Fears over traffic snarl-up at Waterside after new school is built

Campaigners Waterside Action Group staged the event, with some 70 or 80 vehicles involved at the site where the new additional support needs school is to be built, currently the village football pitch.

East Dunbartonshire Council recently held a traffic analysis workshop at Waterside Miners’ Welfare Club to explain what would happen at the junction of Bankhead Road and Waterside Road. The current plans show that all access to the school would be from Bankhead Road.

At this event, the group presented findings from a traffic traffic survey it had carried out which showed peak hourly figures of 332 vehicles going along Waterside Road eastward towards Cumbernauld, 484 going west towards Kirkintilloch.

At peak times Bankhead Road had 136 vehicles going towards the junction at Waterside Road with another 156 vehicles turning off Waterside Road into Bankhead Road going into Waterside Village.

One in five of the Bankhead Road vehicles were buses as this is a busy route used by three operators.

The council’s consultant requested a copy of these figures and agreed to conduct more thorough traffic studies ahead of the school’s planning application being submitted.

Forecasts predict that the proposed school would mean an additional 270 vehicles going in and out of Bankhead Road at peak times, both in the morning and afternoon.

The traffic demonstration, organised by Waterside Action Group took place at 10.30am on Sunday, February 23, with photos being taken to illustrate how much disruption this comparatively small number of vehicles – one third of the predicted school traffic – caused even during a quiet period, let alone at peak hours.

A group spokesperson added: “When we asked what EDC are planning to do to solve the problem we were told that they would widen Bankhead Road and have a “flare” at the junction of Bankhead Road and Waterside Road which would allow two vehicles, one turning right and one turning left. You can see from our photographs this will have little or no benefit to the chaos.”

Council depute chief executive Thomas Glen commented: “The council gave a commitment to engage with the community through the development process for the new ASN school to ensure that local aspirations and needs are reflected in the design and that local views are heard.

“A number of workshops and community events commenced in October 2018 and continued through to January 2020 when there was extensive consultation around these proposals with local people and other stakeholders ahead of a planning application being lodged.

“A number of matters, including traffic on and around the site, were discussed at these events.

“Initial results from surveys, undertaken by impartial independent consultants, have been discussed with the community to provide a clear and transparent process.

“The community raised their concerns to officers and the Council committed to undertake additional surveys to allay their concerns regarding the survey outcomes.

“During one of the workshop events the community produced and presented their own information which the design team agreed to review and incorporate where appropriate.

“The council committed to undertake further engagement with local people once the development progresses.

“A transport assessment, which includes transport surveys, is being undertaken by an independent transport consultant in line with industry standards. This assessment will be submitted and assessed as part of the planning application.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has attended events so far and have their say. I’d like to give an assurance that all views will be given full consideration. I look forward to working with the community as the proposal develops.”