CAR- FREE ZONE
Residents’ fury as Pollokshields is not included by council
POLLOKSHIELDS locals have expressed frustration that their schools are not included in a new car- free zone initiative announced by Glasgow City Council – despite serious issues with traffic in the area.
Local councillor Jon Molyneux and group Pollokshields Trust have been working in consultation with parent councils to create plans to cut traffic in the area.
And they said they had contacted Glasgow City Council with a ready drawn scheme it was hoped could be in place by the start of term.
But their appeals to the council have been ignored and none of the three local primaries are included in the 27- long list of car free zones.
Jon said: “I have been working on this for a number of months while Pollokshields Trust has drawn up proposals based on consultation and feedback locally.
“One area of real concern is Glendale Campus where the road is busy with HGVs – and so you have school kids coming into conflict with HGVs.
“I shared these plans with council officials a couple of months ago and showed them what could be done at that locality.
“Since schools went back a couple of weeks ago a lot of parents have expressed concern about social distancing at the school gates.
“My frustration is that it feels like I am shouting into the void with this. We are really disappointed the council has not included Pollokshields in the car- free zones plans.
“Some other wards in the city have as many as four schools included with Pollokshields, ward six, does not have any, despite support for the plans from local schools and local parent councils.
“It’s so frustrating that the community has tried to do its best and the response from the council has not been forthcoming.”
Bill Fraser, of Pollokshields Trust, said the group had been working for some time to come up with creative plans for a Low Traffic Neighbourhood for the area.
The plans were written up by Dr Alistair McCay, a lecturer in Infrastructure & Environment at Glasgow University.
Bill said that “piecemeal” approaches to solving the problem of traffic in the area only serves to move the issues elsewhere and so the neighbourhood needs an overarching plan.
Residents had hoped Spaces For People money – funding from Sustrans for Glasgow City Council to open up space for walking, wheeling and cycling – could be used to implement the Low Traffic Neighbourhood initiative.
Bill said: “In May we recognised the need for temporary schemes around the three primary schools so we submitted a draft scheme for Glendale Primary recommending it was installed before the new term on August 11.
“We also Pollokshields need schemes for Primary, the Early
Years Centres and St Albert’s.
“The key to these is consultation so we copied this to the Parent Teacher Councils. The problem is not a lack of money but of imagination in how to spend it.
“We believe much of the actual work can be sub- contracted to experienced third parties.”
The car- free zones are designed to prohibit cars and other vehicles from driving up to school gates between 8.30am and 9.15am and then 2.30pm and 3.15pm each week day during term time with a £ 50 penalty for those caught doing so.
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We have always said that are determined to see car- free zones introduced at as many schools in the city as possible.
“The plans for 21 schools announced this week were at an advanced stage prior to the Covid lockdown and through the Spaces for People programme there is a chance to move quickly to implementation.
“Any community that would like to have their own school car- free zone should raise the issue with a head teacher, parent teacher council, local elected member or contact us directly.
“All nominations and requests will be properly assessed and, where ever it is suitable to do so, we will introduce school car free zones in future phases of the programme.
“We are actively working on a range plans that will improve road safety for school children in the Pollokshields ward.”