Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust Cambuslang Community Council Clyde Walkway and Cycle Path Feasibility Study SUMMARY REPORT IronsideFarrar 52 Grovewood Business Centre Strathclyde Business Park Bellshill ML4 3NQ July 2015 Clyde Walkway and Feasibility Study – July 2015 Summary Report CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 3 2. ROUTE OF THE WALKWAY AND CYCLE PATH ......................................................................... 3 2.1 Cambuslang Bridge Access .................................................................................................... 4 2.2 A: Cambuslang Bridge Ramp.................................................................................................. 5 2.3 B: Dawn Homes to Scottish Enterprise Site ............................................................................ 5 2.4 C: Scottish Enterprise Site to Bogleshole Bridge .................................................................... 5 2.5 D: Bogleshole Bridge to M74 .................................................................................................. 6 2.6 E: Existing path below M74 ..................................................................................................... 6 2.7 F: M74 to Tata Steel Substation.............................................................................................. 6 2.8 G: Tata Steel Substation to UPM ............................................................................................ 7 2.9 H: UPM to Farme Cross Industrial Estate ............................................................................... 7 2.10 I: Farme Cross Industrial Estate to Cuningar Loop ................................................................. 7 2.11 J: Cuningar Loop ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.12 K: Road Options through Farme Cross Industrial Estate (alternative route) .......................... 8 2.13 L: Matheson Road Link (alternative route) .............................................................................. 8 2.14 M: Tata Steel Access Road (alternative route) ....................................................................... 9 2.15 N: Cambuslang Road Link (alternative route) ......................................................................... 9 2.16 O: Existing Clyde Gateway Routes ......................................................................................... 9 3. LAND OWNERSHIP ........................................................................................................................ 9 4. DEMAND ....................................................................................................................................... 10 5. POTENTIAL CONSTRAINTS ....................................................................................................... 11 6. COSTS OF DEVELOPING THE PATH ......................................................................................... 12 6.1 Construction costs ................................................................................................................. 12 6.2 Maintenance liabilities ........................................................................................................... 13 i Clyde Walkway and Feasibility Study – July 2015 Summary Report ii Clyde Walkway and Feasibility Study – July 2015 Summary Report 1. INTRODUCTION Ironside Farrar Ltd (IFL) was commissioned by Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust (HnH) and Cambuslang Community Council (CCC) in February 2015 to investigate the feasibility of constructing a woodland walk and cycle path along the route of an historic Right of Way from Cambuslang Bridge to Dalmarnock Bridge. The path is part of the Cambuslang Cycling Project and the CamGlen Bike Town initiative which seeks to increase cycling in the Cambuslang and Rutherglen area by improving awareness, training, infrastructure and facilities. The route is to accommodate both commuter and recreational activities. This feasibility study has been funded by Transport Scotland via the Central Scotland Green Network Trust. The Steering Group for the study was the Infrastructure Sub-Group of the CamGlen Bike Town Initiative comprising Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust, Cambuslang Community Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Central Scotland Green Network Trust, Clyde Gateway, the Forestry Commission, and SUSTRANS. The study comprised: a walkover / photographic Survey by IFL partly with CCC and HnH; desktop analysis of topography, land-use and other available data; a consultation with landowners; route design and costing; the identification of key constraints /issues; and consideration of demand and funding opportunities. This edited summary version of the Main Report of the study provides a detailed description of the route of the walkway and cycle path, an outline of the land ownership issues, an assessment of demand, the potential constraints, and the estimated costs of constructing and maintaining the path. More details on these issues as well as further information on the design issues, bills of quantities, indicative construction drawings, socio-economic baseline, potential external funding sources, and supplementary figures and maps are provided in the Main Report. 2. ROUTE OF THE WALKWAY AND CYCLE PATH The existing Right of Way follows the south bank of the River Clyde from Cambuslang Bridge through to the Cuningar Loop, with a length of 4.712 km (see Figure 1). The current state of the route varies greatly. Parts of the route were found to be narrow and subject to encroachment by vegetation, adjacent land uses and tipping along significant sections particularly at the Cambuslang Bridge and Farme Cross stages. The central sections were clearer with several options for recreating the existing route through regenerating woodland or the flood plain of the River Clyde. One section (behind Farme Cross Industrial Estate) was fenced off by the landowner and impassable. Ironside Farrar Ltd have broken the route down into a series of distinctive sections each of which have different characteristics and issues associated with the path proposals. These are summarised in Table 1 below. 3 Clyde Walkway and Feasibility Study – July 2015 Summary Report Table 1: Lengths of sections of the route Section Description Approximate Length (m) Primary route sections A Cambuslang Bridge Ramp 288 B Dawn Homes to Scottish Enterprise Site 375 C Scottish Enterprise Site to Bogleshole Bridge 535 D Bogleshole Bridge to M74 704 E Existing path below M74 66 F M74 to Tata Steel Substation 770 G Tata Steel Substation to UPM 320 H UPM to Farme Cross Industrial Estate 193 I Farme Cross Industrial Estate to Cuningar Loop 376 J Cuningar Loop 1,085 Total 4,712 Alternative route options K On Road Options through Farme Cross Industrial Estate (alternative route) 98 L Mathieson Road Link (alternative route) 1,573 M Tata Steel Access Road (alternative route) 1,167 N Cambuslang Road Link (alternative route) 68 O Existing Clyde Gateway Routes 1,238 Total 4,144 Summaries of the path routes and selected photographs for each path route are provided as follows. 2.1 Cambuslang Bridge Access The proposed access point is currently a broad surfaced area associated with the old road / bridge crossing. A small way-marker notes the access to the existing Right of Way. The access point links with the footpath on Bridge Street and also NCN 75 which crosses the river at this point. There is a bus stop on Bridge Street at this point which currently serves the Morrisons supermarket opposite. There is significant space to create a prominent entrance point to the proposed cycle route with options for including hard and soft landscaping and even public art. This would not only signify the commencement of the route but would be viewed as a signifier of the wider regeneration and health aims of the project. 4 Clyde Walkway and Feasibility Study – July 2015 Summary Report 2.2 A: Cambuslang Bridge Ramp The Right of Way follows a relatively steep ramp from the access down towards the river. The embankments on either side are also steep (approximately 1 in 2) and wooded. Some encroachment / tipping was noted from the industrial plots above. The Right of Way is partially obstructed by fallen trees and tipped material and the ground is very uneven in places. The level area is only presently wide enough for the existing Right of Way (around 1 - 1.5m). Any widening to Cycling by Design Standards would require both earthworks and slope retention. The long fall along the path is also relatively steep, and further earthworks would be required to meet the required standards. These earthworks would evidently have an impact on existing woodland vegetation. 2.3 B: Dawn Homes to Scottish Enterprise Site The Right of Way follows a level route along the river bank. The embankments either side are steep (approximately 1 in 2) and wooded. Some encroachment / tipping was noted from the derelict site above. The Right of Way is partially obstructed by fallen trees and tipped material, and the ground is very uneven in places. As above, the level area is around 1-1.5 m wide and therefore both retention and earthworks would be required to construct a cycle route. Again, this is likely to involve disruption to existing emerging woodland vegetation. Dawn Homes are planning a housing