Our Space For Distancing campaign launched yesterday with an avalanche of online support coming in from all around Scotland. We’ve had folk tweeting support to their local councils with loads of ideas of places where #SpaceForDistancing can be easily and effectively implemented.
We can’t feature all of your tweets, and we’ve also had suggestions come in on facebook and instagram, but here is a flavour of some of the amazing suggestions we’ve had so far. Thank you everyone for contributing. We will be continuing this campaign all weekend if you have more ideas.
We think that Josephine was the first off the mark with this nice ‘lockdown angle’…
I'd love to have some #SpaceForDistancing along Napiershall St – with little or no garden space, having a safe route to exercise is vital for the neighbourhood along this street! @SusaninLangside @AnnaLangside @POPScotland pic.twitter.com/aqKJVUjE2y
— Josephine Flood (@Flood_Jo) April 24, 2020
One common theme was how much space there really was for #SpaceForDistancing now that the cars are temporarily gone…
Look at all this space on Braidcraft Road that could be given over to #SpaceForDistancing @glasgowCC @snpdavid Direct routes like this could provide so many people safe and safely distanced travel atm if some of that vast space were reallocated for protected cycling. @popscotland pic.twitter.com/skRRksjTYI
— Chapman Crispfield (@isersmalone) April 24, 2020
… Sooo much space…
Multiple lanes at Charing X have loads of extra space that could provide protected space for key workers to cycle 2 work without also having to worry about mixing with traffic.Could we look at reclaiming some of this vast moat for #SpaceForDistancing @GlasgowCC? @SusaninLangside pic.twitter.com/sFWVVG6pMW
— Chapman Crispfield (@isersmalone) April 24, 2020
(indeed @thomzwa has been looking at how we might use it better)
Inspired by @POPScotland & @Streets4SocDist I've started digitising street width data in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh streets are ludicrously wide. Here is a @streetmix example of what South Clerk St could look like, where the minimum(!) width is 20m. #SpaceForDistancing pic.twitter.com/eGz7JQmM9x
— Thomas Zwagerman ?? (@thomzwa) April 19, 2020
… except on the pavements which is where we really need the #SpaceForDistancing.
Hey @Edinburgh_CC @lmacinnessnp , the narrow pavement outside Sainsbury's, Causewayside makes it impossible to queue and maintain 2m. Please widen the pavement #SpaceForDistancing (cc @POPScotland @Streets4SocDist) pic.twitter.com/uhGJLcHLhd
— Just Another Cyclist (@justacwab) April 24, 2020
Time to start mapping those?
A very clear example of showing planners #SpaceForDistancing in an algorithmic way, all open source and data @Streets4SocDist @POPScotland @thomzwa https://t.co/tud3BLvo0o
— Jo Walsh (@ultrazool) April 25, 2020
And what’s even worse is then the narrow pavements are fenced off ‘for safety’ – creating a public health hazard instead #SpaceForDistancing.
We can't even step onto the road to safely pass people with 2m outside Summerhall. We need ways to get out safely and maintain social distancing here @Edinburgh_CC @lmacinnessnp @SteveAMBurgess #SpaceForDistancing @POPScotland @Streets4SocDist pic.twitter.com/PQdnk2yoqq
— Just Another Cyclist (@justacwab) April 24, 2020
And how are you meant to stay two metres apart in a crossing like this?
I would like to see these pedestrian fences changed, so it'll be possible to stick to physical distancing while crossing Govan Road. #SpaceForDistancing #CovidUK #Covid19UK @POPScotland pic.twitter.com/BFbUJlewjV
— ontheground (@ontheground14) April 24, 2020
Or this?
Here's where I have to cross to get to Tesco … hard to see how I can stay 2m apart from people in that island in the middle. Any chance of some #SpaceForDistancing here @dgcouncil @crichton_derek? If the lights were changed so you could cross in 1 go that would help enormously pic.twitter.com/SnMuhZtlXh
— Sally Hinchcliffe (@sallyhinch) April 24, 2020
There were some great examples from @OnBikes of where #SpaceForDistancing is needed in Glasgow’s East End where car ownership is low and health outcomes already an issue.
We would love to see more space for physical distancing on Royston Road so the key workers and young people we’ve helped can walk, jog and cycle safely. #SpaceForDistancing #Covid19UK
Image source: Google pic.twitter.com/XbEGEKG5Ni
— On Bikes (@_OnBikes) April 24, 2020
You might remember that @OnBikes did a fantastic guest blog post for us on the need for cycle lanes in the more deprived parts of Glasgow even before #Coronavirus struck:
Tackling inequality: Popping up in the East of Glasgow
and others raised the social justice aspect of #SpaceForDistancing too.
