Kinloch Road Regeneration - Have your say!!!

[Mr Plod]

I can't imagine it would be really difficult to re plan and reroute the existing roads to get buses from Longrow onto the Machrihanish road. How about switching Burnside street one way so it goes ALL the way from Longrow to Big Kiln one way?. Or is that totally impossible? I think not since they managed to re arrange the Lochend/Kinloch Road end of town and the Roundabout became a sort of "Squareabout" when they shaved a big dod of it off to accommodate big mega transporters moving the windmills to the ferry terminal.

So giving us a proper traffic management sytem to run around the periphery of a pedestrianised area in a very small town with low traffic density (don't tell me it's not because i can't recall the last time I saw a half mile never mind 20 mile tail back of traffic in campbeltown) is surely not beyond the combined intellect of all the big shots at the top of the tree in Kilmory. I mean after all, the main consensus of opinion in recruitment departments re "Fat Cat High Flyers" in the private and public sectors is that if we don't pay them the giant salaries their "demanding roles and superior intellect" require, then their "services" cannot be obtained and we'll all die or go bankrupt or there'll be redundancies.

Micro climate? Hahahaha There might well be. Sometimes it's bucketing rain in Davaar Avenue and dry as a bone in Hillside road. It can be raining in Kilkerran Road and sunshine on Low askomil. But I think the Island on Kinloch Road is way more exposed to the elements than the main Street where weather is concerned, common sense really when you look at the 4 storey tall tenements all around providing some shelter. But again, simply solved with sheltered seating , like they do in most English seaside resorts. I seem to remember 3 years ago the weather cleared the Kinloch green in 5 minutes during the Music festival and killed it stone dead for the day. And that's what?, 50 yards from the traffic island? Nuff said.

It seems the way forward for most pedestrianised areas these days is for single track narrow access roads to one side or down the centre of the street for buses, taxis and delivery vehicles, bin lorries etc, and more importantly, emergency service vehicle access such as fire and ambulance - the police can walk in there and do foot patrols. And how hard would it be to allow disabled drivers access to park and shop? Not very hard I'd imagine.

Park and Ride?? Park and ride is a purely a "Rail Transport" solution to entice "urban" motorists away from their cars and onto trains a) To reduce traffic congestion on inner city roads and b) to reduce traffic pollution in inner city areas. Where is the rail network in Campbeltown, or Kintyre? We could certainly do with one. And a ferry to the mainland while you're at it.

As for Tesco? Who cares about Tesco? Whatever access Tesco wants for it's store it will get in spades. "We're Tesco - We own you - Who's ya daddy" is Tesco's ethos I'm afraid. And if, as I suspect it will, Tesco thrives because it sells stuff people want at a reasonable price, and in the process forces a lot of small businesses out of the town centre then what does that say about us, the people that flock to their stores every day looking to eke out our meagre earnings by bargain hunting?

For every obstruction to progress put in man's way by man himself, we seem to find a simple solution or work around that works fine.

We really need to get away from this "carparks" and "Vehicle access" nonsense in our towns. Why do we need MORE carparks at all? There's tons of parking in the town. And as for parking at Aqualibrium - if there's not a space right outside I just park round the corner in the Esplanade where there is usually about 50 spaces. Maybe that's why Aqualibrium is not being utilised and having to reduce services and opening times. Because people are too lazy or too harrassed or stressed out (I accept parents with small kids have parking stress issues lol) to park a bit further away and WALK a hundred yards?

Maybe when petrol is £20 a litre we'll put get the message and take the bus or walk.

Don't make the triangle into a carpark. Nice planting and some sheltered seating will be fine.

[John S]

Why remove this area when the CHORD project (for example) could be concentrating on turning the area behind Charlie McMillan/WFM yard into a car park?

This is the sort of thinking we need. I think removing the amenity value of the triangle to create parking would be wrong. We need recreational/amenity space as well as parking. So far as parking for the all-weather pitch is concerned, why not look on the other side of the green, to the ample space around John Street or where the changing rooms are at present? Why does it have to be the triangle at the bus stance?

