A MAJOR plan to make Pollok Park more pedestrian and cyclist friendly is set to be approved today.

Council officers have recommended Glasgow’s planning committee gives the green light to an application which would allow a new car park to be built on the edge of the park.

The £5.4m scheme would also see entry and exit routes for vehicles altered and an electric shuttle bus service provided.

There have been 38 objections to the council’s proposals, with concerns over the proposed parking charges, access to the park and loss of green space.

READ MORE: Plans to cut car use at Pollok Country Park

Many neighbours fear the impact of the car crackdown on their streets as they expect visitors will now park for free on surrounding roads.

In his objection, John Dowell said: “The elimination of free parking will encourage street parking in the area, causing major inconvenience to residents.

“The elimination of parking during the Covid period has produced a heavy overload of street parking in these residential areas.”

Bob Downie’s objection stated: “With the climate emergency, new car parking and a new road within the grounds of the park fundamentally go against what our society should be doing in general, and specifically goes against what makes Pollok Park itself a special green oasis in the city.”

Pollok Country Park is Glasgow’s largest park and the land, along with Pollok House, was given to the city by the Maxwell family in 1966.

The active travel management plan aims to encourage visitors to leave cars at home.

With the Burrell Collection set to reopen in spring 2021, the council believes there will be a “significant spike” in visitors, with an estimated 800,000 in the year of reopening, falling to 400,000 annually after five years.

A new entrance is set to be formed at the existing Haggs Road junction with Shawmoss Road and there would be a 277-space car park, with 20 cycle spaces, on a former hockey pitch at Nether Pollok.

The new road would allow two-way traffic to travel from the new car park to the existing car park at the Burrell, forming a “loop road access for blue badge holders to park closer to the Burrell”.

Barriers would restrict vehicles’ access to the wider park, including at the existing Pollokshaws Road entrance, at Pollok House and at both car parks. Pollok Avenue would cease to be a through road for private vehicles.

It is claimed the money gained from parking charges at the new car park would fund the electric shuttle bus, which would take visitors from the car park and transport points on Pollokshaws Road to Pollok House and the Burrell.

Parking charges would be £2.40 for up to four hours and £4.50 for longer stays, with free parking only available to blue badge holders.

A council report states the park currently has a total of 506 permanent parking spaces, with scope for 775 overspill spaces on the redundant pitches at Nether Pollok playing fields and next to Pollok House car park.

There is an additional capacity of 325 uncontrolled verge parking, it adds.

Under the new plans, there would be 277 spaces at Nether Pollok, with 320 overspill spaces and 144 spaces maintained next to the Burrell Collection. Access barriers would prevent verge parking.

The report states Glasgow Life and the council will monitor parking on neighbouring residential roads and “take appropriate action”.

Tricia Fort, from cycle campaign group Go Bike, said: “GoBike supports the overall aim of the proposals but objects to aspects of the proposed provision for motor vehicles, which contradicts the overall aims, and strongly suggests that improvements be made on the periphery of the parks to maximise the number of visitors who walk to or cycle to the park.”

Under the proposal, 66 trees would be felled and 50 would be planted.