http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Leith Walk (new consultation) on Monday and Tuesday en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:51:00 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79707 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:00:13 +0000 BikeFan 79707@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Evening News article Friday 27 July<br /> <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/transport/city-accused-of-arrogance-over-leith-walk-works-1-2436485">City accused of ‘arrogance’ over Leith Walk works </a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79573 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:34:57 +0000 chdot 79573@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Public still to have their say on Leith improvement works<br /> "</p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/blog/newsblog/post/357/Public-still-to-have-their-say-on-Leith-improvement-works" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/blog/newsblog/post/357/Public-still-to-have-their-say-on-Leith-improvement-works</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79542 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:13:41 +0000 kaputnik 79542@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Anyway, who do we have to petition to have Leith Walk renamed Leith Drive. Would be a novel way of embarrasing the council. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79539 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:58:02 +0000 kaputnik 79539@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>What does it have to lose, apart from its golden goose, parking meters?<br /> </em></p> <p>Nothing on Leith Walk, given current levels of bus lane parking (specifically by La Favorita) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79537 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:34:14 +0000 chdot 79537@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Chas Booth (@CllrChasBooth)</p> <p>26/07/2012 12:30</p> <p>@urbaneprofessor @CyclingEdin yet @LAHinds is letting the contract without any mention of segregated cycle lane? V difficult to add later!</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79535 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:33:34 +0000 Arellcat 79535@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Why is CEC so afraid to do anything remotely radical yet popular? What does it have to lose, apart from its golden goose, parking meters? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79533 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:14:47 +0000 chdot 79533@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/leith-walk-braced-for-18-months-of-chaos-amid-triple-roadworks-misery-1-2433221" rel="nofollow">http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/leith-walk-braced-for-18-months-of-chaos-amid-triple-roadworks-misery-1-2433221</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79504 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:38:30 +0000 Dave 79504@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Before I forget:</p> <p><em>Dear Jim Orr, Steve Burgess, Ian Perry and Cameron Rose,</p> <p>As a resident of your ward who works in Leith, I'm writing to ask that you raise my concerns over the proposed Leith Walk improvements with Cllr Hinds as well as the finance &amp; resource committee.</p> <p>We were pleased to note that the council intends to keep its commitment to spend at least 5% of the transport budget on cycling, although the execution seems to be lacking (no bus lane enforcement now, rampant illegal parking making the King's Buildings Quality Bike Corridor near useless).</p> <p>Here is a golden opportunity to improve a major conduit and make it a more liveable, vibrant space - somewhere people might think about stopping to spend money, if they're not busy dodging buses and double-parked italian food delivery vehicles.</p> <p>What was the top request from the Vision for Leith Walk consultation? Segregated cycle lanes. What was the top request from the council's own (albeit small and poorly advertised) consultation? Segregated cycle lanes.</p> <p>What is proposed in the report?</p> <p>Nothing for cyclists at all, unless you count improving the road surface which people double park or cut you up on. In fact, building traffic islands and pinch points ("build outs") is one of the worst things that could be done, as I'm sure those of you who I see travelling by bike will agree...</p> <p>Back in 2007 a report was commissioned which demonstrates there is room, all the way up Leith Walk, for segregated facilities. See pg. 8 onwards in <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/101067461/Cycling-Edinburgh-Tram" rel="nofollow">http://www.scribd.com/doc/101067461/Cycling-Edinburgh-Tram</a></p> <p>It seems depressingly likely that we're just going to spend millions rebuilding the street as it was before - dysfunctional - for lack of ambition or imagination.</p> <p>I'd really appreciate if you could pass this on to the relevant parties.</p> <p>I remain, sirs, the Council's most humble and obedient servant, etc. etc.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79489 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:24:50 +0000 chdot 79489@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> A report commissioned by SPOKES to inform the design of the tram on the street provided officers with example transects that show that even at the streets narrowest points segregated lanes could be installed. All it would take is a bit of vision...