http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Compendium of small barriers to Edinburgh Active Travel en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:36:10 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-360538 Fri, 13 May 2022 09:20:47 +0000 Arellcat 360538@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>New thread to take us into 2022:</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20944" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20944</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-360536 Fri, 13 May 2022 08:24:15 +0000 toomanybikes 360536@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Absense of dropped curbs and keep clear paint at the end of Bingham Drive up towards the Innocent. Keep clear paint at the filter on Peffer Place (once construction ends).</p> <p>List of a million one way exemptions.</p> <p>Speed up cycle traffic lights along Fishwives Causeway crossing of Harry Lauder Road and the slow Seafield Road East one.</p> <p>Wider cycle lane along the bends along Seafield Road. They plan to drop the speed limit so no need for road to be so wide. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-360532 Thu, 12 May 2022 22:23:28 +0000 chdot 360532@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just a reminder</p> <p>Now we are about to have a new council, might be worth starting a new list…</p> <p>Wonder how many things are still outstanding??</p> <p>(From first post here - “ our new Transport Convenor, Lesley McInnes has asked for details of other small items that make Active Travel harder than it needs to be.</p> <p>So here's our chance to crowd source a list for her.”) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-321403 Fri, 24 Jan 2020 13:02:35 +0000 Frenchy 321403@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Barriers on the Hope Lane bridge over Harry Lauder Road have been widened: <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokesPorty/status/1220671593493467142" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/SpokesPorty/status/1220671593493467142</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-288668 Fri, 10 Aug 2018 10:57:07 +0000 wingpig 288668@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The site of the former stupid gate between Warriston Road and the Tesco path still only has the markings for future bollards, but no bollards yet. There is a similar trailer-blocking bollard-pilot-hole at the north end of the St Mark's Path bridge. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-288666 Fri, 10 Aug 2018 10:29:00 +0000 Frenchy 288666@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>The barriers at Craigmillar Castle Avenue were removed this morning!</p> <p>They'll be put back on Tuesday.</em></p> <p>These are now on the works list and will be removed permanently! (some time next year) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-287321 Fri, 20 Jul 2018 16:59:20 +0000 Snowy 287321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Baffling, and the phrase 'not to scale' is highly applicable there! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-287300 Fri, 20 Jul 2018 12:08:47 +0000 Frenchy 287300@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From the council, regarding the barrier at Lasswade Road I posted about above:</p> <p>"An Engineer met with our contractor on site to establish the most suitable location for the barrier chicane. This is based on the standard design for such features [<a href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/492720/response/1191027/attach/3/Chicane%20Detail%20GR.PDF.pdf">link</a>]."</p> <p>Baffling. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-285913 Thu, 28 Jun 2018 11:32:34 +0000 Frenchy 285913@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good news and bad news!</p> <p>The barriers at Craigmillar Castle Avenue were removed this morning!</p> <p>They'll be put back on Tuesday. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-284932 Fri, 15 Jun 2018 18:25:05 +0000 Blueth 284932@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm always baffled by the logic of the authorities on this. Motorcyclists have no desire to use these paths. </p> <p>The neds involved in the current spate of motorcycle thefts are a different kettle of fish and won't be put off by any barrier but particularly not by one with a large gap at the side. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-284890 Fri, 15 Jun 2018 13:17:35 +0000 Frenchy 284890@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Do motorbikes go there? </em></p> <p>Whilst it's certainly possible, I've never seen one. But I only walk along there about once a week, and perhaps not at motorbikes-on-footpaths rush hour, if such a thing exists.</p> <p>Also, a local police office officer, when I suggested removing the first barrier told me that to do so would lead to motorcyclists starting to use it - which suggests that, if they are already doing so, nobody's complaining to the police about it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-284888 Fri, 15 Jun 2018 12:50:07 +0000 chdot 284888@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Do motorbikes go there? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-284884 Fri, 15 Jun 2018 12:01:59 +0000 Frenchy 284884@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I recently asked the council to remove <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@55.8996399,-3.1462116,3a,15y,212.87h,88.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s83vg3G1IbOjczACgZD-9zQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656">these barriers</a> from the footpath through The Murrays. A few weeks ago, I got a reply saying that the barriers are required in order to prevent the path being used by motorcyclists. So I pointed out that they don't stop motorcyclists (but are very good at inhibiting pedestrians and wheelchair users) since there's a motorbike-sized gap to the side of the barriers:</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/JzhPGz"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1757/27943710877_a2e5471257_n.jpg"></a></p> <p>This morning, I noticed that <em>another barrier</em> has been added to the path, at the Lasswade Road end. This one does even less to deter motorcyclists:</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/L6g4HN"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/896/28939219468_a555467e80_n.jpg"></a></p> <p>ARGHGHGHGGHGLLLHGHGHGHGGH! