STONEYMOLLAN ROUNDABOUT

This article, written by Prof Gavin Arneil, was originally published in the FoLL Newsletter in Autumn 2004.

Hereby lies a tale!

Some years ago FOLL decided that the roundabout as you go down the hill from the A82 to enter Balloch was an attractive combination of heather and shrubs in contrast to the barren centres of the Stoneymollan roundabout on the A82 where you turn off and the FOLL roundabout* called Arden, a mile further North on the A82 which connects with Helensburgh.

We decided to offer to plant these roundabout islands in a suitable fashion with the help of a landscape architect (perhaps ending up with heather and shrubs) and estimated it might cost £10,000 which we were willing to donate to improve the roundabouts. Graham Kinder was deeply involved. We decided the LL and TT National Park must be informed.

Understandably the National Park wanted to join in on our idea. It was felt the Road Authorities should be involved. Rumours spread that we would need to pay vast sums for police to control traffic all day while the work went on. We suggested that once a few men, plants and bushes were on the islands, many thousands of pounds could be better spent than on watching them work.

Time passed.

Suddenly large sums of money became available. Rumours swept around that £100,000 nay £200,000 would be spent on the roundabouts. A competition was set up to produce the best design for Stoneymollan Roundabout to provide a noteworthy landmark entrance to the Park.

Much publicity!

Then it was decided to exhibit the best designs and let the people decide helped by some judges. It is sad but true that all this was determined and the judgement took place without FOLL, whose original idea it had been, participating significantly. The ten designs displayed included some which seemed bizarre. Tall tubes of steel reaching very, very high into the air like the poles of a wigwam was one. What would happen if a large lorry and trailer hit it?\par

Finally the process was ended and a design was selected. It is a 'Timber Crown" which consists of a spiral of geese flying above the roundabout and will be constructed by the firm Aedas! How long will the geese fly and how will the 'Timber Crown" survive impact? We shall see. The most recent cost rumour has fallen dramatically. But remember the new Scottish Parliament!

*Arden roundabout, the result of a FOLL Minister-napping - but that's another story!

Work started on the roundabout at the end of May, 2005.