SPT Interchange Issue 10, published October 2005.

Front page headline: Kelvindale station open for business.

The latest stage in the ongoing development of Strathclyde's public transport network was unveiled on Wednesday, 28 September with the official opening of the new Kelvindale railway station in Glasgow's west end.

Glasgow Anniesland MSP, Bill Butler and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPT) Chair, Councillor Alistair Watson, opened the new facility which represents the completion of SPT's third new station in the last four years.

The opening of Kelvindale is the first stage in what will be a £35 million improvement programme under the Larkhall - Milngavie project, which in addition to the extension of the Northern Suburban Line, will see Larkhall restored to the rail network later this year. Sited at the junction of Temple Road and Dawsholm Road, the new station will allow passengers to travel between Kelvindale and Glasgow city centre in just 16 minutes. In addition, a mile of new track has also been laid to connect the station to Anniesland, allowing passengers to change to the north electric line and rail services to the west.

Bill Butler MSP said he was pleased that the Kelvindale area would now have access to a fast and environmentally friendly mode of public transport. Opening the new station by unveiling a plaque, Mr Butler said, "This new station and half hourly service to and from the city centre will provide a much better transport network for the Kelvindale and Anniesland areas. Previously people in Kelvindale had limited options for travel to the city and now they have a fast and direct route with reliable timings by avoiding congested roads.

"People in Anniesland also have two extra trains an hour, meaning a total of six trains an hour to the city centre and creating a turn-up and go service."

Councillor Watson said the completion of Kelvindale was ahead of schedule and further emphasised the commitment of SPT and its partner organisations to improving the public transport service in and around the city while at the same time increasing access to the rail network.

"By opening the new station at Kelvindale, we have reinstated a passenger service in part of the west end that has not had one since before the First World War,” he added. "This stretch of line has been closed for 25 years and prior to that only operated as a freight line. Now, the people of Kelvindale will have an abundance of choice as to how they travel to and from the city centre by public transport.

"We are committed to the ongoing improvement of our services and the opening of this station, hot on the heels of the May opening of the new station at Gartcosh, is a clear indication of the level of investment being made in the rail network.”

SPT has worked closely with Network Rail, First ScotRail and Carillion on the Kelvindale project. The new station has been designed to provide access for all, with help points on the platform, a passenger shelter and seating. There is full CCTV coverage of the station, cycle hoops and a public address system for up-to-the minute information.

This story is illustrated with a picture taken at the opening ceremony. It shows Ron McAuley, Director, Network Rail Scotland; Councillor Alistair Watson, Chair, SPT; Bill Butler MSP, Glasgow Anniesland; Andy Mellors, Deputy Managing Director and Engineering Director, First ScotRail. They are standing on a platform at Kelvindale station with a station name sign in the background. Together, they are holding a replica of the official commemorative plaque.

End of story.

Front page, secondary story headline: Top award for Subway.

The SPT Subway has won a prestigious international engineering award for a new infrastructure development. The new 'contactless trainstop' system, installed earlier this year, stops the Subway trains in the event of an emergency. This project has been awarded the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) 2005 Award for the Advancement of Railway Safety.

The Subway previously had a mechanical trainstop system that automatically applied the emergency brakes on a train if it went through a signal at danger. There were problems for the driver in resetting this system after it operated, which could lead to delays in the Subway. The old system has now been replaced by an electronic system that maintains the same level of safety but is more reliable, easier for the drivers to operate, and has a reduced maintenance requirement.

The award was presented to Subway General Manager Jim Douglas, who accepted the award on behalf of the Subway's Systems and Electrical Engineer, Watson Peat. Industry partners Ed Gerrard of consultants Hyder and Alan Puddock of the main contractor Henry Williams were also there to collect the award, which was presented by John Arnitt of Network Rail. The award ceremony was held on 22 September at an Institution of Electrical Engineers lecture. Mr Douglas said, “It is fantastic to see the first class job our engineers do being recognised in this way, and it is a fitting tribute to the hard work and innovation that goes into making the Subway the safe and reliable system that it is.”

This story is illustrated with a photograph of Jim Douglas, General Manager of the Subway, being presented with the award by John Arnitt of Network Rail at the award ceremony.

End of story.

Page two, first story headline: Green light for vital strategic rail project.

A new £600,000 feasibility study, just completed by Strathclyde Passenger Transport, proves that the £187 million Crossrail project - described as "the most important strategic rail project in Scotland" - is technically possible.

