http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: What are the rules on blocking a road? en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:06:53 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36739 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 21:18:07 +0000 cb 36739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pretty handy if you were the Dukes of Hazzard, otherwise, I would concede, a PITA. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36588 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:31:03 +0000 kaputnik 36588@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Stirling council style<br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaputniq/5975418749/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5975418749_dc772461a7.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36509 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:59:17 +0000 wingpig 36509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There were some barrier-stands-yet-without-barriers-mounted-in-them lining the kerbside along Abbeyhill this morning, which might have crept further into the road and might not be too visible from very far away in the dark if you're around that way over the next few evenings. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36501 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:49:01 +0000 cb 36501@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The roadwork signs on Comiston Road at Fairmilehead have now been moved so that they are half on the road and half on the pavement.</p> <p>Is that the power of the forum again? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36217 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:08:33 +0000 cb 36217@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kaputnik, as I recall that is as far as the cycle route goes (heading west). Is that still the case? I think I vaguely remember reading that there were plans to continue the route into Stirling.</p> <p>If you were following NCN76 then you must have used up roughly half your time away just getting to Stirling / back from Sirling! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36209 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:34:45 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 36209@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks chdot and Morningsider - much reading to contemplate! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36105 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:45:53 +0000 kaputnik 36105@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've got a great photo from my tour that I'll post later, but Stirling Council has completely (meaning no way around but over) blocked NCN76 at Manor Powis by dumping about 50 tons of gravel right across it. The route here is the old road, which has been replaced by a re-aligned, dual carriageway version 5 metres to the north.</p> <p>They're obviously using it to store (be it temporarily or otherwise) materiel for road works. I had already passed further mountains of sand and gravel further back, but these had been placed along one lane of the old road, leaving the other lane free to cycle, so dumping it in such a manner, like they have purposely tried to block it, just defies belief and really says something about their commitment to cycle ways!</p> <p>Email and photo to them will be going out this evening. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-36043 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:29:00 +0000 Morningsider 36043@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi Anth - you are looking at two different things here:</p> <p>1 - Layout of road works. chdot is right that chapter and verse on the design of road works is set out in Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual. </p> <p><a href="http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part1.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part1.pdf</a></p> <p>However, official guidance given to contractors on the ground as to how they should place signs, cones etc. around road works can be found in "Safety at Street Works and Road Works":</p> <p><a href="http://www.roadworksscotland.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.aspx?lID=377&amp;sID=80" rel="nofollow">http://www.roadworksscotland.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.aspx?lID=377&amp;sID=80</a></p> <p>Page 51 deals specifically with cycle lanes and tracks.</p> <p>2 - Traffic regulation: Major, non-emergency, road works may require a temporary Traffic Regulation Order from the roads authority if the works involve a ban on turning movements, contra-flows, carriageway closures and speed and vehicle restrictions. This will specify the traffic restrictions but not the detailed layout of the work site, which is dealt with in the guidance above. Minor non-emergency works simply need the approval of the roads authority.</p> <p>The important thing to remember is that most cycle lanes are purely "advisory" - i.e. those which are indicated by a broken white line. In legal terms these don't really exist and road contractors can quite easily ignore them when designing road work sites. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35951 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:29:06 +0000 Min 35951@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I saw that too last night. But NCN75 Route on Cycleroute.com states that NCN75 runs west along Heriot Row, Abercrombie and Albany...? "</p> <p>75 is what is written on the little blue signs. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35949 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:24:50 +0000 chdot 35949@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This may apply to one or more of the above -</p> <p>"</p> <p>If you are completely restricting traffic (of all kinds) from travelling along a section of road then you would need a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order.</p> <p>However, if you still permit traffic to use the road (in all directions that are normally permitted) then your works should be to the standards set out by Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual:</p> <p><a href="http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part1.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part1.pdf</a></p> <p><a href="http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part2.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part2.pdf</a></p> <p>The contractor should be using the above to guide how their road works are set out but they also need to consider the safest way of undertaking the work for all concerned (employees and public). </p> <p>All road works are required to provide notification in advance to the local Roads office who keep a register of roadwork's. If there is a particular issue with a set of road works this can be raised with the local Roads team via the <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1841&amp;page=2#post-21539">Clarence system</a>.</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35947 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:52:01 +0000 Stepdoh 35947@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's a corker on <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Ferry+Road,+Edinburgh,+United+Kingdom&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=55.974585,-3.1835&amp;spn=0.000967,0.002293&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=44.25371,75.146484&amp;z=19&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=55.974685,-3.183621&amp;panoid=I6V6oOxSAd5YzZCy8DWp7A&amp;cbp=12,263.95,,0,-4.53">ferry road at the moment</a>. There's a contraflow for traffic and the pavement is also closed on one side.</p> <p>Just inside the contraflow there's a pedestrian crossing, but it's been deactivated. They also have cyclist squashing gates all round the surrounding pavements so you have to use it.</p> <p>So Peds have to sit at this crossing for ages for the contraflow to clear and jump accross before the traffic starts going the other way, just to walk down the street, and there's absoutely no give-way or priority to peds, you just have to chance your arm.</p> <p>Apalling car-centric planning at its very worst. And it slowed my progress to my favourite chippy (the gold sea, ferry rd), so that also earned it some ire. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35937 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:15:36 +0000 DaveC 35937@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I saw that too last night. But <a href="http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Leith_to_Bathgate_Ncn_75-Cycle-Route-948.html">NCN75 Route on Cycleroute.com</a> states that NCN75 runs west along Heriot Row, Abercrombie and Albany...? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35930 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:30:24 +0000 Min 35930@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>NCN75 is now completely blocked at St Andrews square, not just at the north but at the south now too. I am going to start complaining because it is really doing my head in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35922 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:15:01 +0000 cb 35922@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And similarly for blocking pavements. E.g. the big crossroads at Fairmilehead is down to one lane at the moment. There are lots of advance lane closed signs, but they are all the way up the pavement. It hasn't completely blocked the (reasonably busy) pavement, but I wouldn't want to get up there in a wheelchair.</p> <p>A somewhat ironic situation I thought. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3448#post-35919 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:44:40 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 35919@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Right, where's Morningsider?</p> <p>I <em>presume</em> that for, say, a utility operator to block off a carriageway of a road to carry out works they have to get a traffic order. I also presume there are rules regarding when you must put up traffic lights, compared to instances when road narrowing signs will simply do.</p> <p>I was just wondering what the status is of cycle lanes that form part of the carriageway. Heading to the last PY I came across a portacabin which had been deposited in a cycle lane. It obviously stuck out into the rest of the carriageway, but not enough to be causing any sort of obstruction at a wide section of road. Two small red cones marked its presence for the dozy clods who couldn't notice a large light-grey box.</p> <p>Two things struck me (metaphorically, not literally). Firstly, I've seen this in Copenhagen, and they also use cones. Lots of them. To create a temporary lane <em>around</em> the obstruction in the cycle lane, and meaning cyclists don't have to move out into potentially fast-moving traffic.</p> <p>And secondly, can they just leave obstructions there like that? It happens so regulary (particularly signs warning of roadworks ahead - I've been known to stop and pull them out of the way).</p> <p>Just pondering on the rules to know if it's worth, every time I come across such an obstruction, becoming 'admin boy' and checking on whether they have the correct permissions to do so... </p>