Linn Park

A Chartered Engineer's Letter to Glasgow City Councillors for Linn Ward, and Local MSP, and Glasgow List MSP's

Sent: 14 June 2022 22:55
Subject: Linn Park - Path Closure

Dear ....

I wish to draw to your attention the ongoing closure (in excess of 6 months now) of the entrance to Linn Park from the junction of Greenock Avenue and Snuff Mill Road. This is immediately adjacent to the house I share with my partner and which abuts the first section of the path.

As we understand the situation the Council has had a desk study undertaken, but has not acted on any of the recommendations.  Rather it has chosen to “close” this very popular and important entrance to the park in a bid to stop use of the path. I put close in inverted commas as none of the closure methods have been effective, demonstrating the public demand for this path to be re-opened. It is particularly important as it is part of the a very popular circular walk through the park and along the footpath on the west bank of the river.

After several failed attempts to block the Greenock Avenue entrance the Council brought in blacksmiths to close the gates, which have probably been jammed open for 50 or more years. It has also erected various forms of barrier at the park end of the path. Whilst the gates have remained closed the adjacent fences, which were not in good condition, have now been comprehensively dismantled and users of all ages and abilities regularly enter and exit here.  At the other end the  barriers erected and re-erected are regularly dismantled and circumvented. What a waste of money and energy. 

I am a Chartered civil engineer and whilst not a geotechnical specialist I am quite conversant with the undertaking and application of risk assessments. It seems to me that by following what is deemed to be a “sensible” approach the Council is in fact increasing risk as people climb through and over fences and walk adjacent to the river bank, etc. as they are determined to get through at all costs. However as the path is no longer continuously in use, if they were to have an accident, they may remain undetected for some time and not get the help they would need. Whilst a rock fall may be a risk it would seem to be the least of current risks. The rocks which fell formed a short ridge and all of the visible rocks have fallen, there are no obvious rocks in danger of an imminent fall. However ongoing use is creating at least 3 additional risks each time the path is traversed, an incident on the fence at either end and the risk of being injured and not detected for some time, should an accident occur on the path.

It is notable that there are no diversion signs, if this was a public road, there would have to be such signs. The obvious alternative route is to use the park entrance at Seil Drive, however to reach that location pedestrians have to either cross Old Castle Road twice (as only footpath is on north side) or walk on the narrow, undulating and twisting carriageway. Cyclists have no choice but the cycle on the unsatisfactory road. So the displaced users are subject to further risks.

We fully appreciate that the Council has financial constraints and accordingly it is important that a correct balance of costs and risk is achieved. A key failing of the RSK report is that they only identify the level of risk and not the likelihood. The normal approach to risk assessment is to estimate both the level of and likelihood of risk and combine these to produce a “risk score”. The score can then be used in assessing a range of costed options to make realistic and meaningful decisions.  A high risk with a low probability may not warrant significant expenditure, but rather observation and management. In this regard I would cite the management of the A83 at the  Rest and Be Thankful, where the road is kept open and only closed when an incident occurs or is deemed imminent. We see no sign that any such judgement is being applied, rather the Council is hiding behind the report by RSK Consultants. If the path was reopened park rangers could make regular visual inspections, this is not skilled job, if they note any change then they can alert other more skilled staff to examine the situation in more detail. To put this incident in context no one with local knowledge is aware of any previous rock falls in this area.

I hope you and your colleagues will raise this matter with the relevant officials and budget holders to restore this important local amenity, preferably, before the start of the school holidays.

Note: Sadly no responses have been received

A Chartered Engineer's Email to Glasgow City Councillor Paul McCabe [SNP]

Sent: 23 July 2022 16:49
Subject: Follow Up - Linn Park - Path Closure

Dear Baillie McCabe

Further to the above I am aware that the Linn Area Committee met on 30 June under your chairmanship and at that meeting:

• Item 1 relating to expenditure of £12,500 on the White Cart Walkway was deferred for further information. 
• Item 2 relating to Linn Castle Phase 2 (there is a Cathcart Castle, but I am not aware of a Linn Castle) was approved.

Can you advise if either of these relate to the issue of the rock fall and the reopening the entrance to the park?  If indeed they do when is work being undertaken?

I note that some £26,000 remains unallocated from Local Parks & Open Space Improvement Fund in the current financial year. Surely this is a priority matter?

Notwithstanding the above matters have you heard further from the officers as to why the entrance remains closed when there is no overt risk and an appropriate risk management strategy should address the immediate concerns?

Regards

Note: Sadly no response was received

Another Chartered Engineer's Email to Glasgow City Councillor John Carson (Labour )

Sent: 21st November 2022 16:23
Subject: Linn Park

John

Congratulations [on being elected to the Linn Ward].

I am sure you are being inundated with emails left right and centre.

I drink in the Old Smiddy [and have done so for nearly 40 years] and know Archie Graham quite well ... !!! He suggested I email you.

