http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: A701 "Relief Road" en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:26:08 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381979 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:59:46 +0000 Arellcat 381979@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The A701/RR is dressed up as being about tackling congestion on the A701 and improving bus times (and leading to the spurious claims of tackling climate change). Unless they install a bus gate on the A701 to force drivers onto the new road, it will not IMO make any difference except add short term capacity that will later fill up the junction at Straiton and the on-slip to the bypass faster.</p> <p>I and many others believe it is ultimately about opening up land outside of the Damhead Holdings Scheme for developers.</p> <p>I think it might be instructive to consider why the dualling of the A701 from Gowkley Moss northeastwards, explored in the 1990s, was never carried out. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381975 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:10:52 +0000 neddie 381975@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The full deputation is here:</p> <p><a href="https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/b27129/Deputations%2013th-Nov-2025%2010.00%20Transport%20and%20Environment%20Committee.pdf?T=9" rel="nofollow">https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/b27129/Deputations%2013th-Nov-2025%2010.00%20Transport%20and%20Environment%20Committee.pdf?T=9</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381972 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:01:51 +0000 chdot 381972@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>A really excellent deputation from Spokes on the A701/2 “relief” roads </p> <p>Particularly the section on “induced demand” </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk/post/3m5ggzgntck25" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk/post/3m5ggzgntck25</a></p> <p>Detailed thread </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381649 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:28:49 +0000 neddie 381649@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The world needs more obesogenic environments! Keep 'em fat, keep 'em unhappy, and keep 'em consuming more stuff! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381648 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:20:40 +0000 gembo 381648@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@neddie that still leaves £91M generated from sales of ice cream to spectators </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381647 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:49:34 +0000 neddie 381647@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>£28m will be spent in hospitals treating additional children with asthma. £17m will be spent treating additional road traffic injuries and dealing with deaths. £53m will be spent on additional flood defences because of increased rainfall...</p> <p>All "good" for the economy!</p> <p>*I may have made these figures up, but that's the way it works, isn't it? I don't make the rules. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381646 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:29:55 +0000 chdot 381646@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>could boost the local economy by £189m</p> <p>“</p> <p>Apart from the “could”, how could anyone possibly calculate anything LIKE that??</p> <p>IF the “£189m” is over a year that’s £100 a trip. If over 10 years an extra tenner. Petrol? Wear and tear??</p> <p>That’s assuming <em>all</em> trips are ’new’. </p> <p>Something wrong somewhere. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381645 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:50:31 +0000 acsimpson 381645@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The new A701 <strike>relief</strike> road is expected to <strike>take around</strike><em> generate</em> 9,000 vehicle <em>journie</em>s <strike>off the main route next to the City Bypass</strike> every day and could boost the local economy by £189m. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-381639 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:49:11 +0000 chdot 381639@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/plans-for-a-new-ps55-million-road-to-ease-edinburgh-bypass-congestion-around-the-straiton-junction-5365009" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/plans-for-a-new-ps55-million-road-to-ease-edinburgh-bypass-congestion-around-the-straiton-junction-5365009</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379777 Mon, 26 May 2025 15:01:40 +0000 acsimpson 379777@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@neddie that would be the "continuous" active travel path which inexplicably needs crossing points where it's continuation is deprioritised. I'm willing to bet they will include some sort of beg button, just to highlight the discontinuous nature of them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379776 Mon, 26 May 2025 13:38:55 +0000 neddie 379776@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Then we come to the wishy washy statement about active travel, which apparently “won’t be on the planning application” because apparently it “doesn’t need planning permission”</p> <p>Aye, then it will either get quietly forgotten, or “value engineered” out</p> <p>I am so furious about this </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379775 Mon, 26 May 2025 13:34:17 +0000 neddie 379775@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>All the usual bullshit on the “communication boards” about “we did modelling and found that the ‘relief’ road reduces traffic flows by 9000 vehicles per day, or 30 to 40%” - It won’t. </p> <p>And a 3 minute journey time saving - It won’t </p> <p>And we “must” do this to “support economic development and growth” - yes, when “growth” measures bad consequences as well as good, you can literally put people in hospital and it will be considered “growth”. Air pollution, urban sprawl, flood prone hard surfacing from cauliflower housing estate, severing nature habitats and reducing biodiversity… all “growth” </p> <p>Absolute disingenuous and human-liveability-trashing lies. No new road has ever reduced traffic flows anywhere in the world, ever.