http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Recent Posts en Tue, 10 Nov 2026 00:04:17 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386448 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 22:22:38 +0000 Morningsider 386448@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The <a href="https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/local-authorities/S12000036">DfT use 157 count points in Edinburgh</a>, roughly a third more than the 117 count points used by the Council in calculating the 17% reduction in traffic. These include quite a few boundary roads, meaning traffic coming into the city, but missing the city centre, is probably better accounted for in the Council stats.</p> <p>I'm not sure how the DfT vehicle mileage stats are calculated and suspect I wouldn't understand it even if I could read about it.</p> <p>What I would say, is that alternative data sources such as the Scottish Household Survey and traffic congestion data do not seem to show any significant reduction in the incidence of driving, or meaningful uptick in walking, cycling, or public transport use.</p> <p>It is possible that there is less driving in Edinburgh. A 17% reduction in traffic only takes us back to what the roads were like in about 2001-02, which were hardly empty. I suspect for an individual the difference would be hard to notice. </p> <p>That said. I can't help feeling that the Council has simply chosen to use a new statistical measure that paints a far more positive picture of change in traffic patterns than the DfT figures. Achieving a policy driven 17% reduction in vehicle travel within five years would probably be unique anywhere in the world. It simply doesn't smell right to me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386447 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:46:08 +0000 chdot 386447@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Whether you were wading through floods or struggling through a heatwave, 2026 was the year when you could hardly miss our extreme weather. Temperatures in the summer topped 30C for 33 days in a row. Months earlier, some parts of the UK saw 40 consecutive days of rain. </p> <p>The BBC's climate editor Justin Rowlatt investigates the impact of climate change on our weather. He speaks to scientists who warn that hotter summers and wetter winters are likely to become more typical, and looks at if enough is being done to adapt our towns and cities to the changing climate. Justin asks, as the cost of living continues to bite, are governments under pressure to ditch some green policies, or do they remain committed to tackling climate change? </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00343z0" rel="nofollow">https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00343z0</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386446 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:19:12 +0000 Frenchy 386446@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Worth noting here some details on DfT methodology.</p> <p>They carry out 8000 manual counts on roads across Great Britain each year. Each count is from 7am-7pm, is done between March and November, and is not done in the school holidays.</p> <p>On a purely population-based estimate, we'd expect about 70 of those counts to have happened in Edinburgh.</p> <p>DfT also uses data from automatic traffic counters, including 1500 operated by Transport Scotland. These are mostly (perhaps only) located on trunk roads (motorways and some A major roads). Very few, if any, of these will be in central Edinburgh.</p> <p>I'm not at all clear how the calculation of car-km from simple car counts is done, but I don't think that is the issue.</p> <p>They will then do some statistical analysis and weighting of their counts to estimate how many journeys are being made in each local authority. I haven't found details on how that is done, and it is certainly feasible that their estimates of traffic in a local authority which is bucking the national trend aren't that good.</p> <p>Two things are clear: DfT has far more data to work with, but CEC has far more data <em>from Edinburgh</em>. Officers' position that the CEC data is better is hard to argue with, although I'd like to hear their thoughts on what DfT is getting wrong, and on when traffic counters south of the Meadows will be installed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21931#post-386445 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:49:46 +0000 Frenchy 386445@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Phil Doggart (Conservative) has resigned as a councillor in Liberton/Gilmerton. Taking up a new job which requires political neutrality.</p> <p>Next council elections are less than six months away, so no by-election. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17899&page=70#post-386444 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:32:07 +0000 pringlis 386444@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>Why Glasgow’s Voi bike scheme needs more bikes</p> <p>There just never seems to be a bike available when I need it. Each morning the early risers scoop up the hot pink e-chariots and zip into their offices in the city centre. By 8am, Glasgow’s residential areas are Voi deserts. Meanwhile, throughout the workday in the city centre, there are hundreds of e-bikes</blockquote></p> <p><a href="https://archive.is/2026.11.05-200228/https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/26703286.glasgows-voi-bike-scheme-needs-bikes/" rel="nofollow">https://archive.is/2026.11.05-200228/https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/26703286.glasgows-voi-bike-scheme-needs-bikes/</a></p> <p>Substitute Glasgow with Edinburgh and it's pretty close to my recent experiences. Notwithstanding the fact that Gammon's Sweetheart Cllr Munro had the Voi space on Midmar removed under shaky pretences, the bikes would all disappear by 8am in the morning and then there'd be hardly any new bikes at it through the day. Morningside/Marchmont/Grange are all a complete desert of bikes through the day. They need to either incentivise people cycling bikes back out to the periphery or redistribute by van... