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Spaces for People Work Nearing Completion
The Spaces for People programme, administered by Sustrans Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, offered funding to help local authorities across the country to put in place temporary measures to enable physical distancing and further increase safety while walking, wheeling and cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
West Lothian Council successfully sought £641,500 funding for nine packages of projects and initiatives following online engagement with the public. The remaining phases will culminate local measures with councils across the country adopting similar measures.
Temporary Speed Limits
The introduction of new temporary 20mph speed limits in towns and villages in West Lothian has now been completed with all limits now enforceable by Police Scotland. A small number of signage anomalies have now been rectified and work has been completed to replace or repair vandalised signage.
The installation of temporary 40mph speed limit signage on the Bathgate Hills to Winchburgh area, Bonnytoun Road in Linlithgow and the Harburn rural road area commenced this week. These works will allow the change from the de-restricted speed limit of 60mph to a temporary speed limit of 40mph which will provide a safer environment for all users.
Vegetation
Vegetation clearance works on cycle paths and footways is also now completed. Over-grown foliage on the National Cycle Route 75 has been removed with the full path width reinstated.
Signage
Physical distancing signage in towns and villages has been rolled out reminding people of the importance of physical distancing on footways. There are banners still to be erected on guard railing at congested areas primarily around schools which will be completed shortly.
From 26 October work will commence on the introduction of physical distancing measures at some of the more heavily used bus stops and narrow footways within towns and villages. Work to take place includes:
Provision of more space at busy or congested bus stops:
- Linlithgow, A803 High Street at The Cross – 3 bus stops
- Linlithgow, A803 Blackness Road at Tesco – 1 bus stop
Provision of more space at narrow footways:
- Linlithgow High Street
Suspension of footway parking to provide more footway space:
- Linlithgow High Street – footway parking from property numbers 35 to 57.
Curtailment of footway parking to provide more footway space:
- Linlithgow High Street – footway parking from property numbers 183 to 245.
Following on from these works will be the introduction of on-street advisory cycle lanes which have been identified in Linlithgow, Broxburn and Blackridge. This will be the final package of work to be completed as part of the council’s Spaces for People programme.
Executive councillor for the environment Tom Conn said: “These temporary measures being adopted in West Lothian are in similar nature to those being adopted across the country as part of a national effort to make it easier for people who choose to walk, cycle or wheel for essential journeys and exercise during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important to note that these measures are temporary but hopefully they will increase the ability of people to maintain a safe physical distance and give people increased confidence when travelling throughout West Lothian.”
Article from www.westlothian.gov.uk
Reminders!
We warmly invite you to attend Linlithgow Community Development Trust AGM on Thursday 12th November 7.30-9.00pm.
You can register to attend our AGM via zoom by emailing [email protected].
We are holding our next online Community Cake event for local community and volunteer groups next week on Wednesday 28th October at 7.30pm. The focus is a practical session on supporting groups to ‘go digital‘ and run meetings online.
You can register to attend via zoom by emailing [email protected].
1st Step Bike Repairs
1st Step Bikes are working with the Scotland Repair Scheme to help people that need it the most get their bikes safely back on the road or mountains again! This includes adult and also children’s bikes.
At 1st Step we want to help people who would otherwise struggle to afford repairs. Covid-19 has hit many people hard, so we know it can be difficult to pay for essential bike repairs right now.
What repairs are covered?
- Punctures or old tires
- Problems with brakes
- Gears that don’t work properly
- Anything else that stops you using your bike!
So if you are struggling to afford your repair all you need to do is private message our Facebook page or ring 1st Step Bikes on 07869381382 for an appointment on this scheme. Happy cycling!
Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Community Council Update
The next meeting of the Community Council will take place next week on Tuesday 27th October at 7.30pm via Zoom. To register to attend please email [email protected] and confirm you are a Linlithgow resident.
You can stay in touch with the Community Council on Facebook and their website.
Business Spotlight – The Garden Room
The Garden Room is a little bit of sanctuary in the heart of Linlithgow and is a team of three women offering varied but complementary therapies focused on improving health and wellbeing.
Catherine offers foot Reflexology to support relaxation and wellbeing as well as help relieve issues such as migraine, insomnia, stress, depression, anxiety, menopausal symptoms, fertility, and digestive issues. Reflexology is a holistic therapy that helps to relieve stress by bringing your body and mind into a state of deep relaxation, allowing tension to be released, increasing blood flow and the removal of toxins. Pressure is applied to specific areas of the feet which relate to the body systems and organs, stimulating the body to focus on these areas and encourage them to heal.
