What the...?

I've been doing some photography for my upcoming blog series about the Clyde Gateway. As I was out and about I've noticed that they're in the process of implementing the plans for extending* the cycle route between the Velodrome, Hampden Park and the Cathkin Braes Cycle centre. As has been noted previously, the majority of this "new" infrastructure takes the form of slightly increasing the width of the pavement on some sections and putting up Shared Use signs. What I don't understand though, is what this is for:

Not the streetlamp! The border

On some of the shared routes (not all, I should stress), they've added this oddity - an area of beige hardcore-like material bordered by a solid white line. I can't work out what the purpose of it is. Is it to discourage people on bikes from crossing over and dropping off the pavement? Perhaps it's there to to substitute the "need" for fencing - but if so, there are still sections of fencing on the same routes, particularly around the junctions:

Shared Use path leading to M74 J1A

A little further on the same route - note the fencing

On the plans, it is referred to as:

Buff coloured screed 500mm thick with solid white line 500mm set back from kerb edge

Can anyone suggest a valid reason for it, momentarily side-lining the issue of it being Shared Use and therefore useless?