http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Positive solution focussed feedback about the council en Mon, 18 May 2026 20:56:17 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-180135 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 15:16:27 +0000 gembo 180135@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>wrong thread but I followed Hankchief's instruction re the gogar station road mid line remioval and cycle lane insertion and I e mailed Paul at cooncil and copied to cooncillor. Received thank you from Paul for my support and pledge to keep me updated. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179738 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 19:35:08 +0000 gembo 179738@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>See my commute post aboute use of woL path, canal towpath, innocent tunnel and path and brunstane path for brilliant commute today </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179708 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:51:38 +0000 chdot 179708@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>VERY happy to praise CEC for this -</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13251#post-179707">Following our investigations, I am pleased to confirm that a design has been reached which includes the removal of the road centre-line with advisory cycle lanes over the majority of Gogar Station Road between the RBS HQ and the railway over-bridge (linking to the south shared use footway). This is a relatively new approach in the UK on rural roads and we are now confident that it is suitable for trialling on Gogar Station Road.</a></p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179682 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 11:18:09 +0000 PS 179682@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Practical<br /> (And good PR.)</em></p> <p>Yep - sends a signal, Cargobikes make a place look like it has a proper cycling culture, makes cycling more prominent in the public eye, helps council workers stay fit, may encourage more cycling (if you can cycle a cargobike up a hill, then it must be possible/easier on a normal bike), internally generated pressure on the council for better facilities/maintenance, fewer council vans parked on footpaths... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179679 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 11:10:37 +0000 chdot 179679@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"for example, cargobikes rather than vans"</p> <p>I offered to lend my 8 Freight a few years ago - for 'maintenance patrol' on path network. Person I spoke to (can't remember who it was) liked the idea - 'I'll have to ask'. </p> <p>Never heard back from them.</p> <p>Practical - <a href="http://8freight.com" rel="nofollow">http://8freight.com</a></p> <p>(And good PR.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179678 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 11:05:24 +0000 PS 179678@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Edinburgh Council is way better than most British city councils - a lot of the staff I have heard speak seem to genuinely want to improve things for folk on foot and on bikes, but that shouldn't stop us comparing it to best practice elsewhere.</p> <p>I'd say there is a lot of good intention at the Council when it comes to cycling, but it has failed to show the bottle of (for example) other European cities who have transformed their city centres in recent years. </p> <p>Some of that is understandable (the tram procurement debacle would knock most people's self-confidence), but it doesn't stop it being an opportunity missed.</p> <p>It still feels like there is a lack of understanding of or buy-in to active travel at many levels in the Council (cf, comments from Council staff at the various consultations on the Leith Walk redesign and the lack of ambition and forward thinking in what we are now getting). </p> <p>It needs institutionalised, and I can think of few better ways of doing that than making more Council workers cycle - for example, cargobikes rather than vans for workers. That way, the guys and gals responsible for putting the facilities in might really appreciate what is required and why. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179673 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 10:35:59 +0000 AKen 179673@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em> I like the cycling facilities in edinburgh, the NEPN, the towpath (not council but links such as meadows to canal are council). George street needs tweaked but is good. WoL path in summer is a joy.</em></p> <p>It's condition in the winter is the main reason I decided to give up commuting on my bike this winter, until the spring. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179668 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:44:06 +0000 chdot 179668@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"many of the problems I experience in Edinburgh are "first world problems"..."</p> <p>Indeed - particularly too much motor traffic. </p> <p>Edinburgh IS much better for cyclists than the rest of Scotland - and most of the rest of the UK. </p> <p>Though elsewhere (Europe and US) there is a rising list of cities that are continuing to do a lot more or starting from 'worse than Edinburgh' and putting policies and infrastructure in place that mean significant improvements for people who want to cycle - and consequently more people cycling. </p> <p>Meanwhile in Edinburgh - just to demonstrate what I said above about CEC not being unified on transport/cycling -</p> <p>"</p> <p>It is therefore astonishing that the Council now plans to retreat on one of the policies which led to these hard-won achievements, its bus/cycle lane network. Furthermore Glasgow is currently consulting on strengthening its bus network by converting peak hour bus lanes to all-day or even to 24/7. Edinburgh already faces competition from Glasgow in cycling policy, with a major bike-share scheme and lengthy segregated cycleroute in place; and now our Edinburgh bus/cycle lanes too are at risk.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/2015/01/buscycle-lanes-carlorry-lanes-unless-you-object" rel="nofollow">http://www.spokes.org.uk/2015/01/buscycle-lanes-carlorry-lanes-unless-you-object</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179664 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:32:07 +0000 Dave 179664@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I feel a bit churlish for entirely failing to follow the spirit of the topic with last night's maudlin contribution, so I will add: </p> <p>Although cycling in Edinburgh is often needlessly terrible, it is still vastly better than cycling in Glasgow, Dundee, Livingston, and Fife (the other places where I have significant experience of cycling).