Calls made to make Glasgow road safer, as city drivers caught speeding at 90mph in 30 zones

The appeal comes as a Freedom of Information request made by the Glasgow Times has exclusively revealed drivers have been caught travelling at more than 90mph in 30mph zones within the city.

Police Scotland released the data, that covered the Greater Glasgow area throughout every day last year.

However, the force refused to reveal the location of each camera due to risks including fears that the cameras could be vandalised.

The figures showed that the city’s 14 fixed speed cameras, and one average speed camera site, recorded a total of 5607 speeding offences throughout 2021.

All cameras were located within 30mph zones, but drivers have been caught travelling at speeds as high as 92mph and 91mph.

The average speed camera site recorded the most offences, 1584, meanwhile the fixed speed camera that recorded the least amount of speeding drivers caught 120 people throughout the year.

For years, Knightswood Community Council, along with Councillor Elspeth Kerr, have been calling for average speed cameras to be installed along Great Western Road, as well as a pedestrian crossing at a “dangerous” junction.

Despite no evidence of drivers travelling at speeds of 90mph along the busy dual carriageway, Alan Morrison, vice-chair of Knightswood Community Council, said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if they were.

He added: “I received data from traffic surveys previously and it revealed people were doing well over 70, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they were caught doing 90 – it wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

In February, the Glasgow Times reported one driver was caught travelling at 73mph on the road, near Drumchapel, during a police speed check.

But despite calls for average cameras, a new fixed speed camera has recently been installed on Great Western Road, near Gartnavel Hospital.

Alan added: “Personally I think, from where it is, it’s not going to do a lot of good for the Knightswood Community Council area because it’s two miles away.

“It’s right on a junction which is light controlled so I doubt it’s going to have much impact on speeding on the length of the road.

“Fixed cameras only have a very localised effect anyway. They are great for particular points where you want to slow traffic down, such as close to schools.

“But they’re useless for generally slowing down traffic as people tend to race up to them, slow down then speed back up again once they’re past.”

On September 25, 2020, a 53-year-old man was tragically killed whilst crossing the dual carriageway, at the junction near Cowdenhill Road – where Cllr Kerr is appealing for a pedestrian crossing to be installed.

She said: “I’ve had officers from the council out three times to look at that bit of road.

“They just keep telling me there isn’t the volume of traffic or the money for it.

“They tell me there haven’t been enough accidents, but I think we should be preventing accidents, not waiting for people to be killed then putting measures in place.”

Tragically, 16-year-old Sophie Geddes was killed whilst crossing Great Western Road in December 2020. The accident happened further up, at the junction with Garscadden Road.

And earlier this year, a woman was charged after hitting a pram. Police were called to Great Western Road, near Knightscliffe Avenue, on January 27, and a two-year-old was rushed to hospital.

Cllr Kerr added: “I have written to the council on another couple of occasions asking what’s happening.

“We want average speed cameras, as well as the crossing.

“The accident involving a pram recently highlights why we need average speed cameras right along that road.

“It’s just too important, we can’t be losing people. We can’t wait until accidents happen first before making it safe.

“It’s very obvious it’s not safe. It’s just completely ludicrous.”

A 34-year-old man also passed away after being hit by a car on the A82: Great Western Road, in Duntocher, Clydebank, in November 2020.

Meanwhile, in October last year, two women were hit on the dual carriageway, in Drumry, Clydebank, and had to be taken to hospital. One sustained life-long injuries.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “We are investigating a suitable design that would include the introduction of traffic signals and pedestrian facilities at what is a complex junction at Cowdenhill Road.

“This work is in its early stages but a viable design for the junction must be produced before any bid for funding can be made.

“Fixed safety cameras are already in place along Great Western Road, however the decisions on where they are installed are based on criteria set by Safety Cameras Scotland.

“We work actively with Safety Cameras Scotland and this location will be looked at as part of their forthcoming annual review. Road safety has been improving steadily in Glasgow with the number of serious incidents in decline over an extended period of time.”

Safety Cameras Scotland was contacted for comment.