The project has the potential to link the whole of the west of Scotland with the rest of the country by spanning the missing link between Glasgow's Queen Street and Central stations, closing the gap between what has effectively been two separate rail networks.

The key to the project is upgrading existing infrastructure to deliver significant new local, regional and national services.

Three new stations would be built at Glasgow Cross, the Gorbals and West Street, with High Street station being relocated. The new West Street station would offer an interchange facility where customers could leave the rail network and join the Subway.

Councillor Alistair Watson, Chair of SPT, said, "This project ticks so many boxes in terms of what the Scottish Executive is trying to achieve with transport corridors: economic regeneration, social inclusion and building both the west of Scotland's economy and Scotland's economy as a whole.

"We are in the business of expanding the network. Crossrail opens up the whole railway network to the west of Scotland and the Glasgow conurbation and - once the new rail link is completed - to Glasgow Airport. This taps into the vast potential rail market in Ayrshire and creates the opportunity for cross-conurbation journeys.

"Crossrail's strategic importance goes beyond Glasgow's boundaries. It is strategically the most important project in Scotland. It gives us the railway equivalent of the M77 and the M8.

"We've done our bit and now I believe it's up to the Scottish Executive to support this vital project."

The next step in the process would be for the Scottish Executive to agree to finance Crossrail. SPT or its successor, the West of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership, would then sponsor a private bill through the Scottish Parliament with a target completion date of 2010.

This story is illustrated with two computer-aided drawings by Aedas Architects Limited. They show a potential design for a station at Glasgow Cross, using the A-listed Mercat Building.

End of story.

Page two, second story headline: GARL: pitches saved, Bill ready

The issue surrounding the Glasgow Airport Rail Link's route through Saint James playing fields in Paisley has been resolved. Under SPT's proposals, all 22 pitches will now still be available during and after construction of the rail link. Some 20 pitches will be available at Saint James Playing Fields after the link is constructed. Two pitches and new changing facilities will be provided at Ferguslie Park. New changing facilities will be built at Saint James Playing Fields, replacing the existing ones.

During construction, 11 football pitches will be provided at Saint James Playing Fields. Eleven further temporary pitches will be provided at alternative locations. A modern drainage system will also be provided for the area immediately east of the proposed viaduct crossing Saint James Playing Fields.

The news follows SPT's recent announcement that a viaduct had been chosen to cross the fields and means that users of the pitches will now enjoy improved facilities. SPT's proposals are now with Renfrewshire Council, which owns Saint James Playing Fields.

Once the Private Bill for the rail link is introduced to the Scottish Parliament, objectors will have 60 days to register their concerns.

The Private Bill for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link is ready for submission to the Scottish Parliament. SPT is now waiting for an available slot in the parliamentary timetable, which is expected to come during November. The Bill will seek powers to construct a new platform at Glasgow Central Station, a third railway line between Shields junction and Paisley Gilmour Street junction, a new rail junction at Paisley St James and a rail spur from there to Glasgow Airport. The Bill will also seek approval for a single span bridge over the M8, the building of the station at Glasgow Airport, and a pedestrian link from the station to the airport terminal. The Bill will be supported by a Promoter's Memorandum, explaining the policy objectives of the Bill, the alternatives investigated and the reasons why the project was chosen. A lengthy consultation process was conducted during late 2004 and early 2005, and the high levels of public support that were discovered are set to feature in the supporting documents.

SPT would like to see the rail link operational by the end of 2008.

End of story.

Page two, third story headline: Partick Interchange moves to the next phase

Work on Partick Interchange is set to begin in October 2005, as the rail, bus and Subway interchange is completely rebuilt. The Partick project has been in the pipeline for many years and has now reached the stage for construction to begin in earnest. Construction firm Spencer will be the main contractor working on site, and will be working alongside drivers and passengers, as the station will stay fully operational throughout the works.

The £12.3 million project will deliver a new flagship station building with high-level waiting areas, enhanced high-level access, a reconstructed bus stance area, improved CCTV and state of the art customer information displays, all housed within a fresh and modern facility.

The works will take place over approximately 16 months, from October 2005 until January 2007. The new Interchange will transform a run down area, which is located only a few minutes walk away from one of the largest redevelopments in Glasgow's history, Glasgow Harbour.

End of story.

Page three feature headline: Blueprint for success.

