NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY

Read it and weep. What is below is a report on whether the new Labour administration at West Dunbartonshire Council should implement SNP budget cuts and stop providing transport for an initially estimated 600 pupils to some local schools, both primary and secondary.

In all my years reporting on local government, and these are many, I have never seen such a poorly put together report as the one about this matter which The Democrat has published in detail below.

This quality of report might be acceptable if it related to organising a minor event, but children’s safety on the roads and pavements on their way to school each day is a matter of life and death.

We at the banned Democrat were the only local news organisation represented at one of the consultations on this at a meeting in Our Lady and St Patrick’s OSLP. The other one was held at Vale of Leven Academy.

It was obvious that at least one of the persons making the presentation to parents was out of his depth since it was obvious that he was unfamiliar with the area when he was asked about the possible route from Renton to OLSP in Bellsmyre.

We revealed that local schools earmarked to lose the bus passes were being assessed by road safety officers.

And that the statutory consultation was embarked on amid fears amongst teachers and parents that that bus passes being withdrawn would affect the achievements of pupils, especially those from the most deprived backgrounds.

Truancy rates at the schools affected are likely to rise if this goes ahead, we were told.

Then Gavin Corrigan of the EIS trade union criticised the cuts at a meeting of the education committee, urging councillors to consider the consequences of approving changes.

Mr Corrigan, a teacher at Our Lady and St Patrick’s High, told councillors that he “completely disagrees” with the cuts – ““It’s no secret that attendance at school correlates with attainment. If you come to school then you learn.”

He added that a recent letter sent to parents highlighted that a three percent reduction in attendance can lead to a 10 percent reduction in attainment.

And that the paper presented to council members goes on about the benefits of walking to school on pupils’ mental health and how it will reduce childhood obesity. All of these benefits that come with being active.

“But the harsh reality is that we live in Scotland. It was  minus 7 degrees when I got up this morning.

“We’re making cuts to the clothing grant. We’re making it more difficult for kids to be dressed appropriately for these cold conditions, and now they’re going to have to walk further rather than getting on a bus to bring them to school.”

Cllr David McBride – This is the harsh reality of the financial crisis this council faces.

Labour councillor David McBride said he understood the concerns expressed by parents and teachers and, of course, pupils – but laid the blame at the door of the SNP Scottish Government.

The West Dumbarton ward member said: “The decision to go ahead with this has not been an easy one. It’s hard to argue with anything Gavin has said.

“This is the harsh reality of the financial crisis this council faces. We have had to make dreadful cuts to all areas.

“We had a budget gap of £21 million and every service has been affected badly.  Unfortunately we have to balance a budget.

“Thankfully the Scottish Government has brought in a travel card for young people. We need to make sure everyone has that, and we need to work with the bus companies to ensure that there are sufficient services for the demand.”

Cllr McBride failed to explain however how the travel card would ameliorate the effect of bus passes being withdrawn from pupils.

Now the report from alleged road safety experts has become available and the Council is said to be preparing to make its final decision at a meeting on July 5.

We have published it in full below with some comments by The Democrat editor which we hope the Council will take on board before then.

We have been forced to do this because the council refuses to speak to The Democrat and will not even take questions from us by e mail.

The snowflakes melted when an old man asked them to turn the sound up so he could hear what was being said at a council meeting and when he protested they threw him out.

The Democrat has been told to take the Freedom of Information route which scandalously takes weeks and months to give and answer if it gives any answer at all.  This is Labour’s Secret Scotland. They should think black burning shame of themselves.

Since Labour refuse to face the music, we asked Community Party councillor Jim Bollan, pictured right,  to comment.

He said: “The cuts made by the Labour Council to the school bus scheme will create hardship and possible danger to some younger pupils.

“In some primary schools, 100% of pupils will be taken off the scheme completely, St Mary’s in Alexandria being an example of that.

“It is deplorable that Labour is prepared to enforce these Tory-induced cuts rather than fight them, to protect some of our youngest vulnerable students.

“Families will be genuinely concerned, as I am, about the consequences of these potentially unsafe measures.”

Here is the report that has followed the public consultation. Readers should be appalled at what is being done in their name.

