\n A resident has raised concerns that it is \u201conly a matter of time\u201d before a serious accident occurs on a busy stretch of road.\n<\/p>\n
\n Dr Emma Bolger is leading the call for improvements to be made on Parkhouse Road, leading on to Darnley Road in Barrhead, which she says is unsafe for pedestrians.\n<\/p>\n
\n Residents are taking a risk walking along the stretch(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n As a result, she claims that residents are \u201ccut off\u201d from using the wealth of local services available in Barrhead and children attending Barrhead High School \u201care prevented\u201d from being able to use a safe walking route.\n<\/p>\n
\n A petition started by Emma on behalf of the residents\u2019 association in Parkhouse, which outlined their concerns, has garnered more than 1,000 signatures.\n<\/p>\n
\n Dr Emma Bolger and Councillor Rashid Hussein(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n She said: \u201cPeople risk their safety when using this stretch of Parkhouse Road.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAll vehicles, including articulated lorries and other large vehicles such as coaches and vans use the road at all times of day and vehicles pass dangerously close to pedestrians.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt is only a matter of time until a serious accident takes place.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n The stretch poses a great danger to pedestrians(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n As Emma states in the petition, there is currently inadequate distance between the pedestrian pathway and the road.\n<\/p>\n
\n The footpath is also said to be uneven, which \u201cincreases the likelihood of trips and falls, potentially onto the path of oncoming traffic\u201d and the footpath is also “not wide enough” for a wheelchair user or individual with a pram to walk safely.\n<\/p>\n
\n Residents and Councillor Rashid Hussain(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n This means the footpath cannot be used unless walking in “single-file”, meaning there is no safe way to pass another footpath user without stepping onto the busy road.\n<\/p>\n
\n Furthermore, the barrier between the exit\/entrance to the Dams to Darnley country park and the road has been removed due to local works and has not been replaced, which means “children could potentially run from the park directly onto the road”.\n<\/p>\n
\n The exit from Dams to Darnley Country Park(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n It is also said that the road discourages local active travel to nearby local services and “greener” modes of travel.\n<\/p>\n
\n Finally, the area to cross the road is also obscured by overhanging branches\/foliage and the frequency of traffic means that the road is always busy, and crossing can require a long wait or vehicles voluntarily stopping to allow pedestrians to cross safely.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n They would like to see the foliage cut back(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n Emma and the residents association would like to see the pathway beside the road made wider and more level.\n<\/p>\n
\n They would like to see this from the roundabout down to where the road meets the boundary with the East Renfrewshire council area where they say the pathway is significantly wider, safer and better maintained.\n<\/p>\n
\n They would also like to see a pedestrian crossing built and a safety barrier reinstated at the end of the path out of Dams to Darnley Park.\n<\/p>\n
\n Their concern is particularly acute at the moment because vehicles are being diverted from the Aurs Road works and adding to the heavy flow of traffic.\n<\/p>\n
\n The site where the battery energy storage system is due to be constructed(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n A battery energy storage system is also due to be constructed behind Parkhouse Manor Care Home with a new entrance off Parkhouse Road and this is also expected to further increase the amount of vehicles on the road carrying heavy loads.\n<\/p>\n
\n READ NEXT: New credit union opening date set for Barrhead<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n The care home, which is on Parkhouse Road, say they have also been concerned for some time about the stretch of road and that the council \u201cmust take action\u201d to limit the speed and provide safe crossing areas.\n<\/p>\n \n \n Razwan Latif, the director of the home\u2019s provider Laurem Care Group Limited, said: \u201cSome of these concerns are, but not limited to, a lack of safe crossing for our residents, the speed at which cars travel across the road, and now due to further construction work being planned, i.e. battery storage plant construction, we are expecting further dangerous obstructions to add to this already congested area.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cCurrently staff, residents and families are risking their lives when attempting the crossing to access local services such as the bus stop.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n \n Emma’s petition has gained the attention of local councillors including William Graham, who did a walk around with local residents, and Rashid Hussain, who described it as an “ongoing issue”.\n<\/p>\n \n \n \u201cWe have campaigned on many occasions over the years to get road to resurfaced and more recently tried to get the shrubbery cut back and the pavement made wider,\u201d explained Cllr Hussain.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cThis becomes a bigger problem in the winter due to it becoming darker earlier and the route is used by pedestrians, especially the local school children using it to walk to high school.\u201d\n<\/p>\nThe location of the planned entrance off Parkhouse Road to the battery energy storage system(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
Parkhouse Manor Care Home(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
Councillor Rashid Hussain(Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n