Parking in Kinloch Road has been more of a problem since Aqualibrium opened, as I well know when I go to visit my auntie in Kinloch Place. It's especially bad on the nights when the running club meets - just about impossible even for residents to get parked those nights. If the official position is that the all-weather pitch will make the problem worse, let's look for better solutions than to tarmac the triangle.

The difficulty is that the council does not own the land behind Charlie McMillan/WFM and it is unlikely that its purchase could be afforded through the CHORD project as budgets sit at present. I agree this would be a better location but it is unlikely to be an option in the near future, neither is Mr Plods solution which I would think would be a consideration in the next stage in developments. There are other options for parking, such as extending the Aqualibriums car park - which is a ridiculous shape at present, but then it would encroach on the war memorial. Yes parking in John St is possible for the AWP, but that's not providing any more space around the town center for parking.

I would much prefer to see a more pedestrian friendly town center but it is a contentious issue as a lot of people living in town are wedded to the internal combustion engine and loathed to walk the length of themselves rather than drive it. There is a lot that can be done to improve town centers for pedestrians and visitors without totally alienating traffic but a very significant part of that is having convenient parking close to the town center which encourages people to park up and walk.

The Tesco development will significantly affect the way traffic and pedestrians move around the town. I think during its development would be a good time to be looking at the wider traffic management of the town, by that time we would also likely know the whereabouts of the new Grammar School which is probably the last major development on the horizon that may impact on town center traffic movements.

[Kevin Mc]

-Other towns have done it- you put a buses only 'lane' you can still narrow the road substansially and still make it look nice, with the amount of buses here it would not be much of a problem

Small world - that pic is where I live. That's Hinckley town centre.

[Mr Plod]

And very a nice town centre it looks too. I always wondered what that traffic sign meant - I thought it meant Motorcycle stunt riders only. You learn so much on this forum lol

[Kevin Mc]

And very a nice town centre it looks too. I always wondered what that traffic sign meant - I thought it meant Motorcycle stunt riders only. You learn so much on this forum lol

It does look better than it did with this pedestrianised bit, though I far prefer Campbeltown.

As for these new plans - I suppose the suggested route for the new road from Longrow to Kinloch Road would create an easier route for the Wind Towers (Skykon, Vestas) lorries and the timber lorries...

[russanros]

Small world - that pic is where I live. That's Hinckley town centre.

- It was actually on a cycling website that I came across whilst looking up stuff for the Mokbike event!
- though there are plenty examples of where pedestrianisation can work with cyclists & buses.

If the Moss road was upgraded, Tesco construction traffic could be kept out of the town centre?

The bit about parking at Aqualibrium is absurd - if you are going to do a sports activity or run from there it goes by definition that a short walk round the corner won't kill you, and probably wont do any harm if your just taking your library books back either?

[Kevin Mc]

The bit about parking at Aqualibrium is absurd - if you are going to do a sports activity or run from there it goes by definition that a short walk round the corner won't kill you

Exactly what I was thinking.

[John S]

The bit about parking at Aqualibrium is absurd - if you are going to do a sports activity or run from there it goes by definition that a short walk round the corner won't kill you

Exactly what I was thinking.

So long as there is parking a short walk around the corner. The current proposals for Kinloch Road significantly reduce opportunities for parking there. What I am saying is that, if you want people to walk around the town centre more, then opportunities for parking close to the town centre have to increase. The point about the AWP and/or the Aquilibrium is that people will always want to park as close to where they want to go as possible. Any reduction in available parking spaces is likely to reduce options for parking close to the town center, impacting on overall parking to the extent that shoppers will be even more attracted to shop at Tesco's as they will be able to park on the doorstep there. Parking for the AWP, and the Royal hotel will increase demand, further exacerbating the limited parking close to the Victoria hall and town center.

[MPR]

how about some angle parking spots, some of those roads are wide enough to accept it.