Assessment of Walking Route (West of Scotland Guidelines)

Gartocharn Primary School
The West of Scotland guidelines provide guidance on generic walking route assessments and
assume that all pupils will be accompanied by an adult.
Route: Gartocharn Primary school – outwith village perimeter
Date: 1st March 2023
Length of route: Varied
Weather conditions: Dry
FOOTPATH (CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE) NO
No continuous footpath or street lighting on all of School Road or Duncryne Road – leading
up to C Class roads
ROAD CROSSING FACILITIES/POINTS YES
There is crossing facility in Gartocharn village
TRAFFIC VOLUMES +240 NO
Very light traffic flow, however higher volume of larger agricultural vehicles
ADEQUATUE STEP OFF NO
No step offs on all of School Road or Duncryne Road
ADEQUATUE SIGHTLINES NO
Inadequate sight lines due to hedge height and no safe or designated crossing points
ROUTE NOT ACCEPTABLE
Additional Information:
No Accident data available
No data on speed of traffic and volume of traffic

And it seems the person in charge of putting this summary together cannot spell the word “adequate” despite it being for the Council Education Department. Doesn’t that make you confident that your children are in good hands?

Milton to Our Lady & Dumbarton Academy / St Patrick’s

The West of Scotland guidelines provide guidance on generic walking route assessments.
Route: MILTON TO DUMBARTON ACADEMY / ST PATRICK’S
A82 Stirling road – Garshake Road – Roundriding Road – Bonhill Road – Crosslet Road
Date: 15th March
Length of route : 2.7 mls
Weather conditions: Dry and Sunny
FOOTPATH (CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE) NO
A82 Footpath surface is muddy + slippery along with excess surface water despite dry
weather
MILTON – DUMBARTON ROAD CROSSING FACILITES/POINTS – NO
A82 at Quarry entrance and exit – + 50 metre footpath crossing point for pedestrians
DUMBARTON ROAD CROSSING FACILITIES /POINTS – YES
There are crossing facilities: traffic lights and school crossing patrollers
TRAFFIC VOLUMES +240 UNKNOWN
ADEQUATUE STEP OFF YES
Access to Lindsay Garage / Milton Hotel – numerous exit/entrances – CROSS WITH CAUTION
ADEQUATUE SIGHTLINES NO
A82 at Quarry entrance – limited visibility of HGV’s leaving A82 to enter quarry
Colquohoun Road – CROSS WITH CAUTION
Barnhill Road – CROSS WITH CAUTION
Strowan Well Road – CROSS WITH CAUTION
ROUTE NOT ACCEPTABLE
Additional Information:
School start / finish times: two days finishing at 3.50pm and implications of walking route
once clocks change to darker nights (NOT APPLICABLE TO PRIMARY)
Time factor: + 55 minute walk to/from school.
Seasonal factor: winter/autumn and its consequences – unlikely A82 footpath is gritted
Personal safety factor – no other pedestrian on A82 route
No Accident Data available
No data on speed of traffic & volume of traffic

Who ever compiled this assessment has failed to spell Colquhoun Road or Strowans Well Road correctly. And, again, adequate is spelt wrongly which gives the impression that the senior person responsible for signing it off did not pay proper attention to it. BH

Milton to Knoxland Primary

The West of Scotland guidelines provide guidance on generic walking route assessments.
Route: MILTON TO KNOXLAND PRIMARY
A82 Stirling Road – Greenhead Road – Glasgow Road
Date: 20th March
Length of route : 2.6 mls
Weather conditions: Dry and Sunny
FOOTPATH (CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE) NO
A82 Footpath surface is muddy + slippery along with excess surface water despite dry
weather
MILTON – DUMBARTON ROAD CROSSING FACILITES/POINTS – NO
A82 at Quarry entrance and exit – + 50 metre footpath crossing point for pedestrians
DUMBARTON ROAD CROSSING FACILITIES /POINTS – YES
There are crossing facilities: traffic lights and school crossing patrollers
TRAFFIC VOLUMES +240 UNKNOWN
ADEQUATUE STEP OFF YES
Access to Lindsay Garage / Milton Hotel – numerous exit/entrances – CROSS WITH CAUTION
ADEQUATUE SIGHTLINES NO
A82 at Quarry entrance – limited visibility of HGV’s leaving A82 to enter quarry
ROUTE NOT ACCEPTABLE
Additional Information:
Time factor: + 55 minute walk to/from school
Seasonal factor: winter/autumn and its consequences – unlikely A82 footpath is gritted
Personal safety factor – no other pedestrian on A82 route
No Accident Data available
No data on speed of traffic & volume of traffic

The more one reads this stuff, the more one despairs. There is no mention of the regular flooding at the entrance to Dumbuck Quarry which makes this route impassable for pedestrians. Anyone with the slightest local knowledge is aware that it was a waste of time – and council taxpayers’ money to have even considered this as a possible route for children to walk to school.

