Project Background
The Council is committed to improving active travel (e.g., walking, wheeling and cycling) infrastructure across East Dunbartonshire as set out within the Active Travel Strategy 2015-2020 and the Local Transport Strategy 2020-2025.
Actions within both strategies include an aspiration to create a circular route connecting the majority of the settlements in East Dunbartonshire, plugging existing gaps. It was identified that one major gap was an east-west connection and therefore an action was included to investigate the feasibility of delivering an active travel connection alongside the A807 between Torrance and Milngavie.
2022 Feasibility Study
In 2022, the Council, supported by funding from Transport Scotland, commissioned Sweco to undertake a feasibility study on options for delivering this connection. The study considered options for creating an off-road route, and a route alongside the current road corridor. The option alongside the A807 was deemed to be the best way forward and the study assessed the feasibility of delivering the route, considering a number of opportunities and constraints.
Concept Designs
Building on the work undertaken in 2022, the Council, supported by funding from Transport Scotland and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), recommissioned Sweco, to undertake further design works on the project – building on the project aim, which is set out below:
Increase the number of active travel journeys in the area by making it safer and more enjoyable to travel by walking, wheeling and cycling between Torrance and Milngavie, improving pedestrian connectivity within the villages and providing onward connections to Bearsden, Bishopbriggs and beyond.
Concept designs have been produced which show proposed improvements across the route. The concept designs showcase proposals at this stage as the final designs will be subject to change depending on several key factors. The concept designs have been split into three sections, these are:
- Section 1 – Milngavie railway station to Allander Toll roundabout
- Section 2 – Allander Toll roundabout to Balmore (Glenorchard Road)
- Section 3 – Balmore (Glenorchard Road) to Torrance roundabout
The concept designs focus on delivering the following, closely following national design guidance included within Cycling by Design:
- A 2.5 metre wide shared-use footway alongside the A807 road corridor for most of the route (wider where space allows) to be used by those walking, wheeling (e.g. travelling by wheelchair, mobility scooter) and cycling.
- A 0.5 metre buffer zone between the carriageway and shared-use footway.
- A standard speed limit of 30mph for the entire route.
- New signalised crossings and improvements to junctions (such as reduced junction radii, lighting, dropped kerbs and tactile paving) aiming to facilitate safer onward travel across the route as well as improving pedestrian connectivity within Torrance, Balmore and Bardowie
The final concept designs for each section can be downloaded from the documents section on this page.
Further information on the background work involved in the concept design stage can be viewed in the Concept Design Report available to download from the documents section of this webpage or within the project Story Map which was prepared for the public consultation held on the project.
Consultation
Over February and March 2024, the Council sought views of local communities and users of the route on the proposals set out within the concept designs. Over 300 people responded to the survey during that time, with over 140 people attending drop-in sessions held in Milngavie, Balmore and Torrance. Two-thirds of respondents were supportive of the aim of the project, with 54% stating their strong support. 30% did not support the aim, with 20% strongly against. More detailed information on the results of the consultation can be viewed within the Concept Design Report available to download from the documents section of this webpage.
Next steps
Following the work carried out at the concept design stage, the Council’s Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee gave approval for the project to progress on 23 May 2024. This included procuring a contractor to deliver construction works on the first section of the project (Section 1a) and detailed design of remaining sections.
Section 1a extends from just east of the Rangers FC training ground on Auchenhowie Road to Allander Toll roundabout. Work is now underway to progress the project, including making plans for construction of Section 1a and detailed design of remaining sections.
Further information
Project updates will be published here when available but if you would like to discuss this project further, you can contact the Council by phoning 0300 123 4510 and asking to speak to the Traffic and Transport team.