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Campaigners formed a human bike lane yesterday while calling for a dedicated, segregated cycle space at University Avenue.

Those involved say plans for a £1 billion transformation in the city's west end, approved by Glasgow City Council, reduces cycling provision to "narrow strips of paint on only one side of the road" and provides "no physical protection for people choosing to cycle in it".

Campaigners want to see improved safety measures for those biking in the busy area, and are calling for both the council and University of Glasgow to act.

Residents, university staff and commuters of all ages gathered to make their voices heard at the protest, with their human lane stretching all the way to the top of the hill on University Avenue.

Iona Shepherd, co-convenor of the cycle campaign GoBike, said: “Paint is not protection, and we simply cannot accept roads being upgraded without providing safe spaces for active travel."

"We live in a city where almost 50 per cent of households do not own a car. Our streets need to be safe not just for people who currently choose the bike to get around, but for all people who want to choose active travel but don’t because there is no safe linked up network available for them.

"University Avenue is well used by cycling staff, students and commuters, and we welcome the improvements in the scheme for pedestrians. But 37 per cent of students at Glasgow University have said they would cycle if routes were safer, and so this project could do so much to boost active travel share if the cycling provision is right.

"We need active travel to be given due priority for our city to become less congested, less polluted, healthier and safer.”

Another campaign group, Space for People Byres Road, has been pushing for improvements to Byers Road itself, where similar concerns have been voiced regarding the safety of cyclists.

Euan Muir of the group attended yesterday's protest and said: "University Avenue is currently unsafe. It's a road busy with motor traffic slicing through the centre of campus, dividing it in two. To simply cross campus requires dashing between streams of motor vehicles."

"Those opting to cycle are expected to mix with these motor vehicle streams which understandably few are willing to-do. Our streets should be safe such that people can cross the street with ease and feel safe to cycle.”

Eachann Gillies, a student at the University of Glasgow, said: "More space for pedestrians definitely makes sense. However, I think the failure to provide real space for cycling is a real backwards step.

"I cycle up University Avenue regularly and I often have to dodge doors opening into my path, cars parked in the cycle lane and close passes whilst cycling uphill.

"The University should be thinking about what kind of travel it wants to enable and what kind of environment it wants to create for its students and staff."

Following the demonstration, a University of Glasgow spokesman replied: "When making improvements to our campus, our number one priority is safety.

"The university has been working with Glasgow City Council on designs for University Avenue which endeavour to optimise safety for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.

"The final design will widen existing cycle lanes to 1.5 meters and remove on-street parking whilst also increasing the width of the pavements to accommodate the increasing numbers of pedestrians.”