In August, SPT and the West of Scotland Transport Partnership (WESTRANS) launched the Joint Transport Strategy for Western Scotland to 2025 (JTS). The document was prepared with the support of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley and Ayrshire Structure Plan Teams.

Through the Joint Transport Strategy, SPT and its partners are committed to putting in place a transport system that is fit for the 21st century. A transport system that helps grow the west of Scotland's economy; improves connections both within the region and to the wider Scottish economy and population and improves links to the UK and beyond.

What is readily apparent from the JTS is that the car is the dominant form of transport across western Scotland. The latest Scottish Transport Statistics revealed that in 2004 nearly 263,000 new vehicles were registered in Scotland. That's an increase of 55% on the 1994 figure and the highest number of new vehicle registrations ever recorded.

Buses and trains come into their own when it comes to travelling to work, particularly into Glasgow city centre but, overall, more people are buying cars and using cars than ever before.

This leads to more congestion and longer journeys, which undermines our region's competitiveness, especially when you consider over 90% of Scotland's freight goes by road. It also creates more pollution, which undermines our health and contributes to climate change. If you don't have a car in our society you are at a disadvantage compared to those who do.

The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants estimates pollution from vehicles kills 11,600 people every year. People who live in deprived areas are exposed to more pollution than people who live in more affluent areas.

Buses are the most important form of public transport, especially for people on low incomes. More than 90% of the journeys made by people on the lowest incomes are made by bus. Young people, the unemployed and lone parents find the lack of good quality bus transport a barrier to getting jobs, getting healthcare, learning and even shopping.

Some 62% of the poorest groups don't have access to a car compared to 7% of those in the richest groups.

In 2002, the Social Exclusion Unit found that 40% of jobseekers felt a lack of transport was a barrier to finding work and 10% of people in low-income areas had turned down a job in the previous 12 months because of transport problems. Nearly 50% of 16 to 18 year old students say they find their transport costs hard to meet. Across the UK, over a 12-month period, 1.4 million people missed, turned down or decided not to get medical help because of transport problems. Around 16% of people without cars find it difficult to get to supermarkets compared with 6% of people with cars.

The Joint Transport Strategy aims to address the dominance of the car and improve public transport. It contains clear priorities related to economic growth and competitiveness, linked to improving access to key economic hubs and locations. Achieving these priorities depends on improving the public transport system and reducing current and projected levels of road congestion.

There are bottlenecks and missing links in the road and rail network, which the JTS highlights and proposes addressing.

Many of these capacity issues are the focus of nationally important projects, which are already included in the Executive's 10 year Transport Investment Plan and which SPT is at the forefront of delivering.

SPT is ready to present the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill to the Scottish Parliament. The Larkhall to Milngavie rail line is nearing completion and is expected to be operational by December. Work is now complete on a feasibility study into the Glasgow Crossrail scheme.

Road congestion can be tackled by demand management measures but good public transport alternatives need to be in place before drivers are going to shift from the private car.

Demand management measures and improvements in public transport capacity need to go hand in hand. They need to be implemented at the same time on key internal and external corridors to support the region's economic competitiveness.

To achieve this goal SPT and WESTRANS, and soon both, acting through the RTP, will work with their partner councils to introduce traffic reduction measures and better access arrangements. These will be put in place where traffic volumes are compromising the ability to achieve economic, social and environmental aims. This means a co-ordinated approach to parking which takes the needs of businesses and commerce into account.

The way parking is provided and used in town centres will be examined and policies will be developed with local authorities to manage the demand without damaging the competitiveness of one site compared to another. There is a particular issue relating to existing out-of-town shopping centres where parking is free, which compete for business with town centres where there are parking restrictions.

Getting transport right is vital and the Joint Transport Strategy is a blueprint for success. It shows SPT is looking to the future and preparing to hit the ground running when the west of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership comes into being.

This feature is illustrated with a photograph of a group of young cyclists who have just crossed the River Clyde on the Renfrew Ferry which is in the background.

End of story.

Back page, first story headline: New bus projects aim to keep Glasgow moving

Public transport users in Glasgow are set to experience an exciting new development in bus travel, with the introduction of two new systems aimed at making bus travel easier, more efficient and with better information for passengers.