</p> <p>It should be called an “inducement road” rather than “relief” </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379767 Sun, 25 May 2025 22:56:34 +0000 bakky 379767@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Only just discovered the existence of <a href="https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/directory_record/98563671/a701_relief_road_and_a702_link_road_2025/category/182/current_consultations">the consultation for this</a>, slow as I am - the relief road itself has a 3m (assume bidirectional) protected cycleway in the profile feature in this <a href="https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/5466/presentation_boards.pdf">presentation deck</a>, and in addition there's mention of the 'A701 Sustainable Travel Corridor':</p> <p><blockquote>The A701 Sustainable Travel Corridor will not be included in the upcoming planning application because most of it does not need planning permission. However, we still want to share plans so you can see the bigger picture and the benefits the new link road will help support.</p> <p>What is it?<br /> Initial designs by SYSTRA show a new walking and cycling route between Gowkley Moss Roundabout and the A720/A701 Straiton junction.</p> <p>It will include:</p> <p>- A safe, continuous route for walking and cycling along the A701<br /> - New and improved crossings at key junctions<br /> - Better connections between homes, Straiton Retail Park, and other key places<br /> - Links with Safe Routes to School for the new Community High School<br /> - Traffic calming at side roads (raised crossings and tighter corners)<br /> - High-quality paths, properly surfaced and signposted<br /> The design is based on surveys of how people currently walk and cycle in the area.</blockquote></p> <p>I know I'm a bit green, but this sounds like the long-awaited tie-in making Straiton retail park (and the big shoppos beyond) far more accessible by cycle - especially if considered alongside new movement on the <strong>Burdiehouse to Mortonhall</strong> project which I accidentally got to see details of because the website (<em>which shouldn't have been live yet and is now gone for a bit</em>) was linked to from the CMP CIP Project Prioritisation table.</p> <p>That project included a bidirectional cycleway along the northern edge of Frogston Rd East from junction with Mortonhall gate to Kaimes, with two toucan crossing exits into the Heritage grange estate; and significant additions to Burdiehouse Rd, including a protected cycleway each side (going a bit from memory now, as our preferred route is to use Heritage Grange to cut out Kaimes and use Old Burdiehouse Rd to then access the shared paths up to the bypass).</p> <p><strong>Consultation closes Friday 30th.</strong> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379640 Tue, 13 May 2025 09:48:59 +0000 mcairney 379640@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I remember Braid Hills Drive being a 50mph limit- my driving instructor used it a few times for practising emergency stops due to it's (relatively) high speed limit and good visibility. Like many of these 40mph zones though these urban race tracks are an anachronism now. Good to see Milton Road East on the list, that road really has no need to be a 40. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379628 Mon, 12 May 2025 18:41:24 +0000 Arellcat 379628@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/news/article/3901/drop_in_about_the_proposed_final_route_for_the_a701_relief_road_and_a702_link_road">Drop in session this week</a>:</p> <p><blockquote><br /> We want to hear your views on the final proposed route for the A701 Relief Road and the A702 Link Road. </p> <p>Come along to a drop in event on Thursday 15 May between 4pm and 7pm at <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/55.869197/-3.184249">Bilston Primary School</a>, EH25 9SD to find out more details of the route, discuss them with the design team and share your thoughts.</p> <p>For further information, or if you cannot come to the drop in and would like to submit your views, e-mail or write to Wardell Armstrong/SLR, The Tun, 4 Jackson’s Entry, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ. Deadline is Friday 30 May 2025.</blockquote> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379380 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:41:56 +0000 Frenchy 379380@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Have been told that implementation of those 40mph -&gt; 30mph streets should happen over this summer, starting next month.</p> <p>List of streets is in Sec.4.2 <a href="https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s14508/Item%207.4%20-%2040mph%20Speed%20Limit%20Review.pdf">here</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379173 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:56:56 +0000 Frenchy 379173@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That is correct. I was told in 2020 that "Braid Hills Drive – a speed limit reduction to 30mph will be progressed by my colleagues in the Active Travel team in conjunction with proposed cycling infrastructure."</p> <p>An email I sent in 2023 asking for an update was not replied to. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379172 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:36:59 +0000 ejstubbs 379172@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for that reminder of the council's foot-dragging.</p> <p>Braid Hills Drive not on that map, I see. Am I right in recalling something about it being done separately for some reason? