CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Inverleith Park

(60 posts)
  • Started 10 years ago by Colonies_Chris
  • Latest reply from Colonies_Chris

  1. Colonies_Chris
    Member

    There's a new bit of cycle infrastructure just been built at the west end of the park, as part of the overall route improvement up through Craigleith. A short section of tarmac connecting to an improved crossing over E Fettes Rd. It's a good idea, but the transition between the path in the park and the new tarmac is rubbish - you have to carefully negotiate across the gutter through a narrow gap between unevenly positioned stones. And the transition on to E Fettes Rd is less than ideal - a rather sharp dip into the gutter of the road and then up the camber. Who do I report this to?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Clarence will send it to the correct place. You can back it up with email to relevant neighbourhood team.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  3. SRD
    Moderator

    @north_team on twitter

    are they also on facebook?

    in theory also Cycling@edinburgh.gov.uk but I get better replies from the neighbourhood teams

    Posted 10 years ago #
  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Photo will help illustrate your point of course.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  5. BenN
    Member

    I noticed a few new bits of infrastructure in the park on my jog last night - some good, some odd.

    For example on the good front is a new path that cuts the corner at the southern cross'roads' (paths?), where it seems the council have actually paved a desire line.

    On the rather odd front is the new paint on the road as you exit the park from the south east, next to the bowling club. Didn't take a photo but essentially there is a bike painted on the middle of the road, with a 90 degree arrow instructing cyclists to mount the pavement rather than join Aroboretum Place or Inverleith Terrace. Not sure what the intention is here, as there is no further signage or paint!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  6. SRD
    Moderator

    from twitter:

    ‏@SRDorman
    @north_team can you look into concerns about quality of new paths at E Fettes Rd ?http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10075#post-109325 …

    North Team ‏@north_team
    @srdorman will pass concerns to team and get back with a response, thanks ^E

    Posted 10 years ago #
  7. Colonies_Chris
    Member

    SRD - Thanks for passing this on.
    BenN - yes, it looks to me that the intention is to guide cyclists onto the new extended pavement, then across Arboretum Ave via the island. Definitely better thn 2 right turns around the divider on Inverleith Terr, but it'll need more signage to make that clear. And it also gives the impression that cyclists aren't allowed to turn left, which can't be the intended meaning.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  8. Colonies_Chris
    Member

    Going through the park yesterday afternoon, I see the access to the new length of cycle path at the E Fettes Rd exit has been nicely fixed (smooth tarmac over drainage pipe replacing a dip into the gutter) and the new desire line path at the crossroads (crosspaths?) above the pond is now open too. Well done to the North team.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  9. chdot
    Admin

    "smooth tarmac over drainage pipe replacing a dip into the gutter"

    I noticed that yesterday too!

    I then left the Park and was really disappointed by the work done - presumably as part of the 'family network' - and the acceptance that Carrington Road is a car park (mostly Monday to Friday).

    Posted 10 years ago #
  10. Min
    Member

    Whoah, are you really supposed to cycle there??

    Posted 10 years ago #
  11. chdot
    Admin

    "are you really supposed to cycle there??"

    And here -

    Posted 10 years ago #
  12. cb
    Member

    That's the problem with living in a medieval city like Edinburgh with it's tiny narrow streets. If only there were more space.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

    Yeah and there's so little room for cars they have to be parked end-on.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  14. crowriver
    Member

    Why is there so much car parking on Carrington Road anyway? Fettes Police HQ, Fettes College, Broughton High School and the nearby Waitrose all have their own car parks. No residents to speak of on that stretch of road unless one counts boarding pupils at Fettes College.

    What exactly is the rationale for car parking there? Surely picking up/dropping off day pupils from Fettes, visitors to Fettes police HQ and/or those using the playing fields at Broughton do not require so much parking? Or is it that the car parking at all these buildings is totally inadequate for the number of drivers working within them? Googol maps shows the police car park in particular to be very full, with on street parking adjacent to police HQ rather busy too on both Carrington Road and Fettes Avenue.