On Linnpark.org.uk which takes you to https://tdocplus.co.uk/linnpark/ there are three articles on the front page: - one is "sign the petition" where as of now we have 1,179 signatures.

The next article is about what caused the closure. Basically a knee jerk reaction to a few small boulders coming slowly down the slope in a period of a week. Not one boulder was travelling fast enough to go right across the path into the fence, let alone do the fence any damage. One small boulder came down before the fence was erected ! We had been expecting this for several years.

There are lots of worse hazards in the park - "hung trees" i.e. ones which have fallen and now "hang" on an adjacent tree. When these come down, they do so in a very short time - may be 10 seconds, and the bottom end "kicks". Another is the old septic tank in the bottom wood [below the stables].

When the path was closed off no safety analysis was carried out regarding the diversion of people and bikes. We suggested a map, and now a year later a wee map has appeared - one at the snuff mill entrance, and one by the single-leaved ash at the corner of the 2m high chain link fence [claimed one death so far]. We are are of the opinion that the elderly gentleman from Busby found dead in the river at the Snuff Mill Bridge probably fell when clambering around the council's obstruction.

The safety case is simple: forcing people in wheel chairs up and down Old Castle Road is simply daft. Let alone all the groups of old ladies - many of them tourists ! At 75 and three heart attacks I appreciate the dangers. The road is lethal, and the path is not much better due to is uneven nature, steps, and adverse camber. I mostly divert via Court Knowe.

Lastly the report written for the council. We obtained it by FOI. We have read it and marked it up.
https://tdocplus.co.uk/linnpark/images/20220101_RSK-Geo_GCC_LP_Cliff_Report_s.pdf

RSK Geosciences are not really competent to write the report they did. It is a farce. It cannot be classed as a serious Engineering Document but more of a political statement by a firm whose main investor specialises in "monetising" "the managed asset". In this case it means getting their associated companies to RSK to put up protective measures - whenever there is a chance.

I did the Prequalification Report on RSK, and the Chartered Engineer who lives in the White House at the entrance and who is somewhat senior in Jacobs Engineering wrote the letter and email which were sent to all ward Councillors and relevant MSPs. No replies were received.

We would be delighted to take you round and explain what has happened so that you are then in a position to make a forceful and reasoned case for re-opening the path. Followed by a treating you to a pint in the Smiddy where the chances of not finding Archie are remote !

All the best and hope to hear from you. Tom Ritchie and I normally meet at 4pm at the Snuff Mill Bridge every Wednesday.

Sent: 20 April 2023 11:19am
Subject: Walking - Access to Linn Park

Patrick

I received your leaflet a few days ago.

Glasgow City Council have acted in an extremely foolish manner in closing the access to Linn Park to the east of the Snuffmill Bridge.

The reason they closed the path was knee jerk reaction to a few small rocks [the largest 600 mm in diameter] which descended from a ledge which has quietly been eroded by water over the last century or so. In fact these ricks slid down taking a number of days to get from the ledge to the path.

This is quite common in many areas of Scotland which are open to the public.

The alternative route is fraught with difficulty for all but the young and fit. Wheel Chairs, Bicycles, Prams, etc are all required to use a path which has a transverse slope, and a number of steps.

As a Chartered Engineer who has built roads and tunnels in similar geology in East Africa, I have some experience of what I am talking about.

PLEASE SEE the Linn Park web site where we have analysed the safety situation and concluded that there is no case for closing the path. In fact it makes life much MORE DANGEROUS. Elderly tourists [ladies] walking down Old Castle Road is an event waiting to happen

The history is here:
https://tdocplus.co.uk/linnpark/information-on-the-park/path-closure/248-closure-of-the-path-below-the-castle

The council's report states that the cliff is in imminent danger of collapse. After 18 months, not a single grain has descended.

One person [an elderly man] has drowned after falling into the river attempting to climb past the obstructive blockade erected at not inconsiderable and totally unnecessary expense.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/body-found-glasgow-amid-search-26358752

It is time that someone applied a bit of common sense. As the weather improves, the number of people using an unsatisfactory route is high. This is evidenced by the number of people signing the petition.

It is utterly pathetic that neither local councillors nor the head of CRAP [Cleansing Roads and Parks] has had the decency to reply to our communications except in the most negative of terms.

I would suggest that you visit the site, and I can explain in what should happen, and that no works are required except to remove the unsightly fences etc, which are best described as a disgrace.

Richard

PS on Monday last a small section of the wall along Old Castle Road opposite the Castle entrance was struck by a lorry and two large blocks of stone knocked out of it - leaving a dangerous situation. The council removed one such block, and left the other. The stability of the wall remains in doubt - another block falling out could easily cause a head on collision between two vehicles - many of which ignore he 20 mph limit.
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Eur Ing Richard Townsend-Rose MA CEng MICE
Phone: 0141 237 8293
Mobile: 07770 460862

LinnPark.org.uk