[Martin]

Just a thought, and I'm not taking the mick this time....
If this is still in the same state maybe it could be made into a carpark and a mini bus or two could be running people back and forth into the town for a very small fee. The fat could get fatter using it, the elderly and disabled would benefit, and the slim and fit could remain that way by walking in. Stick a small pay and display thing on the carpark, not too much or you just end up robbing folk.
Another plus is that visitors would not have to pass that disgrace on their way into the town, let's face it, if it's still like that it doesn't do the place any favours on first impressions.

[Mr Plod]

Angled parking is a good idea actually. Angled parking, on say one side of the longrow would significantly increase the available parking. If duplicated throughout the main, wider thoroughfares would probably provide sufficient parking for most people to park near to their intended destination.

Martin that site has been tidied up significantly after a hullabaloo about it a few years back.

Great things are happening in Campbeltown with fast passenger boats to the mainland and Ireland, the new all weather pitches, a new marina being proposed, new housing programs completed or well on track, a new creamery and renovation of shop frontages, and the renovation of the old schoolhouse and a new Grammar school. Many new small businesses have opened up in the town centre and the double edged sword of the new Tesco Superstore is on it's way.

I really don't think the town needs new car parks which are an inefficient use of valuable land (go visit one after 5pm and revel in it's bleak emptiness). I think we just need to revisit the traffic management situation and redesign the routes in and around the town centre. And we need to use the existing parking availability more efficiently and angled parking is a good way to achieve this.

So keeping the triangle and surrounding area for recreational usage would be the better option, even if it was just something that was nice to look at when you were in the area, or sit in on a nice day. It would look a whole lot better than a carpark.

[Ship called Dignity]

Surprised to read that our elected officials would actually prefer to see the area turned into a car park - have to think that is a rather naive proposal. I'm pretty sure most people would prefer to retain the recreational area. Out of interest where can the results of the consultation on this be found?

I'm surprised that you think it naive for a politician to represent the views expressed by constituents DP and given that the AWP will generate significantly more parking demand and that parking in Kinloch Rd in the plans is significantly less than at present, where are AWP users going to park?

John - can you point me to the consultation findings please? I am still surprised you think you are representing the views of our constituency. Councillor Donald Kelly has also confirmed he does not support a car park in the triangle as you suggested.

[John S]

John - can you point me to the consultation findings please? I am still surprised you think you are representing the views of our constituency. Councillor Donald Kelly has also confirmed he does not support a car park in the triangle as you suggested.

David, i never said my views - and views they are, are based on any consultation but on but on views expressed to my by constituents like your self. You may not agree with these views, and its your right to express that, but equally I believe that car parking is essential for the town center to become more pedestrian friendly place. Nor did I say that Donald Kelly agreed with that view - you assumed that. It is easy in politics to always agree with what might be seen to be the popular action rather than promote what might be the nessessary action, but unless all views get expressed and are given objective consideration we will be the worse for it and this forum is a good outlet for such views i'm sure you will agree with that

[Ship called Dignity]

John - can you point me to the consultation findings please? I am still surprised you think you are representing the views of our constituency. Councillor Donald Kelly has also confirmed he does not support a car park in the triangle as you suggested.

David, i never said my views - and views they are, are based on any consultation but on but on views expressed to my by constituents like your self. You may not agree with these views, and its your right to express that, but equally I believe that car parking is essential for the town center to become more pedestrian friendly place. Nor did I say that Donald Kelly agreed with that view - you assumed that. It is easy in politics to always agree with what might be seen to be the popular action rather than promote what might be the nessessary action, but unless all views get expressed and are given objective consideration we will be the worse for it and this forum is a good outlet for such views i'm sure you will agree with that

Forum is great for gathering views John but on your previous points, I'm out of it. You've been too long in politics when you give a reply like that!!

[John S]

Forum is great for gathering views John but on your previous points, I'm out of it. You've been too long in politics when you give a reply like that!!

Och Davie, your taking the hump now,