Should campaigners be focusing more on justice/equality issues around #SpaceForDistancing ? Car owners (disproportionately wealthy/male) able to stay isolated from others in huge metal box, while the rest worried about keeping distance on narrow pavements.
— Just Another Cyclist (@justacwab) April 24, 2020
As well as the importance of considering children’s needs.
“Children’s needs must be included in all debates around the reallocation of street space during the coronavirus crisis.” #SpaceForDistancing https://t.co/wZIX6ifidV
— Catriona Milosevic (@catmilosevic) April 25, 2020
Like simply being able to walk to the park.
We need #spacefordistancing in Polwarth so that we can walk to Harrison Park @gavincorbett @StreetWurrier @MerchistonCC @LivingStreetsEd @POPScotland @davidfkey @melaniemain @CllrNickCook pic.twitter.com/5oa5K5loCF
— SRD ????????? (@SRDorman) April 25, 2020
We’ve had tweets from far and wide – like Aberdeen.
We need #SpaceForDistancing on Market Street in Aberdeen please, @AberdeenCC @POPScotland #COVID19 #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/MVhIvVsR3c
— Aberdeen Cycle Forum (@aberdeenCF) April 25, 2020
And Dundee wants #SpaceForDistancing too.
We'd love to have #SpaceForDistancing on #Dundee Marketgait where the pavements are narrow and the multiple traffic lanes are broad! pic.twitter.com/kMD1XzOLbD
— Dundee Cycling (@dundeecycling) April 24, 2020
Outside the city centres there were calls for #SpaceForDistancing from East Renfrewshire.
Hey @EastRenCouncil, @anybuc1- huge potential on the 40mph Ayr Road for #SpaceForDistancing where the carriageway is wide and the footways narrow. https://t.co/rLJu9ylKYV@POPScotland pic.twitter.com/GcxmnADNb6
— Joel Cooney (@joelcacooney) April 24, 2020
And of course Bears Way…
With social distancing in place and the roads quiet, maybe @EDCouncil could consider extending #bearsway all the way to Maryhill road. Look at the space! Here I start and the end of Bearsway…. @RonaMackayMSP pic.twitter.com/CVKvx0SUom
— David Brennan (@magnatom) April 24, 2020
We’ve had great support from other cycle campaigns – this has been a collaborative effort with tweets from @GoBikeGlasgow (as well as those from @aberdeenCF and @dundeecycling already listed).
Our committee members would love to be able to cycle on Finnieston Street in both directions while the SEC pedestrian/cycle bridge is closed. Can we put in some measures to allow for protected cycling there @GlasgowCC @AnnaLangside @SusaninLangside ? #SpaceForDistancing pic.twitter.com/y7u244pTRu
— GoBike (@GoBikeGlasgow) April 24, 2020
At @SpokesLothian they’re not just tweeting, they’re writing letters (do please get in touch with your MSPs if you want #SpaceForDistancing).
#SpaceForDistancing#COVID19 #Covid_19
?Spokes has written to all our local MSPs to support the campaign – see attached
????Have you?
Find your MSPs here->https://t.co/UKySBxd5Co@POPScotland @andywightman @BenMacpherson @DJohnsonMSP @edfoc @tcornwallis @_OnBikes @lornagreens pic.twitter.com/EXRGioWcMV
— Spokes CycleCampaign (@SpokesLothian) April 24, 2020
And you can also get involved through @WeAreCyclingUK‘s #SpaceForDistancing campaign nationally (but also in Scotland).
We're not the only organisation asking for #SpaceForDistancing. You can use @WeAreCyclingUK's campaign tool to email your councillors directly https://t.co/cO05mhQT0V
— Pedal On Parliament #SpaceForDistancing ?????? (@POPScotland) April 24, 2020
It was fun to see folk getting creative with the graphics … even doing their own.
How can anyone follow 2m distance rule on this narrow shared cycle/footpath at Burnbank Rd, Hamilton? Please make lane next to pavement into temporary protected bike lane and remove fence to leave enough #SpaceForDistancing. @jmacross46 @SouthLanCouncil @CycLan59 @POPScotland pic.twitter.com/OXPso79OdO
— Dashed Lines (@LinesDashed) April 24, 2020
Or going for the ‘Angry People in Local Newspapers’ stance – always a classic…
I’m down at my local shops, I have small pavement in front all the shops. We need #SpaceForDistancing so we can pass each other and queue, @EastRenCouncil please rearrange the marked parking here to create space! @POPScotland pic.twitter.com/kQDUrQLagf
— Thomas Cornwallis (@tcornwallis) April 24, 2020
If this has inspired you then you can get hold of the graphic overlays here – and have a bit of fun – but please, stay safe, don’t go out specially and keep it positive! We look forward to your tweets this weekend!