Renton to Our Lady and St Patrick’s

The West of Scotland guidelines provide guidance on generic walking route assessments.
Route: RENTON – OL&SP
Howatshaws Road – A813 Stirling Road – Strathleven Industrial Estate – Main Street
Renton
Date:27th March 2023
Length of route & : 2.5 mls
Weather conditions: Dry and Sunny
The personal safety of pupils walking through an industrial estate should take precedence
over walking route assessment.
FOOTPATH (CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE) YES
Crossing over footbridge into Renton
Burroughs Way – NO street lighting
ROAD CROSSING FACILITES/POINTS YES
There are no crossing facilities on this route
A813 Crossing point opposite entrance to Aggreko – CROSS WITH CAUTION
TRAFFIC VOLUMES +240 UNKNOWN
ADEQUATUE STEP OFF YES
ADEQUATUE SIGHTLINES NO
Strathleven Industrial Estate – prevelance of larger delivery vehicles undertaking complex
movements.
ROUTE NOT ACCEPTABLE
Additional Information:
School start / finish times: two days finishing at 3.50pm and implications of walking route
once clocks change to darker nights
Time factor: + 55 minute walk to/from school
Seasonal factor: winter/autumn and its consequences – Are the footpaths on Industrial
estates gritted
Personal safety factor – very few pedestrian on route and proximity to River Leven
No Accident Data available
No data on speed of traffic & volume of traffic

When The Democrat attended the “consultation” on this, we were shocked yet again that this route had ever even been considered as a safe route for children to walk to school. It wasn’t just the traffic that was the danger in this instance. One mother raised the question of the possibility of her her teenage daughter being attacked. The current fashion for young people to wear very short mini skirts was mentioned by her. She also mentioned that there was no street lighting and there were too many places on the industrial estate where children could be attacked and concealed. BH

Dumbarton West ( oxhill/brucehill/ castlehill/kingsway/westcliffe)- Our Lady & St Patrick’s High School

The West of Scotland guidelines provide guidance on generic walking route assessments.
Route: Dumbarton West – OL&SP
Cardross Road (A814) – Station Road – Townend Road – Bellsmyre Ave
Date: 15th March 2023
Length of route : 2.9 mils
Weather conditions: Dry and Sunny
FOOTPATH (CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE) YES
ROAD CROSSING FACILITES/POINTS YES
Yes – road crossing facilities on Cardross road and Townend Road
Townend Road at Poplar Road junction (volume of traffic and their complex movement) –
CROSS WITH CAUTION
TRAFFIC VOLUMES +240 UNKNOWN
ADEQUATUE STEP OFF YES
ADEQUATUE SIGHTLINES YES
ROUTE ACCEPTABLE ( please note additional information )
Additional Information:
School start / finish times: Monday & Tuesday 8.50- 3.50pm, Wednesday – Friday 8.50 –
3.00pm. Late finish on Monday & Tuesday implications of walking once clocks change to
darker nights. There is street lighting on the route.
Time factor: + 60 minute walk to & from school
Seasonal factor: winter /autumn – footpaths are on gritting route
No Accident Data available
No data on speed of traffic & volume of traffic

Once again, this report appears to have been compiled in a slipshod way. Whoever put it together literally cannot spell Westcliff never mind be considered familiar with the route that could possibly make parents feel safe about their children walking all the way to school. It is said there is street lighting on the route, but anyone familiar with the Central Station area of Dumbarton knows the street lighting around it is inadequate. There are dark tunnels from Station Road to Bankend Road and the route under the main railway bridge at Townend Road is notoriously dark and dangerous. The crossing there at the traffic lights has been complained about on numerous  occasions because it is so dark and drivers have difficulty seeing people standing there waiting to cross the road. The fact that it is “assumed that all pupils will be accompanied by an adult” (see report number one) is frightening. When children’s lives are involved there is no room for assumptions in matters such as this. BH.