Shawlands GoBike and Bike Bus celebrate Glasgow’s ambitious cycle lane plans with heartfelt ‘Thank You’ card
Cycling groups from Glasgow’s Southside, including Shawlands Bike Bus, GoBike, and local children, came together to show their appreciation for the city’s 270km cycle network plans. With a jumbo ‘Thank You’ card in hand, they shared gratitude, feedback, and hopes for a more bike-friendly future, despite concerns over government funding cuts.
The jumbo 'Thank You' card delivered to the Pollok Burgh Hall last night.
By Devon McCole
Cycling groups in the Southside are celebrating a major milestone in the city’s cycling infrastructure. They came together in a unique display of appreciation for Glasgow City Council’s ambitious plans to improve active travel.
Last evening, Shawlands Bike Bus, alongside GoBike and Women on Wheels, organised a heartwarming event to cycle from Shawlands Primary School to Pollock Burgh Hall to present a jumbo ‘Thank You’ card to the council’s design team responsible for the city’s proposed 270km cycle network.
Alistair Davids, Convenor of GoBike, played a central role in organising the day. "We got the whole thing going and invited Shawlands Bike Bus and Women on Wheels, who were keen to get involved," he said.
Alistair was impressed with the Bike Bus team’s ability to pull everything together so quickly. "The Bike Bus guys were just really well-organised and made sure the kids were safe, and they seemed happy during the bike ride" he added.
Glasgow’s cycle lane proposals are going to be transformative. The city is in the process of creating 57km of new bike lanes as part of the larger City Network, which aims to provide 270km of safe, accessible cycling routes by 2031.
The plans promise to offer an efficient, environmentally friendly alternative for commuters and schoolchildren alike. As Katherine Cory, Co-founder of Shawlands Bike Bus, said,“Obviously lots of people know about these exciting city network plans, which look really ambitious and something that we've been waiting for. As the Bike Bus, we have been scouring over them, and we're happy to see these consultations.”
While this event was meant to express gratitude, it also offered an opportunity for feedback. "Today, as the Bike Bus, along with other campaign groups, we are going together to present a big thank you card to the people that are running it," Katherine explained. "because we're really pleased that this is happening but also to provide some feedback and ideas that we have on the plans."
Cycling is increasingly becoming part of daily life for many families in Glasgow, with more parents turning to bicycles as their main form of transport. Katherine herself recalled how cycling became a part of her routine. "I only started cycling properly three years ago when my daughter started P1. But now it's properly embedded in my daily life, and I choose it over the car."
The Shawlands Bike Bus, a group of families who ride together to Shawlands Primary School, are normalising cycling for schoolchildren.
Bike Bus at the Thank You bike ride event last night.
The Bike Bus also provides a temporary but effective solution to the lack of safe cycling routes, riding in a formation that can only be described as a “human bike lane,” as the accompanying adults shield the children along their journey. But Bike Bus is reliant on the efforts of volunteers, underscoring the need for permanent, segregated cycle lanes that cater to everyone.
Katherine Cory, who also works as the Family Coordinator for Women on Wheels, highlighted the significant challenges many face, particularly in the Southside of Glasgow. "There’s a lot of families who can’t afford a bike, don’t know how to pedal, can’t store a bike, or don’t know where to begin," Cory shared. Women on Wheels aims to address these barriers by offering practical support, helping women and families gain the confidence and resources to make cycling a viable option.
However, as Katherine emphasised, "We do need the city to be built with that option in mind; to be able to cycle to work or to school." This sentiment aligns with the broader goals of the City Network, which aims to make active travel not only accessible but also safe and convenient for everyone.
The enthusiasm for Glasgow’s City Network is palpable among the cycling campaigners. Alistair Davids from GoBike expressed his excitement about the plans: "We're really excited about the city’s plans for lots of reasons; access to a cheaper, healthier form of transport. It will even improve congestion."
Cities like Amsterdam have demonstrated that when cycling is made safe and accessible, it quickly becomes a popular, everyday form of transport. Glasgow’s planned network could transform the city’s streets, providing benefits for the environment, public health, and traffic management.
But despite the positive momentum and positive response from local cycling groups and others, there are lingering concerns about the future of these plans due to recent budget cuts. The Scottish Government’s decision to reduce the active and sustainable travel budget by £23.7 million has raised fears that some of the proposed cycle routes may be delayed or altered.
And, while the council has reassured campaigners that they remain committed to the City Network, the cuts have introduced an element of unpredictability into what is otherwise an optimistic outlook.
The “Thank You” event organised by Shawlands Bike Bus and GoBike was a reminder of the community’s enthusiasm for Glasgow’s cycling future. It was not just a gesture of gratitude, but a call to action for the city to keep pushing forward with its ambitious plans. As Alistair noted, the council staff were pleased to receive the card, and even took the time to show some of the children the detailed plans for the network.