    Do we need to bring back the traditional bobby on a bike to counteract the excessive usage of cars by police HQ Fettes?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  15. PS
    Member

    The Western General?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  16. crowriver
    Member

    Seem to be at least six car parks within the Western General grounds. If however these are Pay'n'Display then frugally minded motorists may well be using Carrington Road instead*.

    That still doesn't explain why cars are mostly bunched near police HQ, Broughton High and Fettes College...

    * - EDIT - Carrington Road itself is Pay'n'Display too. The mystery deepens. Presumably cheaper than car patk at Western General/Fettes police HQ?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  17. crowriver
    Member

    At least we can explain two three of the vehicles parked end-on on Fettes Ave: Waitrose delivery vans (EDIT: another one here). Very poor show considering Waitrose has a car park of its own...

    Posted 10 years ago #
  18. cb
    Member

    "Very poor show considering Waitrose has a car park of its own..."

    Max height 2.2m

    They need a taller carpark. Or shorter vans.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  19. chdot
    Admin

    "If you are day-dreaming in the morning it can be a bit dicey and there have been a number of accidents there."

    http://www.thefreelibrary.com/3+DIE+IN+HORROR+FIREBALL+CAR+SMASH%3B+Explosion+at+blackspot.-a060564390

    Posted 10 years ago #
  20. Focus
    Member

    @ chdot

    Perhaps you can get some twit tweeter from the council to explain the rationale behind those on-road markings on Carrington Road because for the life of me I don't understand them! Painting bicyles on the road implies they are cycle-exclusive lanes and yet they are sending bikes straight into the path of the main traffic flow. I was bewildered by this choice of marking when I returned from PoP2.

    It's frankly ridiculous and simple "no cycling" signs above the pavement (or no markings referring to cycling at all) would have had the same effect, but without the risk of the uninitiated rider thinking they had exclusive use of that lane.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    "explain the rationale"

    Might be difficult -

    Posted 10 years ago #
  22. Focus
    Member

    :-D

    All the better to challenge them because somebody in their "planning" department needs to get their brain warmed up!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  23. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Cycling Edinburgh (@CyclingEdin)
    27/05/2013 14:46
    @north_team Do you know which sections of @Edinburgh_CC are responsible for road markings Carrington Rd Craigleith HA citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.…

    "
    "

    North Team (@north_team)
    27/05/2013 14:48
    @CyclingEdin will try to find out! Thanks ^E

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #
  24. Focus
    Member

    Thank you for getting the ball rolling!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  25. SRD
    Moderator

    is this better or worse than red-painted cycle lanes running under the parking as we have elsewhere in the city?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  26. stiltskin
    Member

    They aren't cycle lanes are they?. I think they are just meant to alert motorists that they might encounter cyclists on that route.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  27. Focus
    Member

    No, they're not cycle lanes ("not as we know them, Jim") but they give the impression of cycle lanes and could confuse both cyclists and motorists in my opinion.

    I can't help thinking that if it weren't for Police HQ (and possibly Fettes) being the "residents", cycling on the pavement would have been permitted there.

    Besides, motorists should always be alert to encountering cyclists (where permitted) anyway, shouldn't they? <he says, more in hope than expectation!>.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  28. Focus
    Member

    @ SRD

    Good question. One that I suppose needs to be considered on a case by case basis. But considering this isn't a cycle lane in any normal sense of the term...

    To me, if they were going to restrict cycling to on-road there, it is one case where I think no on-road markings are actually clearer than what they've ended up painting.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  29. chdot
    Admin

    This is getting serious. Don't think I've ever had action from CEC on Twitter!

    "

    Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC)
    27/05/2013 15:06
    @CyclingEdin, You can contact Clarence on 0800 232323, or online at clarence@edinburgh.gov.uk. I will send your photos on to them. Thanks

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #
  30. chdot
    Admin

    "I think they are just meant to alert motorists that they might encounter cyclists on that route."

    Yes, but not the way a proper World Class Cycling City would deal with cycling.

    It is VERY clear that CEC prioritises parking.

    Some bays are for max 2 hours others are NINE -

    AND heavily subsidised.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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