Spaces for People grant funding to support local authorities to introduce temporary measures to support social distancing and active travel messages as well as providing an outside environment where this can take place.
Funding
We submitted four funding applications and a total of £1.2m was awarded. This included awards for route enhancements, East Kilbride Active Travel Network, the outdoor school environment, and town centres.
Route enhancements
The funding included £50,000 for enhancing the cycle route between Uddingston and Cambuslang to support active travel during this pandemic.
Both pedestrian and cycle movements were monitored on the national cycle network Route 75 as this had shown an increase since the beginning of the pandemic. With feedback from members of South Lanarkshire’s Cycling Partnership it was agreed that the vegetation on the route between Uddingston and Cambuslang should be cut back to encourage more people to use it.
East Kilbride Active Travel Network
The funding included £300,000 for the East Kilbride Active Travel Network supporting of active travel during the pandemic.
This allowed us to accelerate work on the cycle network between East Kilbride Rail Station and the Town Centre (Torrance Road/Brouster Hill) and on Cornwall Street. Works were completed in April 2021.
Consultation to seek your views regarding the infrastructure introduced within the East Kilbride town centre area specific to the Cornwall Street/Brouster Hill /Torrance Road area closed on Sunday 16 January 2022.
Following the publication of the East Kilbride Active Travel Study in 2019 we have recently completed the construction of the first phase of works on West Mains Road which is the first step towards a fully integrated cycle network for the town.
The next phase of the network consists of the design and part implementation of a cycle network from Churchill Avenue to West Mains Road and has been split into phases to reflect current and anticipated future funding availability as well as connecting into Network Rails' East Kilbride Rail Corridor Enhancement Project.
The cycle network will consist of a segregated cycle network, from Torrance Road to a point on the east of Kirktonholme Road and will consist of junction alterations, additional combined zebra and cycle crossings, replacement of mini roundabouts with priority junctions, signing as well as the altering/resurfacing of footpaths.
Finally, preliminary designs have been prepared for the remainder of the route and a section from Kirktonholme Road to Whitemoss Avenue and beyond to Priestknowe roundabout will be subject to consultation with residents, the local Community Council and other groups as well as the wider public. Residents and local groups will be contacted directly via letter while the wider community and will be invited to comment via a questionnaire publicised here, on social media and in the local newspaper.
20mph schools
The funding included £750,000 for the outdoor school environment with a phased implementation of measures.
Along with Education Resources, social distancing requirements and active travel during the pandemic were investigated for all 148 schools. Additional equipment was provided, such as cones, barriers, and signage, to help with social distancing and space management. Social distance and active travel banners with signing and footway markings were also provided at all schools and the second phase of measures, mandatory 20mph speed limits outside approximately 90 schools, was agreed.
This second phase of measures changed advisory 20mph speed limits to mandatory 20mph speed limits at 88 locations and could potentially change the characteristics of the roads outside schools to encourage active travel by pupils and parents/carers. Schools not included typically have a part-time mandatory 20mph speed limit already in place with the use of electronic signs.
Gateway signing and carriageway signing for the 20mph limits was completed in autumn 2021.
These works required a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO). It is our intention to monitor these locations with a view to permanency before the expiry of the TTRO. Feedback on this project was sought through a survey that closed on 31 October 2021.
20mph town centres
The funding included £100,000 for town centres with a phased implementation of measures identified.
A variety of interventions had been considered with signage and pavement stencils requesting social distancing in towns and major neighbourhood centres taken forward. Local shopping has also been promoted. The next phase for towns was the introduction of 20mph cordons close to a number of town centres. This follows the consideration of speed reduction actions taken by other councils from large scale 20mph areas to smaller cordons within town centres. The cordon approach was taken forward at six locations as a pilot.
This second phase of measures included gateway signage in the short term and consideration is also being given to a longer-term option for these gateways to have permanent features. The gateways will help create a change in characteristics to alter driver behaviour and encourage active travel by slowing vehicles down.
Gateway signing and carriageway signing for the 20mph cordons and was completed in autumn 2021.
These works required a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) to be in place. It is our intention to monitor these locations with a view to permanency before the expiry of the TTRO. Feedback on this project was sought through a survey that closed on 31 October 2021.
The six locations are Carluke, Lanark, Strathaven, Bothwell, Uddingston, and Larkhall. For more information see the 20mph town centres directory.
Associated designs drawings are working copies and may be subject to change.