A tale of two councils…
Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire both opened flagship cycleways last year – the South West City Way and Bears Way respectively. To the surprise of many (and certainly me), both are remarkably good – safely segregated dual-direction infrastructure alongside busy roads with some intelligence used to manage junctions and other tricky problems that are frequently just ignored. The sort of stuff that will make a difference, not just to people wanting to cycle safely, but to those who want fewer cars on our roads (and faster journeys for those left who have no option but to use a car).
However, the snowfall over the weekend has rather unfortunately revealed only one council is standing behind its commitment to active transport once the fanfare and publicity of the big opening day has died away.
Here’s East Dunbartonshire’s swept and gritted Bears Way:
Hello, @GlasgowCC please take note. This is an East Dunbartonshire cycle in the snow. Clear. #bearsway @FMcAveety pic.twitter.com/DAO0NdG6IO
— David Brennan (@magnatom) January 18, 2016
And here’s Glasgow’s utterly untouched South West City Way:
*Still* no grit on Shields Rd SWCW @GlasgowCC . Now refreezing into ruts. Peds using it as footpath is even worse. pic.twitter.com/Zi4j5D1FaH
— Ernie Marples (@ErnieMarples) January 18, 2016
Whilst we’re at it, the London Road cycleway in Glasgow’s East End has been suffering as well:
@S4CGlasgow @swcw24 @GlasgowCC awardwinninginfra, apparently. Bollocks to keeping it useable. pic.twitter.com/nFaET0WgpT
— robert (@sturmeyarcher3) January 17, 2016
Maintenance costs for segregated cycleways are vanishingly small compared to roads (after all, it isn’t the passage of cycles that causes potholes…), but that doesn’t mean that you can just ignore them once there in. East Dunbartonshire should be applauded for backing up active transport commitments with actions. Glasgow needs to try harder.
PS: Talking of trying harder, East Dunbartonshire could push the boat out a little more with their logo. I’m not suggesting they do a BP and spend £150m on a sunflower picture, but surely someone can come up with something more inspiring than an e in a red circle?