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-272344 Sat, 13 Jan 2018 18:30:15 +0000 gembo 272344@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We had the double yellow lines in Balerno repainted yesterday. Today a morbidly obese family parked on them as nearer Scotmid than err, Scotmid's car park. I asked in Scotmid after they had gone if they were special people who did not need to follow regulations. The under manager said not Scotmid's role to enforce. I said I was only seeking some light banter but fear he was in bad mood. Was also extracting two quid off him for wrongly priced chateau neuf du pape I was buying for pal who favours this wine, in exchange for some logs he has given me to burn. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-272336 Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:49:40 +0000 SRD 272336@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Brilliant! I've been going that way occasionally for the past few months and been baffled at the poor access. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-272333 Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:17:57 +0000 neddie 272333@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some good news: One and a half permit bays removed and replaced with double yellow lines, to restore access between Leamington Walk and Spottiswoode St. (With obligatory illegally parked 4x4 on top of them)</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/23rfVkR"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4651/39667229491_191efe0b57.jpg"></a><a href="https://flic.kr/p/23rfVkR"> </a> by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bonsai_bonus/">Ed</a>, on Flickr</p> <p>Just a shame they won't move the bins blocking the next path further up... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-264814 Sat, 28 Oct 2017 15:13:33 +0000 acsimpson 264814@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>5 months is fast. Although looks like a quick fix </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-264616 Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:20:50 +0000 Arellcat 264616@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Took me a little while to deduce where that is.</p> <p><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Y9PSDkZfxNL2" rel="nofollow">https://goo.gl/maps/Y9PSDkZfxNL2</a></p> <p><em>Gilmerton Road - Liberton/Gilmerton - The pavement on the west side of Gilmerton Road, just to the south of the junction with Moredun Dykes Road, has a gap in it which should be fixed. I think this dates from when the entrance to the dentist's car park was on Gilmerton Road. Unfortunately there aren't even dropped kerbs, so the pavement poses difficulties for anyone with limited mobility.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-264594 Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:53:44 +0000 Frenchy 264594@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Minor victory!</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/CJzBnf"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4448/24110694148_bc36a38973.jpg"></a><a href="https://flic.kr/p/CJzBnf">IMG_20171027_084215</a></p> <p>Requested dropped kerbs here in May. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-262831 Fri, 06 Oct 2017 22:55:03 +0000 HankChief 262831@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Looking at the Transport COmmittee Papers I see that Cllr Booth got through a Motion for the items raised in <a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/2017/09/no-way-and-1-way-problems-win-our-low-cost-competition/">Spokes' recent competition</a> </p> <p><em>"to refer the Spokes document describing the competition entries to each Locality Manager (or other relevant section of the Council) with a request that they identify the proposals within their area of responsibility, assess the feasibility of each proposal, undertake the relevant work to take appropriate proposals forward, and report back on a quarterly basis to the relevant locality committee (once formed) and to the Transport and Environment Committee on progress to implement the proposals"</em></p> <p>Good work. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255420 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 11:25:51 +0000 chdot 255420@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Convener of Transport and Environment for the City of Edinburgh Council writes for us on the need for traffic to slow down and for drivers to take heed of the 20 mph speed limits.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2017/07/edinburgh-councillor-blogs-councillor-lesley-macinnes/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2017/07/edinburgh-councillor-blogs-councillor-lesley-macinnes/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255394 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 08:47:25 +0000 chdot 255394@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors/ward" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors/ward</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255390 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 08:30:17 +0000 I were right about that saddle 255390@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>The problem isn't really about CEC not realising that there are small things to be sorted.</em></p> <p>If I was a politician I would encourage vocal minorities to sweat over small stuff to keep them busy while I got on with the big stuff.</p> <p>Madame IWRATS won't cycle to work because she has a perfectly reasonable fear of being killed, injured or assaulted. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255388 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 08:04:24 +0000 chdot 255388@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes well done HC (and everyone on here who contributed). </p> <p>It's good that CycleScape has been 'reactivated'. </p> <p>Getting to grips with it won't suit everyone (not that difficult, but you need to register and read stuff). </p> <p>Good for Lesley to engage and I'm she will follow through. </p> <p>BUT</p> <p>The problem isn't really about CEC not realising that there are small things to be sorted. </p> <p>It's still about priorities and budgets and attitudes and conventions - not least the underlying 'priority for traffic llow'. </p> <p>The other Leslie achieved a lot in the past five years or so, hope the new one will manage more! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255385 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 07:34:17 +0000 I were right about that saddle 255385@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@HankChief</p> <p>Sterling work, thank you! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255383 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 07:15:50 +0000 Stickman 255383@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Top work, and an encouraging response. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255381 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 01:14:35 +0000 HankChief 255381@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A quick response from Lesley even after midnight...