</p> <p>Indeed, in all of the above places if I'm honest, it's pretty unlikely that I would commute any other way than by driving. By contrast many of the problems I experience in Edinburgh are "first world problems"... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179660 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 01:08:24 +0000 HankChief 179660@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To me it's about the speed of progress and the 3 steps forward 3 steps back feeling.</p> <p>CEC has done some good things that have made my life easier/better:</p> <p>e.g. Tarmac'ing Pinkhill Railway<br /> building the Balgreen Tramside path<br /> responding to local maintenence issues<br /> A90 cyclepath upgrades<br /> Bike parking hoops installed in Corstorphine</p> <p>There are also many things being talked about / planned that will further enhance my quality of life:</p> <p>Gogar Station Road resurfacing / cycle infrastructure<br /> A8 cyclepath improvements<br /> 20mph zones<br /> Roseburn to Canal link<br /> Canal to Meadows link<br /> Family Network per 2020 ATAP<br /> Balgreen Toucan</p> <p>It's great that these are coming, and obviously I'd love for these to be a reality already, but if the majority can be completed by the end the year I'd be very happy. The 7% of transport budget is allowing progress to be made and I do accept that it can't all be done at once.</p> <p>What would be interesting is how much of a pipeline does CEC have for cycling projects? Given there is only 5 years until 2020 (when the ATAP targets 10% of commuters), is there list of projects that is projected to be complete by then.</p> <p>Maybe things are too fluid to give such information, but without it it is hard to judge if CEC are doing enough. The ramping up of the %age should mean we start to see more being done this year than last and more again next year. </p> <p>I would also add that there are a number of smaller issues (many that I have raised on here) that I spoken to CEC/my councillors about and that appear to have been put out to the long grass without much progress:</p> <p>Chicanes of Corstorphine<br /> Craigmount HS steps<br /> East Craigs Paths<br /> Dropped kerbs</p> <p>All in all it feels like progress is being made in places but it will be a slow process to counteract years of underinvestment and not designing cycling into infrastructure.</p> <p>My 3 steps forward and 3 steps backwards comment was acknowledging the hard won progress being made as a forward step but also the things being put in place by CEC that hinder/discourage cycling:</p> <p>Barnton Golf Course chicane / speed bumps<br /> Broomhouse path / south gyle access crossing<br /> Haymarket Tramlines (Trams fullstop)<br /> Bus Lanes allowing in motorbikes and being open for cars during the day (I.e. during the school run home)<br /> Meadow Place Road traffic islands<br /> Balgreen chicane<br /> Harrison Park Cyclists Slow Down signs<br /> Badly installed infrastructure </p> <p>Whilst there may be good reasons for some of these it's easy to get the impression that 'anti' cycling infrastructure is easier to get approved/installed.</p> <p>I also think CEC suffers from the problem that society has, in that if you don't cycle you don't even consider them in your thinking. This isn't aimed at the cycle team but at the wider organisation. The trams are the obvious example, but closer to home we have the dropped kerb on Craigs road being installed for council vehicles to use and then gated off so that no one else can use it - I regularly see cyclists bumping up it.</p> <p>It's this behavioural change that is going to be hard to do - that's why I'm so pleased that CEC have added cycling into the resurfacing and gritting prioritisations - it shows that cycling is important.</p> <p>From what I see &amp; hear Edinburgh is ahead of other cities with it's support for cycling. I hope that we can continue to lead the way with this.</p> <p>(I acknowledge that this is a very West Edinburgh biased post, but it's where I live &amp; ride - I assume other areas have similar issues) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179645 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:39:19 +0000 chdot 179645@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"even fairly shonky infrastructure like the QBC does seem to be encouraging more people to cycle"</p> <p>Would be useful if some of the 'soft' 'marketing' money that's about to be spent by CEC could be used for a decent survey of new(ish) cyclers. </p> <p>Meanwhile I'll just start a <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14328#post-179647">new thread</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179644 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:35:34 +0000 SRD 179644@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>what morningsider said, with the possible exception of the QBC. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179643 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:32:16 +0000 Dave 179643@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I would hate to work in the public sector.</p> <p>Every day I pass terrible bits of infrastructure that I can't imagine any past or current colleague would dare to design, let alone implement.</p> <p>But it's too far-fetched to imagine that only people in industry have talent and those in the public sector are criminally incompetent. It leaves me with the conclusion that there must be thousands of deeply frustrated people who are quite capable of designing a proper cycle facility (or transport policy, or health/education/whatever) but somehow the system conspires to force them to deliver the kind of tat that is actually built.</p> <p>I'd like to believe that making positive comments on a forum would help them, but when I think of how vanishingly remote the chances that we would do anything differently in our office based on an internet comment... well. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179642 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:32:15 +0000 Morningsider 179642@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Edinburgh is far and away the best Council in its support for cycling in Scotland. They really have put their money where their mouth is - 7% of the transport budget on cycling is great. There is some great cycling infrastructure now - the upgrades to the Meadows paths over the past few years have made them first rate.