Fiona offers Kinect Chain Release (KCR) with Connective Tissue Release, a relatively new therapy developed by Scottish Physiotherapist Hugh Gilbert to balance your body. KCR is a series of stretches and mobilizations working through the whole body and is done when you are fully clothed. When your body is returned to balance it allows your body to heal naturally so KCR can help with anything from chronic pain to everyday niggles. Giving a more grounded feeling in both body and mind.
Diane offers a safe, confidential space, free from judgement and with genuine warmth and acceptance. As a trained nurse Dianne takes a therapeutic approach to counselling and has vast expertise promoting a positive approach to mental health with adults, children and young people. Counselling can reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, give you greater self-awareness, can help you relate better with others, empower you to enjoy life, and improve self-esteem, confidence and mood. With children, Dianne has experience in dealing with a number of issues. These include bullying, parental separation, anxiety and depression, parental illness, bereavement, low self-esteem, body image issues, self-harm, relationship difficulties and identity or gender issues.
Although the current situation is challenging, we are confident we can bring you these therapies in a safe environment with all the necessary precautions in place. Now more than ever people need to take time to release stress and tension and focus on their wellbeing. We are delighted to be able to offer the amazing benefits these therapies can provide to the local community in our little oasis of calm.
For more information on any of our therapies or to book a treatment visit us on Facebook or Instagram or call us on 07887 377540.
Community Spotlight – Linlithgow Athletics Club
Linlithgow Athletics Club is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive club. We have runners of all abilities, shapes, ages and sizes! Whatever your running or athletic ability, we can cater for your needs.
Training sessions are available for all ages in the town run by coaches accredited with Scottish Athletics/UKA. The Club has three sections; juniors, Let’s Go Linlithgow – a Jog Scotland group, and the senior section which has a mix of social and competitive runners.
We have been very busy over lockdown and kept members motivated and connected during a difficult time. Early on we held a series of weekly and monthly training plans for members to use in their own time. The Facebook and Strava pages along with our website, have been used to share stories and achievements past and present in a bid to keep the community spirit of the Club alive and well. We have also seen an increase in memberships which has been very welcome.
With a ‘Covid’ sub-committee and appointed a ‘Covid Co-ordinator’ place, this has enabled us to meet and respond to the ever-changing guidelines to support our members.
Junior coaching sessions were the first to return along with Jog Scotland groups, including our Lets Go Linlithgow group which aims to help local people get started with running in a supportive and inclusive setting.
Adult members started with small training groups for those who could meet within the current guidelines. We have also been working in partnership with local organisations such as Xcite and Linlithgow Rugby Club to secure suitable training venues. The club is also very supportive of the planned West Lothian Cycle Circuit, which we hope to use for future training, and has made a donation to the project.
The creation of a virtual Club Championships was very popular, with monthly races for members to complete safely in their own time. Our website and social media have allowed members to register, log their times and keep up to date on race results.
We were once again nominated Impact Club of the Year at the Scottish Athletics Annual Awards which recognises clubs from across Scotland for the impact they have made in their local community.
Although there are many reasons to forget this year, for us we hope to look back on another year of making a positive impact on our members and the local running community. Why not come and join us?
You can read more about Linlithgow Athletics Club in the latest issue of The Black Bitch Magazine on page 14. You can also follow them on Facebook and find out more on their website!
Latest Covid-19 Guidance
New rules mean that you must not make indoor social visits to other households.
Changes to restrictions for Linlithgow, within Scotland’s Central Belt:
- All licensed pubs and restaurants will have to close, both indoors and outdoors, from 18:00 on Friday 9th until 2nd November, although they can still serve takeaways.
- Cafes which do not serve alcohol can stay open until 18:00.
- The existing rules state that a maximum of six people from two households can meet together in hospitality venues, either indoors or outdoors.
- Do not to travel outside Lothian health board area if you do not need to.
Full details are available at: https://www.gov.scot/news/new-moves-to-stop-covid-19-spread.
Scotland is in Phase 3 of the route map for coming out of lockdown.
The current advice from the Scottish Government to stay safe, protect others, save lives is:
- wear a face covering
- avoid crowded places
- clean hands and surfaces regularly
- stay 2m away from other people
- self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste
See what you can and cannot do to help suppress the virus.
Many thanks to everyone who has been so vigilant in following these procedures already. This will help to keep our community safe.