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386443 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 16:23:04 +0000 Arellcat 386443@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>CEC have been conducting their own counts - not of journey lengths, which DfT measure, but of vehicle volumes. As such, the Council claims in updates to the City Mobility Plan to have seen a reduction in vehicular traffic already.</em></p> <p>Neither is a substitute for the other, and IMO any good transport planner would be measuring both.</p> <p>You measure traffic volume when you're looking at location-specific factors such as local environmental pollution levels, junction design, crossings, carriageway damage, and road danger and congestion measures (non-strategic traffic).</p> <p>You measure journey distances (aka car-km) when you're looking at cumulative impact and policies, especially such as road network demand for strategic traffic, freight including last mile logistics, land use planning, transport decarbonisation and car/PT dependancy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22030#post-386442 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 15:26:37 +0000 chdot 386442@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>From Edinburgh Critical Mass: </p> <p>Join us in front of the City Chambers on Thursday 12th of November 8.30am to protest just before the TEC (transport and environment committee) meeting. </p> <p>We want the council to move faster on the City Mobility Plan. </p> <p>This was approved in 2019, reapproved in 2021 and 2024. </p> <p>We have seen no meaningful action in the Cowgate, despite two serious incidents. Traffic-free routes have not been improved for night time safety. </p> <p>The numbers of people killed or seriously injured on Edinburgh roads has not changed. Join us on Thursday to call for faster change. </p> <p>Spread the message! </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/" rel="nofollow">https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14504&page=8#post-386441 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 15:25:26 +0000 chdot 386441@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Protest this Thursday on Council inaction </p> <p>From Edinburgh Critical Mass: </p> <p>Join us in front of the City Chambers on Thursday 12th of November 8.30am to protest just before the TEC (transport and environment committee) meeting. </p> <p>We want the council to move faster on the City Mobility Plan. </p> <p>This was approved in 2019, reapproved in 2021 and 2024. </p> <p>We have seen no meaningful action in the Cowgate, despite two serious incidents. Traffic-free routes have not been improved for night time safety. </p> <p>The numbers of people killed or seriously injured on Edinburgh roads has not changed. Join us on Thursday to call for faster change. </p> <p>Spread the message! </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/" rel="nofollow">https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21592&page=8#post-386440 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 15:16:42 +0000 bakky 386440@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>edi.bike | issue 170 | 9th Nov '26</p> <p>Transport Committee agenda review; Protest this Thursday on Council inaction; Close pass driver gets off scot-free; plus events, infrastructure, route closures &amp; more:</p> <p><a href="https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/" rel="nofollow">https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/issue-170-9th-nov-26/</a></p> <p><a href="https://freeimage.host/i/nbmK3Ne"><img src="https://iili.io/nbmK3Ne.md.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22029#post-386439 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 14:17:34 +0000 chdot 386439@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From December 2024 but don’t think it’s been mentioned here previously </p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/36183/physical-activity-and-sport-strategy-for-edinburgh-2024-to-2034" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/36183/physical-activity-and-sport-strategy-for-edinburgh-2024-to-2034</a>.</p> <p>Some good stuff in it -</p> <p>“<br /> Success for this priority will mean: </p> <p>• A well-targeted information programme with clear and consistent messaging leading to increased awareness and understanding of the benefits of regular physical activity and increased participation, particularly amongst those groups with lower levels of participation who could benefit the most. </p> <p>• Clear, understandable, and targeted messaging to those with the most to gain from physical activity and sport. </p> <p>• Consistent messaging from council services and all sectors and partners based on targeted opportunities made available in local communities</p> <p>• Active travel behaviour positively influenced with more people choosing to walk, wheel and cycle across Edinburgh. </p> <p>To address this priority, we will: </p> <p>• Raise the profile of physical activity and sport at all levels, but focusing on children and young people, older people, those from under-represented groups, and those who live in the most deprived areas of the city or who suffer from the highest levels of poverty or poor mental health. </p> <p><strong>• Raise the profile of active and outdoor spaces that are free to access e.g., green and blue spaces. • Promote and support active travel opportunities to increase physical activity participation.</strong></p> <p>“</p> <p><strong>My bold</strong></p> <p>Perhaps highlights a different (theoretically complementary of course) approach from ‘Transport’ </p> <p>Room for more ‘inter-departmental’ co-operation, or are we stuck with traditional silos?