Plans for more speed bumps in Glasgow's Pollok under fire

Craig Travers, who lives in North Pollok, said the area is being turned into a “speed bump city”, causing congestion and pollution, as well as access issues for emergency services.

The 48-year-old resident highlighted the disproportionate amount of humps in the area, with some only a few metres apart, as well as “mountain” bumps and dangerous lack of markings.

Mr Travers is criticising plans to install 18 speed bumps in Glasgow's Lyoncross Road.

He also claimed Glasgow City Council would have used “underhand tactics” to introduce the new traffic calming measures on Lyoncross Road.

The Council said a consultation was held in November following concerns about speeding vehicles and works will start in the coming months.

They said the notice was put up on lampposts on Lyoncross Road ahead of the consultation last year, but Mr Travers claims residents never received any correspondence on the proposal.

He said: “When I found out about these proposals, I thought ‘what the hell are they trying to do?’”

“Pollok is already suffering an overload of speed bumps, it's becoming the case where you can't drive anywhere within Pollok due to the excessive amount of speed bumps.

“This is also contributing to global warming because you constantly have to brake to slow down and accelerate and slow down again for at least ten of those speed bumps.

“They don’t give proper thought to what they’re doing to the streets of Pollok.”

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Mr Travers only learned about the plans after his mother spotted a crumpled notice taped high up on a bus stop pole.

He said: “She first saw it when standing at this particular bus stop. No one really knows about it, not one leaflet has been put through the letter box.

“I’m angry at these underhand tactics. The way the notice was put up renders it really awkward for anyone to read, you can’t even make it out.

“Not to mention it doesn’t say who to contact to raise objections or what the closing date is.”

According to the notice, 18 “speed cushions” and bollards would be installed on Lyoncross Road, between Dormanside Road and Barnbeth Road.

The notice was put up on lampposts on Lyoncross Road by Glasgow City Council last year, ahead of a public consultation, but Mr Travers claims residents never received any correspondence on the plans.

Mr Travers, who has lived in the area since the 90s, said not only residents have not been notified of the plans, he thinks there is no reason to justify the move.

“Who’s gonna go speeding?” he said. “Every road has cars parked on either side, and you have to slow down coming up to a bend or junction.

“The only accident I remember in recent years is a car that drove into a street light because the driver wasn’t paying attention.”

The new speed cushions, he said, would further extend journey times, as buses and lorries go through Lyoncross Road, leading to queues of cars being stuck behind the heavy vehicles that are forced to slow down.

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In the past, queueing traffic has also blocked access to emergency services trying to access the area.

“They are blaring behind a single file and they can’t get anywhere,” added Mr Travers.

“So what they’ve been doing is getting themselves on to the pavement and zooming past, they have no choice.”

A cycle lane recently created on Braidcraft Road from the Lyoncross Rd/Levernside Rd roundabout is also contributing to the traffic woes in this area, according to Mr Travers.

Mr Travers would like to see funds used to fix the potholes in Pollok instead.

He said: “It's just insanity, it can now take up to ten minutes just to drive up that road because you are stuck behind the bus at peak time, as it no longer has space to pull up.

“There isn't heavy traffic there, it’s just a local road, and the cycle lane goes over a hill, so very few cyclists actually use it.

“There is no need at all for that section of Braidcraft Road to be a cycle lane, it just adds to the bump nightmare.”

Craig Travers at one of the area's many speed bumps.

Mr Travers has called for funds to be redirected to more urgent works.

He said: “It’s just beyond logic, they’re spending all this money on speed bumps and not on potholes, and there’s plenty of potholes that need to be fixed in Pollok.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “Significant issues with speeding have been identified on this stretch of Lyoncross Road.

“We have received a number of representations from local elected members in response to constituents concerned about drivers speeding on Lyoncross Road.

“Our own traffic survey found substantial numbers of vehicles travelling at 35mph and over along a road with a 30mph limit and which is within a residential area.

“A consultation on the introduction of traffic calming measures was undertaken in November 2021, which fully complied with statutory requirements.

“Notices, which included an email address for responses, were posted along the road to inform local residents of the proposals while local ward councillor, community councillors and numerous other stakeholders were advised.

“It is anticipated that work to install traffic calming measures along Lyoncross Road will be undertaken in the coming months.”