<br /> "</p> <p><a href="http://www.greenerleith.org/greener-leith-news/2012/7/25/leith-walk-report-55million-to-go-back-to-2008.html?" rel="nofollow">http://www.greenerleith.org/greener-leith-news/2012/7/25/leith-walk-report-55million-to-go-back-to-2008.html?</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79462 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:03:31 +0000 chdot 79462@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Alan D Rudland ‏@AlanDRudland</p> <p>@AndrewDBurns @gbleith @lahinds Except you haven't 'consulted' and no evidence of community feedback in the 'plan' for Leith works.</p> <p>Cllr. Andrew D Burns ‏@AndrewDBurns</p> <p>@AlanDRudland @GBLeith @LAHinds Alan - recommendation 'd' in the report says: works will be progressed taking account of stakeholder views?</p> <p>7:39 PM - 25 Jul 12 via web · </p> <p>2h Brian Ferguson ‏@brianjaffa</p> <p>@AndrewDBurns @AlanDRudland @GBLeith @LAHinds report also says works will have to take account of any future plans to extend tram to Leith!</p> <p>2h Cllr. Andrew D Burns ‏@AndrewDBurns</p> <p>@brianjaffa @AlanDRudland @GBLeith @LAHinds Eh? That's in the 'feedback' section, not the main report.</p> <p>2h Brian Ferguson ‏@brianjaffa</p> <p>@AndrewDBurns @alandrudland @gbleith @lahinds "there was generally positive support for an extension of the tramline to Leith."</p> <p>2h Brian Ferguson ‏@brianjaffa</p> <p>@AndrewDBurns @alandrudland @gbleith @lahinds "lack of trust...stemming from way stakeholder engagement &amp; updates have been provided."</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79459 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:31:26 +0000 chdot 79459@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Brian Ferguson (@brianjaffa)</p> <p>25/07/2012 19:44<br /> Love the long list of questions from punters attached to the #edincouncil report on Leith Walk/Consitution + not a single response.</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79456 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:23:40 +0000 Dave 79456@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hardly surprising. All that 5% money but not enough even to pay for a police warden to drop by *once* in rush hour to book the delivery cars that are always blocking the bus lane up Leith Walk.</p> <p>To expect any significant improvement to the lot of citizens trying to get about by bike was unrealistic IMO. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633&page=2#post-79452 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:31:59 +0000 chdot 79452@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Spokes CycleCampaign (@SpokesLothian)</p> <p>25/07/2012 13:31</p> <p>#EdinCouncil : Leith Walk segregated cycle lane : "strong consensus from local cyclists." But not in plans &amp; no detail </p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/36027/item_36-leith_improvement_programme" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/36027/item_36-leith_improvement_programme</a></p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-79451 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:29:34 +0000 chdot 79451@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Leith improvement programme announced</p> <p>Published Wednesday 25 July 2012</p> <p>A £5.5 million improvement programme is set to provide a vital boost for Leith Walk, the Council announced today.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/949/leith_improvement_programme_announced" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/949/leith_improvement_programme_announced</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-79203 Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:47:25 +0000 chdot 79203@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Dear all<br />  <br /> My apologies, I miscalculated the publishing date for the report entitled 'Leith Improvement Programme'  - it will be published tomorrow Wednesday 25th July, which is the standard 6 days before a committee meets. Sorry about that, I hope this has not caused any inconvenience.<br />  <br /> Kind regards</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78808 Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:56:41 +0000 chdot 78808@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Dear Stakeholder<br />  <br /> I would like to thank you for giving up your time to attend the Stakeholder Drop-in Sessions for the Leith Improvement Programme on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 July 2012.<br />  <br /> Your comments, input and questions have been carefully recorded, and have been included (anonymously) in an appendix to a report entitled 'Leith Improvement Programme'. This will be considered by the Finance and Resource Committee of the Council on 31 July 2012.  The report will be published on 24 July online - you will be able to search for it on the Council's website: <a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/811/minutes_agendas_and_reports" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/811/minutes_agendas_and_reports</a>. </p> <p>If you submitted a question at the event, a response will be sent to your contact details.<br />  <br /> A webpage has been set up <a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/leithimprovements and" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/leithimprovements and</a> all questions and issues that were raised at the events will also be published on Tuesday 24 July at this web address. <br />  <br /> We will notify you by email of further stakeholder events at key stages where it is important to seek the views of local people and businesses on the planned environmental improvements to Constitution Street, Leith Walk and Picardy Place. </p> <p>Once again, I really appreciate your input and for sharing your views openly at the events. If you have any further comments, questions or enquiries, please contact the City Centre and Leith Neighbourhood Team on <a href="mailto:citycentreteam@edinburgh.gov.uk">citycentreteam@edinburgh.gov.uk</a> or on 0131 529 7061.