Residents up in arms over Ayr Road bollards

Following the initial phase of the Ayr Road Response Measures, the council replaced the temporary traffic management on Ayr Road with more robust materials.

The council claimed the “segregation units” would many advantages: fixed to the carriageway, preventing them from being moved; arrower than the cones, increasing the usable width of the cycle lane; and less visually intrusive, but will still have a reflective strip for night-time visibility.

However, many residents disagree they provide any benefits and have set up the Action Against East Renfrewshire Bollards page on Facebook.

Issues brought up include: residents have difficulty going in/out of driveways; complaints about unsightly bollards outside property; delivery drivers unable to stop outside houses; extra pressure put on side roads; safety concerns for cyclists unable to avoid fallen bollards/obstructions in cycle lane; bin lorry blocking road and causing congestion as cars unable to pass; concerns about emergency vehicles being unable to pass through traffic; limited stopping space for buses; no stopping places for drop off for school buses; unrest within the community between cyclists and other road users who are unable to share spaces due to hard segregation.

Alan Mattock said: “There has been uproar and a huge amount of complaints made to East Renfrewshire Council about the ridiculous black and white posts lining the cycle lane.

"Residents finding it dangerous driving in or out of driveways, deliveries impossible, tailbacks during wheelie bin collections. No possibility of dropping disabled people off outside homes being visited.

“Apart from making driving in the affected areas more dangerous it has made the road from Giffnock to Mearns Cross look like a permanent road works site. Several campaigns are under way to force the council to get them removed and replaced with something less dangerous and more aesthetically pleasing to home owners living on the road affected.”

Yvonne Elliot added: “These bollards on Ayr Road are dreadful waste of money that myself and hundreds of residents want removed.

"They are unsightly and dangerous. How do emergency vehicles park? What about bin lorries, utilities, deliveries etc? A sheer waste of money, when they are closing down libraries in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire Council need to be told most people want them gone.”

The council is seeking feedback on the scheme at https://erspacesforpeople.commonplace.is/proposals/a-77-ayr-road-phase-2

A spokesperson said: “The measures on Ayr Road, which are funded by the Scottish Government, are being undertaken on a trial basis following community feedback identifying a local demand for improved active travel provision in the area.

"Consultation with residents has been ongoing since November 2020, both online and in writing, and we continue to consider the views of residents, pedestrians and road users via our project website.

“There has been significant increase in active travel witnessed during Covid-19, and these measures aim to safeguard the existing cycle lane on Ayr Road and help keep people safe whilst walking, cycling and wheeling.

“This trial and our community feedback platform gives us the opportunity to fully assess measures moving forward, and look at what potential future changes may look like to meet the needs of all road users.”