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379171 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:40:13 +0000 Frenchy 379171@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Over 5 years since speed limit of 30mph on Biggar Road was approved: <a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/these-are-the-21-edinburgh-roads-due-to-have-their-speed-limits-reduced-from-40mph-to-30mph-1890291" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/these-are-the-21-edinburgh-roads-due-to-have-their-speed-limits-reduced-from-40mph-to-30mph-1890291</a></p> <p>Almost a year since the council said "OK, OK, we will actually implement that this summer. Promise.": <a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-roads-citys-last-40mph-limits-set-to-disappear-this-summer-as-30mph-signs-go-upedinburgh-roads-citys-last-40mph-limits-set-to-disappear-this-summer-as-30mph-signs-go-up-4598281" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-roads-citys-last-40mph-limits-set-to-disappear-this-summer-as-30mph-signs-go-upedinburgh-roads-citys-last-40mph-limits-set-to-disappear-this-summer-as-30mph-signs-go-up-4598281</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379170 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:12:22 +0000 ejstubbs 379170@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Arellcat: <em>In my opinion, the period between green for cyclists and green for motors needs to be a few seconds longer</em></p> <p>Having just now negotiated the [Old] Pentland Road / Biggar Road junction I think I would agree with you. It seems to be noticeably shorter than, for example, the ones at the bottom of the Mound - and with an adverse gradient, to boot.</p> <p>What I think is somewhat encouraging is that both these lights and the new ones at the bottom of Craiglockhart Avenue have been installed with advanced greens for cyclists. Could it be that this will become the standard for new traffic lights everywhere in and around the city?</p> <p>As you say, though, more rigorous enforcement of the ASLs is really needed - in the same way that more rigorous enforcement of the 20mph limits is needed. (Living as I do on a 20mph rat-run, the significantly higher proportion of cars passing at unreasonable speed during the evening peak is very noticeable.)</p> <p>And on the subject of speed limits, isn't it about time that Biggar Road was made a 30mph limit all the way from the Fairmilehead crossroads to the new traffic lights? What with people from Winton wanting to cross over to the Sainsburys Local, the Lothianburn double roundabout junction, the Esso garage, The Steading, the traffic lights at the Hillend junction, the residential properties along a good part of its length etc etc, that stretch of road really struggles to justify being a 40mph limit IMO. As it is now it's more like Comiston Road used to be before it was made an official 30mph limit: in theory it was 40mph, but it was rare that any driver with an ounce of sense managed to achieve that speed for any worthwhile length of time, outside of the quietest periods (of which there seem to be many fewer these days anyway). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379163 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:14:22 +0000 gembo 379163@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>These advanced green are being put in for the TdF. Also two yards of new tarmac at top of Johnston Tce </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=6#post-379151 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:23:13 +0000 Arellcat 379151@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>CycleAlex: Curiously, low level cycle signals have been installed at the newly signalised A702 junction. Does anyone know if they’re acting as early releases or purely repeaters?</p> <p>Neddie: They're clearly dummy. I'm sure the real purpose of the repeaters is to be able to dip into active travel funds for essentially a motors-only junction</em></p> <p>I can confirm that they are advanced greens for cyclists and are now in operation. In my opinion, the period between green for cyclists and green for motors needs to be a few seconds longer*.</p> <p>It may be moot because at the weekend I noticed drivists were hogging the ASL box as usual.</p> <p>* Or, "thirty or forty years, perhaps?" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-379075 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 15:10:54 +0000 chdot 379075@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“the more I think they should be on every major junction.“</p> <p>When they were first introduced in Ed a lot of drivers went when the cycle light came on. </p> <p>This seems to have settled down and more motor users wait. </p> <p>Lower down ones seem to be more sensible, but perhaps only allowed as repeaters?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-379074 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:44:13 +0000 bakky 379074@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Be great to apply pressure to (what I'm sure is Midlothian's?) active travel team to get these to behave as advanced cycle green - the more of which I use, the more I think they should be on every major junction. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-379070 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:54:51 +0000 neddie 379070@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They're clearly dummy. I'm sure the real purpose of the repeaters is to be able to dip into active travel funds for essentially a motors-only junction </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-379069 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:44:12 +0000 CycleAlex 379069@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Curiously, low level cycle signals have been installed at the newly signalised A702 junction. Does anyone know if they’re acting as early releases or purely repeaters?<br /> <a href="https://x.com/setrunkroads/status/1904486942672089575" rel="nofollow">https://x.com/setrunkroads/status/1904486942672089575</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-378938 Mon, 10 Mar 2025 22:00:33 +0000 acsimpson 378938@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Could this be the works first bypass bypass? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-378933 Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:34:01 +0000 chdot 378933@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“You've got to build bypasses”</p> <p>ABSOLUTELY </p> <p>They are such desirable/profitable things that the private sector is desperate to <em>invest</em> in them - if only someone would sort out the <strong>blockers</strong>!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-378932 Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:38:19 +0000 Arellcat 378932@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>But it's a <em>bypass</em>. You've got to build bypasses. ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18134&page=5#post-378931 Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:45:39 +0000 neddie 378931@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>More roads == more driving </p>