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386438 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 14:11:18 +0000 chdot 386438@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>UK households face rush to find green energy installer to beat April VAT hike</p> <p>Ministers pushed to reverse ‘policy madness’ of scrapping exemption on 5% tax rise for heat pumps, solar panels and batteries</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/09/uk-households-green-energy-installer-rush-april-vat-hike" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/09/uk-households-green-energy-installer-rush-april-vat-hike</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386437 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 13:32:35 +0000 neddie 386437@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I see that Living Streets Edinburgh (LSEG) have submitted a deputation to November's TEC, complete with this thinly-veiled stab at cycling infrastructure (which also contains many improvements for pedestrians):</p> <p><blockquote>In our view, this ["Liveable Neighbourhoods" scheme] would be the single most important of any active travel scheme in improving conditions for walking and wheeling in Edinburgh: much more so than many expensive, highly-engineered schemes which were ranked higher</blockquote></p> <p>Note that they've also appropriated the name "Liveable Neighbourhoods" and used it to describe widening narrow pavements, fixing dropped kerbs and improving junctions - when in fact "Liveable Neighbourhoods" are much more than that, more about traffic reduction through the use of modal filters.</p> <p>And again they're falling into the trap of treating the funding for pedestrian improvements as zero-sum game - that pedestrian improvements "must come" from a limited active-travel pot, and therefore the money should come from cycling infra. However, there is plenty of money in the system, it's just that the vast majority is allocated to roads and cars - We can actually have *both* pedestrian and cycle infrastructure improvements, the problem is cars (and the budget allocated to them). That should be the focus of LSEG</p> <p><a href="https://www.livingstreetsedinburgh.org.uk/2026/11/06/deputation-to-transport-and-environment-committee-12-november-2026-by-the-living-streets-edinburgh-group/" rel="nofollow">https://www.livingstreetsedinburgh.org.uk/2026/11/06/deputation-to-transport-and-environment-committee-12-november-2026-by-the-living-streets-edinburgh-group/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21605&page=2#post-386436 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 09:16:21 +0000 chdot 386436@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“to our parks, green spaces“</p> <p>Maybe he’ll take a ‘greener’ interest in the Powderhall.Link (as well as the ‘active travel’ aspect) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386435 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:57:57 +0000 LaidBack 386435@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Herald article by Neil Mackay one post back certainly worth a read. Scotland is getting very poor value from the ScotWind licences. The SNIB (Scottish National Investment Bank) could do a lot more and in fact Wales seems to be more ambitious.<br /> Manufacturing in the Highlands hasn't taken off either - Ming Yang wind turbine factory proposal still considered a security risk. Meanwhile huge AI warehouses full of foreign components aren't? The proposed turbine factory would have created lots of real jobs where the energy surplus is - the company has asked UKGov to look again at the decision. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22028#post-386434 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:39:58 +0000 gembo 386434@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Nomention of cycling in that article but if you scroll down you get to the redevelopment of Argyle House, plans include the construction of a public lift from Kings Stables Rd up to Castle Terrace. I bet there would be no room for a bike in that lift. I have been in an outdoor lift in Minorca and also Lisbon Somehow I feel the outdoor lift aspect of this plan will quietly disappear. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21605#post-386433 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:22:02 +0000 bakky 386433@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><br /> One of the other 2027 candidates selected to stand in the Colinton/Fairmilehead ward is Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson who currently represents the Pentland Hills ward and is also the Transport Convener. He has been selected in place of Cllr Conor Savage who was just elected in January 2025, but who has had to step back from two convenerships. This is said to be due to Cllr Savage taking up new employment, but it has not gone down well with the Labour group who did not reselect him.</p> <p>Cllr Jenkinson said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been selected tonight as Scottish Labour’s candidate for Colinton, Fairmilehead and Oxgangs in next May’s Council elections.</p> <p>“This is a particularly special moment for me. I grew up in Buckstone, attended Buckstone Primary School and have lived in this part of Edinburgh for most of my life. It’s where Jane and I have raised our family, and it’s a community I know and care deeply about.</p> <p>“Having served as a councillor since 2022, and as Edinburgh’s Transport and Environment Convener since 2024, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, but there’s still plenty of work to do.</p> <p>“I want to use that experience to make a real difference for local people, focusing on the issues that matter to our communities, from our schools and roads to our parks, green spaces and local services.</p> <p>“A huge thank you to local Labour members for putting their trust in me. It’s a tremendous honour, and one I certainly won’t take for granted.<br /> “Now the hard work begins. I’m looking forward to getting out across the ward, speaking to residents and making the case for Labour in May 2027.”</blockquote></p> <p><a href="https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2026/11/libdems-are-on-the-campaign-trail-but-questions-raised-over-an-election-leaflet/">Edinburgh Reporter</a></p> <p>Had wondered about Cllr Savage’s fall from favour. Simple explaination. