Glasgow based writer and our guest blogger Chris Smith, shares his views on cycle commuting in Glasgow:
In the last few months, I’ve made the change from commuting by car to commuting by bicycle. Parking spaces are few and far between at my office. You could feed the meter at your peril, but traffic wardens are always just a few blocks away. Once the quiet of the summer holidays quickly turned to rush hour hell when the schools went back in August, I came to the conclusion that all of these obstacles are easily avoided with the simple investment in a bicycle.
Benefits to my health and my pocket
There are so many benefits to cycling in Glasgow. After just a few months of cycling, I no longer arrive at work sweaty and breathless as my fitness has improved, regular exercise means I sleep better at night. I also saved a small fortune on fuel and I am now the proud owner of some very snazzy cycling gloves.
Even the infamous Glasgow weather hasn’t put me off. Crisp autumn mornings are ideal for cycling, and I’m truly awake and alert when I arrive at the office in the morning. I admit I avoid the cycle when it rains heavily in the morning, but that’s only been a couple of times. But it’s not all plain cycling. A revolutionary new cycle route may be underway in Glasgow south, but the rest of city is still lagging.
Lack of allocated cycle lanes doesn't make it easy
My route, passing through Govanhill and over the Clyde to Finnieston, has been recently redesigned and resurfaced – to benefit the few buses using those roads. While cycles are welcome to use the bus lanes to avoid congestion, there is no additional space for cycles making it a tight and uncomfortable fit.
Without allocated cycle lanes I follow the yellow lines, fearful of pulling out to avoid potholes and hoping a car or bus doesn’t swing by too close. When congestion builds, I often resort to pushing my bike on foot along the footpath, since there’s not enough space between static cars and pavement to pass safely – much to the vexation of pedestrians. Plus, an allocated cycle path would be a constant reminder to drivers that cyclists are about, and encourage them to be more aware.
I can’t help but compare my experience to cycle-centric Yorkshire
May 2015 saw the launch of the “Tour de Yorkshire”, following the success of the area as the “Grand Départ” leg of the Tour de France in 2014. The annual three-day race gets the locals excited about cycling, leading to a number of cycling initiatives, such as Bike Hubs to support those who wish to learn more about cycling, and Cycle Libraries by Yorkshire Bank (they work just like book libraries!)
The initiatives in Yorkshire don’t just make cycling accessible to everyone; they make a big song and dance about cycling and what it can do for the community. I can’t help but feel that proposed cycle routes would be welcomed in Yorkshire, in a way they haven’t been in Glasgow lately. Even non-cyclists can’t deny the recent focus on cycling in Yorkshire has been a good thing.
The 2016 Tour de Yorkshire reportedly injected £60 million into the local economy. And every driver-turned-cyclist contributes to less pollution, less congestion, and a healthier community. What’s not to like?
Glasgow has a way to go yet
The Scottish Government wants 10% of everyday trips to be on bikes by 2020. And yet, it’s clear that Glasgow has a way to go before we’re excited about cycling in the way that Yorkshire is – we’re currently under 2%. Without consistent cycle routes, nervous riders will feel safer in their cars, and pedestrians and drivers alike will curse cyclists who get in their way.
At the start of November, the Scottish Minister for transport Humza Yousaf announced plans to create a taskforce dedicated to improving cycling infrastructure in Scotland’s urban areas. In his announcement, the Minister made reference to the Glasgow South City Way (near where I stay, incidentally).
This project was developed to encourage more active travel in urban areas, by taking inspiration from European, cycle-centric cities such as Copenhagen. The purpose of this new taskforce will be to encourage more councils across the country to follow these schemes to encourage more of us into the saddle.
It’s great to see that steps are being taken to upgrade the cycling infrastructure in my local area, and the creation of this new taskforce will ideally see segregated cycle routes and bike lanes coming to your town as well. This vision, held in tandem by the Scottish Government and Sustrans, seeks to change the way we look at cycling as a means of commuting and to reduce the use of cars in urban areas.
The next steps will be to expand this vision to other areas
However, we have seen some suburban areas react to road layout changes with hostility. Just last month, councillors in East Dunbartonshire voted to scrap plans to continue with the second phase of a locally controversial segregated cycle path that ran along one of the main roads through the North Glasgow town of Milngavie.
Approval and support from the locals
This kind of resistance is unfortunate, but the so-called Bears Way does have its fair share of supporters. Last week, 200 cyclists appeared to cycle the route in Milngavie in support of the work that has been completed and the task force announced by the transport minister. Mr Yousaf expressed disappointment in seeing the plans scaled back, but this kind of support will go some way to show that projects like the Bears Way are being met with approval by locals.
Though this activity is encouraging, it’s clear that much more has to be done to convince areas outside of our cities to get on board with what Sustrans is trying to promote. It is only through the trail of polices like those announced by the Scottish Government that we can try to change this attitude.
Chris Smith is a Glasgow based writer and blogger. Over his career he has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Huffington Post. He recently started using his bike as a means of transport for his daily commute and supports Sustrans in their mission to publicise the benefits of cycling.