CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Sport

Not in our back yard

(11 posts)

  1. fimm
    Member

    In a sense this doesn't belong in "sport" as the fact that it is about a sporting event is only part of the story.

    The Sprint triathlon I was meant to be doing has been cancelled, because the new police sergeant in charge of the area has a problem with "cyclists being allowed to cycle in a coned lane through red traffic lights", a process that I've used in other triathons without incident, and which has been done at this event for several years.

    I've blogged about it:
    http://wisob.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/on-the-cancellation-of-midlothian-sprint-triathlon/

    Does anyone have any suggestions as to who I should write to to express my displeasure? I don't quite know which politicians are responsible for the police... is it my local councilor (because they're local to me) or someone in Dalkeith or what?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Min
    Member

    With the polis all now being one big happy family, your local MSP should be able to help I would have thought?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. Arellcat
    Moderator

    I haven't seen her here for ages but Sam Fleming (ravenbait) does a lot of tri stuff too and might have some ideas for pointing fingers.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. PS
    Member

    Hadn't heard about that. Ridiculous decision by the polis sergeant. What's his problem?

    Safety? Surely not. It worked fine in the past. Well marshalled and well signed.

    Can any of the Edinburgh bobbies on here explain how these decisions are reached?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Morningsider
    Member

    Fimm - contacting your MSP is probably a good idea, although it remains to be seen what (if any) sway they will hold in the new national police structure. However, I would also contact Chief Inspector James Royan at Dalkeith police station - he is area commander for Midlothian. Pretty unlikely he knows about this - make it clear how ridiculous this decision is.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Snowy
    Member

    On the assumption that safety is appropriately covered off, that's a farcical decision.

    Of course, I'm sure the bobby in question will happily refund the credit card fees which the participants will not be getting back.

    Well done for ruining everyone's day out. Job done, eh?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. DaveC
    Member

    Fi,

    Gavin, my mate and local councillor (used to be the Fife Police board's chairman - until the new police structure was formed recently) who rode with us on the Three Glens Explorer last September, may be able to help out with who to contact. I've fired off an email to him. Where do you live? Area incase Gavin knows who to contact. Which station is this as I also have a freind who works in Livingston in the Police.

    Dave C

    I'm not sure of your email address and can't add you as a freind on FB (strange).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. fimm
    Member

    Thank you for the suggestions. I'll email my MSP.

    Bear in mind I'm just one of the people who would have taken part in the tri - I'm not an organiser or anything. I just want to have a more-or-less anonymous rant and write a polite but firm email or two!

    Arellcat, I "know" Ravenbait from the CycleChat forum - IIRC from her blog she's moved away from Edinburgh.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. DaveC
    Member

    Advice from my local councillor:

    "... if folk want to complain then the Chief Inspector would be a starting point.

    If the police are against the only possible way forward after that would be to go the the local authority - which reading the thread is East Lothian Council. They have adopted an all member approach to police scrutiny and any councillor could make representations."

    regards,

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    Another race cancelled (England) -

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10074

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/midlothian-triathlon-called-off-over-cyclist-fears-1-2920370

    Posted 11 years ago #

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