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386432 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:18:56 +0000 chdot 386432@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Heat is accumulating in Earth’s systems at an accelerating rate, the UN’s weather agency has reported as the Cop31 climate change summit begins in Turkey, with 2026 on track to be one of the four warmest years on record. </p> <p>The imbalance between incoming energy from the sun and energy leaving Earth reached its highest level since monitoring began, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate update. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/09/cop31-climate-extremes-earth-global-heating" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/09/cop31-climate-extremes-earth-global-heating</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22028#post-386431 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 07:56:38 +0000 chdot 386431@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Residents reveal images of 10-storey building as Dominic Cummings-linked group back plan </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghinquirer.co.uk/p/the-battle-over-leiths-towering-hotel" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghinquirer.co.uk/p/the-battle-over-leiths-towering-hotel</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386430 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 07:47:45 +0000 chdot 386430@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p><strong>Lies, damned lies, and statistics</strong></p> <p>It's slightly impossible to be across all of this, as you might imagine - but one aspect did jump out that's worth examining.</p> <p>Appendices 2 and 6 back up a claim made by an Administration Councillor at full council last week that there had been a 17% reduction in vehicle traffic since 2019 — an assertion that we found odd given that it runs counter to Department for Transport counts of vehicle kilometers travelled in Edinburgh across the period to 2025, which show that traffic had returned to the same level it was at prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>As it turns out, CEC have been conducting their own counts - not of journey lengths, which DfT measure, but of vehicle volumes. As such, the Council claims in updates to the City Mobility Plan to have seen a reduction in vehicular traffic already.<br /> “</p> <p>More down page</p> <p><a href="https://edi.bike/articles/2026-11-09-november-transport-committee-agenda/#8-3-road-safety-delivery-plan-2026-27-six-month-update" rel="nofollow">https://edi.bike/articles/2026-11-09-november-transport-committee-agenda/#8-3-road-safety-delivery-plan-2026-27-six-month-update</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386429 Sun, 08 Nov 2026 20:14:30 +0000 chdot 386429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>It's dubbed ‘Scotland’s renewables rip-off’. Billions of pounds which could be going into Scottish government coffers for public services are flowing out of the country to foreign and private companies due to how the SNP has shaped the renewables industry. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://archive.ph/ijUMi" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/ijUMi</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386428 Sun, 08 Nov 2026 20:07:51 +0000 chdot 386428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/08/labour-cut-ev-target-car-industry-despite-climate-concerns" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/08/labour-cut-ev-target-car-industry-despite-climate-concerns</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/08/andy-burnham-uk-climate-crisis-rosebank-jackdaw" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/08/andy-burnham-uk-climate-crisis-rosebank-jackdaw</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21346&page=10#post-386427 Sun, 08 Nov 2026 20:07:19 +0000 LaidBack 386427@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Are Radical Honesty suggesting that Lothian Transport would buy new trams for the extension that's unlikely to happen?<br /> The city already has a huge tram fleet with only one line.</p> <p><ul>"Its proposals go above and beyond to keep people walking, wheeling, and cycling alongside the tram. Battery-operated trams will avoid the need for overhead cables, allowing 70% of the trees to remain. Trams will run on a single track at pinch points, ensuring the maintenance of at least three metres of width along 93% of the path."</ul> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12983&page=42#post-386426 Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:19:39 +0000 gembo 386426@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You can get a feel for it on the stone scape of Melville St. I cycled through some Bollywood film there the other week </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12983&page=42#post-386425 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 23:06:45 +0000 Yodhrin 386425@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To be fair, mcairney, it's not the cost of the trees themselves, it's installing them. Digging out to the necessary depth means dealing with utilities, then you have to do more expensive digging and reinforcement work to contain the root system so you don't get slumping or heave in the surrounding paving in a few years. If you don't want to do that, you have to buy huge expensive specialist planters.</p> <p>It's still a stupid, petty, false economy that will lock in a less pleasant shopping and lingering experience for years and years, but it's not quite as dumb as it first seems. