MSP Calls on Council to reject drive-thru bid
Green MSP Ross Greer has called on East Dunbartonshire Council to say no to an application for another drive-thru takeaway on a busy Milngavie road.
An application was recently lodged for a large retail unit and café with drive-thru on the retail park site currently occupied by Aldi, Home Bargains and the former Arnold Clark garage. It is understood that coffee chain Costa are the likely occupants of the drive-thru cafe.
Whilst having no problem with the redevelopment of the existing retail units on the Main Steet/Milngavie Road site, local Green MSP Ross Greer has lodged an objection to the drive-thru element of the plans, saying that the location is inappropriate due to the impact on traffic, pedestrian safety and climate emissions.
Ross Greer, Scottish Greens MSP for the West of Scotland, commented:
“The A81 along Milngavie Road and Main Street is already one of the most congested roads in the area. Drawing in even more traffic with a drive-thru would make the congestion even worse. That would in turn increase the risk to pedestrians and cyclists, particularly children using the Allander and McDonalds. It would also clearly drive up local air pollution and further damage the climate. Any council which is serious about tackling the climate emergency should say no to this sort of car-based development.
“The excellent cafes and other businesses in Milngavie precinct are still struggling to recover from the damage causes by the pandemic. Pushing trade out of the precinct by adding a drive-thru café to the retail park would be a huge step backwards for the local economy. While local businesses keep their profits in their area, the large chains who would occupy the drive-thru have no interest in reinvesting locally.
“Milngavie Road is already recognised by the council as a problem area for transport. The last thing it needs is even more traffic. Instead we should be concentrating on improving walking, wheeling and cycling options as well as better bus and rail services - including re-dualling the rail line and building the long-proposed Allander Station.”