Since 2002, SPT has been working on a project to provide electronic information at bus stops. The stops have electronic display boards providing accurate information about when the bus will arrive at the stop. The project, called IBIS (Intelligent Bus Information System) has been in development with partners Tandata, who supply electronic information at Buchanan and East Kilbride bus stations, and Trueform, the successful tenderer for the manufacture and supply of the infrastructure needed for the project.

Following many months of design and development, the first complete unit was delivered to SPT in April 2005, and was the first of 12 pilot shelters to be installed. Each of the 12 local authority districts in the SPT area will have a pilot shelter, all of which will be strategically placed at a stop where passengers will benefit the most, such as hospitals, local council offices and town centres. Since April, eight more shelters have gone on line, with the remaining three scheduled to be operational by October.

Another new system, called Streamline, has recently become operational in Glasgow.

The project has been developed by Glasgow City Council and First Bus to make bus travel more reliable, improve journey times, and provide more accurate information about arrival times.

The Streamline system involves fitting some 460 buses with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which tracks the movement of the buses along their route. The buses are allocated a designated road space, and if a bus has slipped behind schedule, the GPS system registers this, and gives the bus priority at traffic lights to get it running back on time. The GPS also provides information to digital displays at selected bus stops, alerting passengers to any delay, and will soon be able to send this information in text messages to mobile phones. Information about diversions, congestion and road traffic accidents will also be displayed.

First Bus has also invested £29 million in 220 brand new state-of-the-art low floor vehicles to provide increased comfort for passengers.

Accessibility will also be improved, as kerbs at bus stops are to be raised to allow easier access for passengers, particularly those in wheelchairs or with prams. The scheme will not only benefit bus users but everyone who lives and works in Glasgow, as it will contribute to reducing congestion in the city, which causes long-term damage in both environmental and economic terms.

Streamline started in September 2005 on the Faifley to Baillieston bus route, and will be cascaded out over the following bus routes over the next 12 months:

Great Western Road to Clarkston Road/Pollokshaws Road.
Paisley Road West to Balmore Road.
Maryhill Road to Tollcross Road.
Dalmarnock Road/London Road.
Edinburgh Road/Alexandra Parade.
Springburn Road.
Duke Street.

End of story.

Back page: News in brief (three stories).

New interlink service for Croy.

Kilsyth commuters are set to find the journey home even easier, as SPT has launched a new bus service to link up with the train. Residents of Kilsyth and the surrounding area will benefit from a new service which runs from Croy rail station to Twechar. The service will also extend to Hamill Drive during evenings and Sundays, making it even simpler to use public transport to get into Glasgow City Centre. The service started on Sunday 11 September.

The interlink service with Croy station operates Mondays to Saturdays from 0615 to 1845. The service allows commuters to arrive in time for the train service to Glasgow without searching for a parking space and for only 50p per single journey.

This story is illustrated with a photograph of East Dunbartonshire Councillor Alan Moir, who sits on Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority. He is standing in front of the service 345 bus at the launch of the new service. The vehicle is in SPT livery.

Annual refit for ferry.

The Renfrew Rose, one half of SPT's Renfrew Ferry fleet, has been sent to Greenock for its annual refit. As part of a yearly maintenance programme, the vessel is taken to a dry dock where a survey is conducted of the exterior of the boat, which is then sand-blasted and re-painted, the engines are stripped down and re-built, the interior is re-painted and an inspection is carried out on the pumps and electrics. The boat is then given a sea trial, where the steering and general manoeuvrability is approved by officials. The Renfrew Rose will then receive its new one-year safety certificate, and sail back up the Clyde to Renfrew.

End of story.

Inter-station bus service.

Wednesday 3 August saw Councillor Alistair Watson, Chair of SPT, joined by First ScotRail's Commercial Director, Gordon Dewar, and Operations Director for First Glasgow, Alex Shearer, to launch two new 'low floor' buses, improving on transport integration for passengers.

The buses, which carry the SPT livery, will be used to transport passengers between Glasgow's Central and Queen Street train stations and Buchanan bus station, free of charge for all those with a valid rail ticket. The buses are an upgrade to the existing 398 minibus service, which is currently in operation by First ScotRail's sister company, First Glasgow.

First ScotRail funds the rail link station bus service as part of its franchise commitment. The new low floor buses have been grant funded by SPT at an investment of £67,000.

End of story.

End of Issue 10.

Note: you can send feedback to Interchange, Public Relations and Marketing, S.P.T., Consort House, 12 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 1HN.

Telephone: 0141 333 3282.

email: interchange@spt.co.uk