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21206#post-386424 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 17:58:11 +0000 gembo 386424@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Central station, but yeah. Amazingly due to an alley between the vape shop and the station i was not really aware of the station did not burn. I think the Blue lagoon Chip Shop has also survived </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386423 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 17:34:13 +0000 chdot 386423@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Lanarkshire data centre to rely fully on National Grid despite renewables claim </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.thenational.scot/news/26708629.lanarkshire-data-centre-rely-national-grid-despite-renewables/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thenational.scot/news/26708629.lanarkshire-data-centre-rely-national-grid-despite-renewables/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21206#post-386422 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 15:39:43 +0000 ejstubbs 386422@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sounds like they might have borrowed the idea from Network Rail, which carried out a lot of outstanding track &amp; signalling maintenance work while services were curtailed following the vape shop fire adjacent to Queen Street station. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386421 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 08:54:46 +0000 chdot 386421@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>And it is not just Cop insiders who are worried. For many outside the vast white air-conditioned conference halls, the question, as this year’s summit begins, will be: what is the point?</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2026/nov/07/whats-the-point-ten-years-after-the-paris-treaty-are-climate-talks-getting-anywhere" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2026/nov/07/whats-the-point-ten-years-after-the-paris-treaty-are-climate-talks-getting-anywhere</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20766&page=92#post-386420 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 08:54:14 +0000 chdot 386420@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That is quite a significant piece of research and well presented </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386419 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:47:28 +0000 Morningsider 386419@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think it is clear that the Council have switched from DfT counts (used across Britain) to local counts, as it presents a more favourable picture. That isn't bad in itself - as long as the data used remains consistent across any analysis. </p> <p>My main concern is that the local count seems to have produced results that don't pass a simple sniff test, e.g. a 26% reduction in bus traffic along arterial routes into (and through) central Edinburgh between 2019 and 2024/25 seems highly improbable. </p> <p>Also, other transport statistics show no significant reduction in the incidence of driving, or reduction in mileage driven. I do agree there could be a localised reduction in car traffic in the centre of town - more likely due to home working than anything done by the Council. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386418 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:40:03 +0000 neddie 386418@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Item 4.8 from the City Mobility Plan - 2026 Review:</p> <p><blockquote>While public transport patronage has not increased compared to 2019, it is notable that, following a significant dip during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, overall public transport patronage has now returned to pre-pandemic levels</blockquote></p> <p>This does not align with the graph in Appendix 2 that shows buses and coaches fell by 26%</p> <p>I smell a fish </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386417 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:34:22 +0000 stiltskin 386417@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>What doesn’t really make sense is that public transport remains the same, cycling is up 3%, cars are down 16%. All this tells me that there are fewer people travelling in the city centre </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=746&page=490#post-386416 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:26:32 +0000 LaidBack 386416@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Greenroofer - was there around 11.30 but on a green UA Breeze longtail. You were setting off at lights. Sorry didn't connect it was you.<br /> I saw @bakky this morning with a UA carrying a blue Islabikes Beinn. His bike fitted with amazing 1000 lumens front light with handlebar switch. (JBG job) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386415 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:26:14 +0000 neddie 386415@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you were to weight the counts according to expected journey length between adjacent measurement locations (or the city boundary), then that would give a better representation of the car-km.</p> <p>For example, the Barnton junction location to Davidson Mains park location is ~1km. Whereas Tollcross to Bread St is only 200m, a fifth of the distance. </p> <p>That is why I believe the car volumes measured will be very misleading compared to car-km, and amounting to "Gerrymandering" the results. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=22027#post-386414 Fri, 06 Nov 2026 15:07:34 +0000 Frenchy 386414@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I see they've quietly snuck in a proposal to change the measurement from "a reduction of 30% in car-km" to "a reduction of 30% in car volumes" (whatever that means)</em></p> <p>I don't think this is necessarily nefarious - there could be very good reasons to change the methodology (transparency, data quality, cost...). The fundamental change seems to be from DfT stats which estimate how far each journey is, to CEC using cameras to count vehicles at particular locations. CEC has no idea how long each journey is in the new methodology, but will have a much better idea of how many vehicles are at each location.</p> <p>However, on a very quick skim of the new methodology (@Morningsider's link), the thing that <em>really</em> jumps out is the map at 2.2.1. They're not really measuring the car volume in Edinburgh, they're very much measuring it in the city centre.</p> <p>I hope I have time to read this closer, as I think it's really important, but I find it plausible that there's been a reduction in motor vehicle volumes in the city centre without there being much change in city-wide volumes. </p>