</p> <p>Yes, lots could be improved - but even fairly shonky infrastructure like the QBC does seem to be encouraging more people to cycle. </p> <p>Also, upcoming projects linking the canal with the Meadows and Meadows with the Innocent look good and have been improved by consultation. We are finally seeing the beginnings of a proper cycle network, which will hopefully be enhanced by the promised east-west city centre corridor.</p> <p>Personally, I have never seen so many winter cyclists and think we are in for a bumper summer of cycling in the city. I don't think this is an accident. National cycling statistics are flat-lining, seeing almost no change in over a decade. Edinburgh is driving what little Scotland-wide growth there is in cycling.</p> <p>Keep up the good work! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179639 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:21:26 +0000 chdot 179639@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>HOWEVER</p> <p>One area where 'this forum' (posters and emailers) <em>definitely</em> supports "The Council" is on 20mph. </p> <p>That is one thing that CEC (particularly key politicians) is fairly progressive/brave about and NEEDS/<em>deserves</em> support. </p> <p>May well be more beneficial to cyclists and pedestrians than many other "facilities". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179636 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:03:04 +0000 HankChief 179636@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There was this <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12660#post-150497">post/thread</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179635 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 21:59:43 +0000 Ed1 179635@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Said tonight that he saw a positive comment on here about the council but I can't find it"</p> <p>I have posted a few positive comments about the council George street and things and the network of paths.</p> <p> "I believe in local govt rather than things like academy schools being forced on communities regardless of data."</p> <p>People that support free schools and academies will argue that its gives individual choice and freedom this is largely a fallacy. </p> <p>The individual the child has little to no choice, in effect it can be argued its a form of state cohesion violating the individuals choice by allowing a third party greater control over their personal choices than there would be otherwise.</p> <p>I would be against free schools in principle, and tend to think the state should provide balanced education, as a care taker, until the child is old enough to exercise their own freedom of choice. </p> <p>The free schools and academy limit the childs choice as can be forced to attend religious schools, also schools that do not offer a complete range of subjects.</p> <p>The supporters of free schools that claim its about individuals freedoms often struggle with this, their view only works if you see the child or young adult as the parents property rather than having intrinsic rights of their own. </p> <p>Would you rather be sent against will a comprehensive that has a wide range of subjects, or a religious school you did not agree with or academy with limited options that did not allow to purse your chosen career. </p> <p>The comprehensive respect individuals choice better as no indoctrination and a wider range of subjects deferring specialization until the child is old enough to make their own decisions.</p> <p>The supports of free schools do not expect a "libertarian" argument against free school may defuses some of the rhetoric about individual choice on their side. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179630 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 21:43:12 +0000 chdot 179630@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"he saw a positive comment on here about the council"</p> <p>Are either of you suggesting that there was only one?!</p> <p>"I like the cycling facilities in edinburgh"</p> <p>I like some cycling facilities in Edinburgh</p> <p>The problem is that there aren't enough of them, some are inadequate/embarrassing. Without the fortuitous opportunity of a series of disused railways the "facilities" would be meagre. The rest, generally, don't join up, including -</p> <p>"George street needs tweaked but is good."</p> <p>This forum may have a reputation for being critical. There are reasons for that -</p> <p>1) quite a few people here cycle a lot and see the 'reality' and that it doesn't change much. </p> <p>2) some people here have been to various consultations involving proposed 'cycle facilities' and found the plans (at best) uninspiring and often inadequate. </p> <p>3) 'the council' isn't some uniform entity. Yes there are some good people (probably quite a lot across all areas) but <em>in spite of </em> some very good policies AND the rising proportion of the transport budget intended for cycling, there seems to be very little 'corporate' belief/'buy-in'.</p> <p>"We need to support like minded council officers to get more paths built rather than just marketing."</p> <p>Well yes (<a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12891#post-177380">thread on that</a>), though actually it's not particularly about "more paths". Doing the 'family network' to a standard where the 'average family' felt confident would be a start. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14325#post-179622 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 21:03:12 +0000 gembo 179622@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My colleague who is a cycling officer for city of ed. Said tonight that he saw a positive comment on here about the council but I can't find it. So I have started a thread. I like the council. I believe in local govt rather than things like academy schools being forced on communities regardless of data.</p> <p>I like the cycling facilities in edinburgh, the NEPN, the towpath (not council but links such as meadows to canal are council). George street needs tweaked but is good. WoL path in summer is a joy.</p> <p>We need to support like minded council officers to get more paths built rather than just marketing. People need their behaviours changed, e.g. By segregate paths and then marketing can kick in to persuade drivers they like the changes.. Not the nonsense I saw today about paths causing congestion. This rubbish is what people are up against so we need to support them.</p> <p>Courage mon semblable </p>