WHO IS AFFECTED??

This affects everyone currently living in and any future residents of the following housing developments:

• Lauder Gardens (David Wilson Homes)
• Avondale Gardens (Taylor Wimpey)
• Overton Gardens (Bancon Homes)
• Queens Gate (Bancon Homes - future development)

The issue is not with the development of housing or the associated amenities proposed to be completed in conjunction with the development but the lack of thought given to the proposed vehicular access routes.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

SAFETY ISSUES, TRAFFIC VOLUME, TRAFFIC SPEED, INCREASED NOISE POLLUTION, INCREASED FUMES - all of which are major concerns for the current road plan. With a singular access point for over 300 houses, this is going to make many roads, especially Fleming Boulevard, Ramsey Mews, Ronald Mews, Black Street and Boyd Orr Mews excessively busy, noisy and more importantly, dangerous for the numerous families that live in the development.

The current situation is already dire as the traffic calming measures serve no more purpose other than creating a ramp for cars entering and exiting the development. Most just speed over as they slingshot off the extremely wide roundabout on Glassford Road or drag race down Fleming Boulevard. It has caused several near misses between cars, vans, bikes and pedestrians as many do not adhere to the speed limit along this stretch of road. As suggested before, it would be better to have more prominent speed bumps like those you see in regulated car parks to slow traffic that give drivers no option but to crawl over them.

With EVERYONE accessing the multiple estates (Lauder Gardens, Avondale Gardens, Overton Gardens and now Queens Gate) from a single point (roundabout on Glassford Road) the traffic will be multiplied well beyond reasonable levels. It has already been noted that the road is extremely busy with the current residents and this is set only to get worse. I would love to see what the traffic management report considered during their assessment because it certainly wasn't the safety of the residents, both current and future.

With the final phases of housing given the green light, I think road access should be revisited immediately and looked at from a resident's point of view and not just a cost saving exercise from the developers...at the end of the day, they are not the ones who have to live there. I would have thought they would want to encourage good publicity by listening to those who live here which in turn would go towards keeping or improving their reputation in the area. Which is why I need your voices.

The consultations to date have been fruitless and nothing more that a tick box exercise by the Developers and Planning departments. It would appear that nothing has been taken into consideration or revisited after the initial traffic consultation, which is grossly out of date. Traffic along Glassford Road alone has increased exponentially since Berebriggs Road was widened and improved - which was indeed necessary - however it has now become a rat race for car wanting to skip going through Strathaven centre.

WHY IS NOW THE TIME TO ACT?

Originally, the plans showed an access point into the later phases from Hamilton Road, which made perfect sense and would prevent people charging up Fleming Boulevard to reach the houses furthest away from the roundabout. Why was this removed? It hardly creates a through road for main traffic as Glassford Road nearest our development is hardly a busy road other than the traffic associated with our development on the edge of a rural area. It wouldn't create a rat run either or increase the traffic through the development. Quite the opposite actually, it would create a safe access and egress to the development from two points rather than one thus reducing traffic flow along Fleming Boulevard and other main streets.

If we leave the proposed plans as they are, the roads will be constructed and there will be no changing the plans once put into motion. 

I have already contacted local planning, our local Councillors and the MSP for the area but what needs to be heard are our voices, so please give your support in opposing the singular road access to the East Overton Development.

Thank you for your support.