<br />  <br /> Yours sincerely</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78333 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:23:53 +0000 chdot 78333@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/7589546614/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7589546614_a5cd051d79.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/7589551040/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8008/7589551040_468a1509ca.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78311 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:19:03 +0000 chdot 78311@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>ALSO (forgot when I wrote previous post)</p> <p>They have done some pedestrian surveying and found that there are a LOT. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78307 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:42:54 +0000 wingpig 78307@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"It seems that people (and I don't just mean 'cyclists') have been telling the council that they want things other than a smooth fast road."</em></blockquote></p> <p>Smoother need not mean faster, just safer. A smooth (or at least not actively dangerously bad) surface is almost a must-have for cyclists, as it's the only thing which can't be counteracted to some extent by growing extra eyes, being very careful and preparing for junctions a long way in advance (often coupled with just going wherever the lane I ended up in has compelled me to go, on some occasions).</p> <p>I've been along it more often as a bairn-trundling pedestrian than a cyclist over the past couple of years and the most striking thing is how striking the overload of street furniture/giant bins/parking/delivery is from the point of view of the pavement along the middle sections on the uphill side. The effect is to make me want to get through those sections as quickly as possible rather than trundle along slowly, perhaps having my eye caught by the shops whose bins and deliveries are forming the suffocating layer between pavement and road. Uphillwise, they could do a lot worse than tidy up the sign-forests, widen the pavement and add a cycling-channel towards the outside, add some proper bin-corrals on the outside of the cycling lane and make sure the bin-corrals are nicely spaced away from bus-stops and junctions/crossings. Bikes no longer have to watch out for build-outs, double-parking, stray bins, stopping buses, giant craters and will be encouraged to climb the hill in a nice leisurely manner to avoid mowing down pedestrians rather than worrying about looking behind whilst accelerating up an increasingly-steep slope to avoid being mown down. Pleasant, until they reach the roundabouts, though Toucanising the ped crossing over London Road would not be impossible. Rearranging/Toucanising the ped crossings along the length of Leith Walk and being clever with the timings rather than just minimising them to maximise vehicular traffic flow at the expense of slow-moving pedestrians could enable cyclists to escape from the shared-use pavement to the various criss/cross roads and have a head start on any motor traffic heading the same way when the lights change.</p> <p>Might make the north side of the street jealous, though. Hmm. That pavement's mostly already wide enough to be shared-use anyway, though; it doesn't seem to suffer as much from overparking and deliveries and metal pole infestations. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78305 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:38:20 +0000 Min 78305@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah, I am pretty sure it doesn't mean racing through roundabouts. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78304 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:30:40 +0000 lionfish 78304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks chdot! I think your post summarises the impression I got too. The woman I spoke to said there was a huge demand for the street to be made nicer for people (and this feedback wasn't just from cyclists).</p> <p>I heard the 'average = 16mph' thing too - I've no idea where it came from, and I asked if it included waiting at lights, they didn't know. But I suspect it does. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78302 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:12:44 +0000 chdot 78302@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/7589539944/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8141/7589539944_7cf44286d8.jpg"></a></p> <p>Well I had a useful chat with two of the council people there. </p> <p>There is leftover 'tram utilities' work to <em>redo</em> - i.e. sort some water pipes that were moved 'for the tram' - but not done properly. </p> <p>Me - 'that's alright then the contractors will pay.'</p> <p>Response - more or less a rolling of the eyes!</p> <p>The council people were very conscious that a proper consultation had to be done, or at least continued -</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/7589561922/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7268/7589561922_afe1279ae8.jpg"></a></p> <p>There is an acknowledgement that - largely because of trams - a lot of trust has been lost. 