</p> <p><em></p> <p>Dear Hank</p> <p>Thank you very much indeed for compiling this information - I really appreciate the efforts that you and your fellow contributors have made to help me get to grips with the issues you face cycling around the city.  </p> <p>You are correct - there are an enormous number of suggestions and comments to absorb. I'll use it as a checklist for discussions with the Active Travel team and, if it's ok with you, I'll come back to you for a second part to this discussion?</p> <p>Once again, my thanks</p> <p>Lesley </p> <p></em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=3#post-255379 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 00:05:40 +0000 HankChief 255379@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Letter sent - Sorry for the delay &amp; using only West Edinburgh examples - (they are the ones I'm familiar with)</p> <p>I'll let you know when I get a response, in the meantime do keep adding your examples <a href="https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues#map-pane" rel="nofollow">https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues#map-pane</a></p> <p>HC</p> <p>---------------------</p> <p><em>Hi Lesley,</p> <p>A couple of weeks ago on a twitter exchange (I’m @Hank_chief btw), I promised to send you a list of small issues that make Active Travel more difficult than it needs to. </p> <p>Thanks to the good people on CItyCyclingEdinburgh I crowd sourced a list of issues <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876</a> . To help bring some order to the list and give specific &amp; identifiable locations I asked people to log their issue on using the CycleScape tool <a href="https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues#list-pane" rel="nofollow">https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues#list-pane</a></p> <p>There are quite a few and it may seem overwhelming at first but I expect that many of them will already be on the radar of the Active Travel team as they are likely to have been raised before.</p> <p>I don’t know if this tool works for you and the Active Travel team or not, and I’m more than happy to take feedback if there is a better way or if the addition of photos etc would make it easier to comprehend. Similarly if it would be helpful to do some form of prioritisation, then I’m sure that we find willing volunteers to assist with this.</p> <p>I would bring to your attention some common themes which impact the ease and speed for making journeys by active means and so discourage the switch from motorised means.</p> <p>1. Reaction time of Signalised Crossings<br /> 2. Missing dropped kerbs / steps.<br /> 3. Chicanes<br /> 4. Path surfaces</p> <p>1. Signalised crossings give a chance for active travellers to safely cross a road. In many cases there is a long wait before the active traveller gets a green light, often but not always without a significant volume of vehicle passing. This can be infuriating and only goes to reinforce a feeling of motor vehicle prioritisation as you wait for your time to cross. It also leads to people choosing not to wait and risking crossing without the protection of the traffic signals.</p> <p>2. Missing dropped kerbs &amp; steps can be a significant barrier to active travel. Wheelchairs, Prams, bikes (especially non standard ones e.g. towing a trailer) do not take kindly to high kerbs or steps. Your option are to bump up/down if you are physically able or reroute away from your desire line. The 6 Craigmount steps at the Southern Entrance to Craigmount HS is a very good example of this, on a well used route and with a very long alternative. <a href="https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/1164-ramped-access-required" rel="nofollow">https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/1164-ramped-access-required</a> </p> <p>3. Edinburgh has many chicanes which create conflict by restricting the usable width of a route and at their most extreme prevent people from using the route. With the roll out of 20mph, this will reduce the risks associated with a child running onto the street and so many historic chicanes will be redundant. Where a chicane is absolutely necessary, it should meet the standard of 3metres between gates at least 1.5m gap between gate and edge of path, so that non standard bicycles can pass through. The Dovecot/Broomhall chicane on Quiet Route 9 is one such example of a barrier to active travel. <a href="https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/2702-tight-chicane-often-overgrown-bushes" rel="nofollow">https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/2702-tight-chicane-often-overgrown-bushes</a> </p> <p>4. There are several well used paths than are not tarmacked and are rocky/bumpy and can become muddy in wet weather. This can be a problem if you don’t have a suitable bike / shoes for the condition of the path. Getting a puncture from bumpy paths or getting dirty from muddy puddles will put you off cycling / walking a route. The path from Davidson’s Mains Tesco to the Blackhall path is a good example of a well used short path that isn’t good quality <a href="https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/2708-blackhall-path-to-tescos-to-be-tarmaced" rel="nofollow">https://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/2708-blackhall-path-to-tescos-to-be-tarmaced</a></p> <p>As I said earlier, I hope this is helpful, please do get in touch if there is anything further we can do.</p> <p>All the best for your convenorship,</p> <p>Hankchief</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=2#post-255265 Mon, 17 Jul 2017 14:03:05 +0000 acsimpson 255265@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wonder what counts as small. For instance is resurfacing Braepark Road worth including?</p> <p>I have added it along with:<br /> Dalmeny Park chicanes<br /> Dalmeny railway line gate<br /> Maybury Junction pedestrian island<br /> Shell Garage dropped kerbs (very minor)<br /> Chicanes onto Maybury Road at Barntongate and East Craig Rigg<br /> Mabury Road Cycle lanes (not minor but I've added it to cyclescape anyway)</p> <p>I'm sure there's plenty others I could add (eg chicanes) but not that I pass regularly and can think off of the top of my head. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17876&page=2#post-255098 Fri, 14 Jul 2017 16:59:47 +0000 qwerty 255098@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Okay, so this morning the Angle Park Terrace joiners workbench in the cycle lane was back.... But this time with two No Parking cones and builder's tape to make a wee barrier around it.</p> <p>Presumably that's all fine then?! You couldn't make it up! </p>