There are basic trails in Pollok Park which have just had a lot of work done on them and the improvements are very good however the continued presence of walkers on the trails is very frustrating. Culture and Sport Glasgow are responsible for the park and the trails therefore I would encourange anyone that uses the trails to appeal to them to remedy the problem.
Here is the email I've sent them today
Dear Sir/ Madam,I wish to raise concerns regarding the lack of adequate signage informing non-cyclists of the existence and nature of the purpose built cycle trails within Pollok Park. As a cyclist with over 10 years experience I was a regular user of the trails in the park, however more and more encounters with walkers, dog walkers and joggers on the trails led me to more or less stop using them a couple of years ago. Any time I encountered non-cyclists on the trail I endeavoured to explain to them in a polite manner the nature of the trails and the risk posed to themselves and the cyclists. Reactions to this ranged from complete silence with blank vacant stares to a tirade of abuse and foul language. Having analysed the risk I decided the threat of a serious accident outweighed the benefits of a purpose built trail less than 5 minutes from my home and I ceased from using the trails.
I was recently pleased to discover there had been extensive work done to the trails to remedy drainage problems, improve the surface to make the trails more sustainable and the introduction of a new “Black” graded section with technical features demanding a high level of rider skill. I visited the trails on Sunday March 15th to see the work undertaken and I’m happy to say the work appears to have been very successful. It was with dismay however that I noted the continued lack of signage informing park users of the dangers associated with walking on the trails. There were several other cyclists using the trails that day ranging from novices to experienced riders. These experienced riders are tackling the trails at high speed. On 6 separate occasions within a 2 hour period I encountered joggers, walkers and dogs on the trail. Not beside the trail, actually on the trail itself. There are absolutely no warning signs informing them that they should not be on these trails. While the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 has improved access to the countryside for everyone, the trails within the park fall under Chapter 2, Subsection 6 of the act, “Land over which access rights not exercisable”. I wish to highlight this section in particular:
Land over which access rights not exercisable
(1) The land in respect of which access rights are not exercisable is land—
(e) which has been developed or set out—
(i) as a sports or playing field; or
(ii) for a particular recreational purpose;As these trails are way-marked and defined they fall under the definition of land developed for a particular recreational purpose, therefore signage should be erected informing the public of this. If this is not done, it is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs. On too many occasions I have encountered walkers when rounding a blind corner at high speed, narrowly avoiding an accident. As you have graded the trails Green, Blue, Red & Black, it is to be expected that a certain level of skill is necessary to ride each trail and it should be fully expected that highly skilled riders will cycle at higher speeds. Furthermore, as this has now been registered as an issue with you, in the event of a serious accident Culture & Sport Glasgow and Glasgow City Council could be held liable as they neglected to act when they were forewarned about the potential dangers and failed to take an appropriate course of action to mitigate the risk.
Cycling is a booming sport in Scotland but the central belt remains bereft of decent purpose built off road cycling trails and to have these facilities in the middle of a major city is a real bonus. They will only attract users though if they feel safe and confident on the trails which to my mind, they do not at the moment. If you visit any purpose built trail such as Carron Valley, Glentress or the other “7 Stanes” centres, you will see excellent signage at start and end of trails coupled with signage along the way warning walkers to stay off the trails. This along with education of park users would ensure a safe and harmonious environment for all park users. One person I spoke to informed me the park ranger had personally told her she could walk on the trails, which is incorrect under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. You would not walk across a football field or a tennis court while a match was being played and I fail to see why anyone would walk on a cycle trail.
The park is a wonderful place with a wide range of facilities for everyone to use but safe access to the cycling trails is being hampered by the points I’ve highlighted. I would appreciate your comments and feedback on these issues and your proposals to remedy the problems.
Yours sincerely
Bob Millar
Note: No doubt someone will question whether the clause in the Land Reform Act applies to bike trails. Yes, it's not been tested in a legal sense but these trails have absolutely no signage to warn anyone so any improvement is a bonus. There are signs at the start of each trail indicating the "grading" and there are waymarker posts along the way with a bike symbol and the trail grade colour. Nothing else.
Now the trails are far from challenging but it's a great facility that's accessible to a lot of cyclists and there are a few areas where a crash would be horrendous i.e. a set of 4-5 steep, long, stairs you charge down then take a fast sharp turn to the left, but the left turn is a blind turn because of massive upturned tree at the bottom of the stairs. I nearly killed myself and an Alsation pup, a kid and the gormless parents that were standing behind the roots of this upturned tree completely hidden until you're on top of them.