'I think it would get worse if we close off sections of the road again and the only result is a smooth road surface.'</p> <p>What actually happens is genuinely up for discussion - though there are constraints. Cost obviously and also how much 'can't be done' because it might have to be undone when/if the tram comes. </p> <p>It seems that people (and I don't just mean 'cyclists') have been telling the council that they want things other than a smooth fast road. </p> <p>Apparantly the average speed is 16mph (don't know if this includes time waiting at traffic lights), though this might be used as reason for not bothering with a 20mph limit. </p> <p>As 'we' know, there are 'issues' about 'allowing' and enforcing 20mph zones. </p> <p>The 'community will be consulted' - the community is being defined as people who live, work, shop or just travel along Leith Walk. </p> <p>So Café Culture World Class Cycling Leith Sur Mer is coming - only needs the weather... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78299 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:47:28 +0000 lionfish 78299@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@wingpig - yeah, my original suggestion wasn't with bricks because I was worried what heavy vehicles would do - but it was the council person who mentioned bricks would work. So I was happy to support the idea.</p> <p>@wingpig also - one thing that's worth doing (and was mentioned a few months ago) is to try out a bit of road at an unhurried speed - don't put 100% power into going up the hill: take it easy. I just tried it and it increased my terror on the way up/roundabout by quite a bit as I wasn't doing my normal must-match-traffic-speed strategy... Especially the huge rubbish lorry half-overtaking me on the roundabout. On the other hand had 2 other random cyclists to give 'safety in numbers' feel. :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78294 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:33:27 +0000 wingpig 78294@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"...the raising of the road surface around junctions and crossings (switching to bricks or similar)..."</em></blockquote></p> <p>As long as the bricks are on top of an extremely thick bed of well-laid concrete, as opposed to the bricked-up humps along Montgomery Street which have only lasted as long as they have as they don't have to withstand buses and lorries.</p> <p>I'll try and go up and down the street a few more times in various modes at various times of day and have a think before emailing. I don't deliberately avoid it on a bike these days but it's never my first choice unless I'm heading to something specific on it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78290 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:22:30 +0000 lionfish 78290@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think an online reply is probably more important - they asked if I would submit a response online too. Also they both said we should talk to the councillors as they've not got much influence.</p> <p>She also said that because the trams might go down LW, in ~5-10 years, a separate bike lane was probably not going to happen. The woman I spoke to seemed to be pushing a pedestrian friendly/slow speed idea. I figure that would keep the cyclists all together as well (as there was lots of griping about the idea of segregation resulting in enforced segregation - something I do understand - I don't like the idea of rubbish painted bike lanes on pavements, for example).</p> <p>Anyway, ideas I liked [besides a separate bike lane] were the raising of the road surface around junctions and crossings (switching to bricks or similar). 20mph speed limit. Less parking. Zebra crossings. Less fencing. Lots more trees and greenery. - I.e. make it nice for people again! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78268 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:29:14 +0000 chdot 78268@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"got it into my head it was 11-2 today"</p> <p>Well it should be - and the rest!!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78266 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:24:37 +0000 wingpig 78266@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Bagh. I'd got it into my head it was 11-2 today. Shall have to email instead. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78261 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:52:06 +0000 chdot 78261@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>*NOW*</p> <p>Tue 17th 10-12am </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78214 Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:12:05 +0000 Puzzle 78214@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Went along and spotted at least another four cyclists when I was there. (4.30 to 5.15) Had a great chat to the council workers. Forgot the name of the women I spoke to (she was very keen to hear about my cycle points on Leith Walk) Double parking, lack of any lanes Elm Row, the squeeze at London Road up to Picardy Place and the reverse from Leith Street. She said she hopes to do something 'a bit different' for Leith Walk. They can't make any promises. There is still a hope the trams may make it down the walk!?!</p> <p>There will be a further consultation by post to people in the local area. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7633#post-78209 Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:35:48 +0000 chdot 78209@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Did they get you to 'register' your 'interest' in LW? </p>