A reminder of the HB phenomenon:
We'd need plenty photos of vehicles parked in it as it is now for 'before and after'
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Leith Walk Project
(1161 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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“
A group of 17 cyclists have "formed a human chain" to protect the cycle paths in Dublin city centre from being used by illegally parked vehicles.
The protesters gathered to protest against cars parking on the St Andrews Lane and Westland Row cycling paths.
I Bike Ireland protester, Ciarán Ferrie told Independent.ie that their group consists of cyclists who came together on Twitter a number of weeks ago due to their "frustration" at cycle lanes being invaded by loading trucks and other vehicles.
“
Posted 6 years ago # -
Had my first go on this today as I had a meeting in Leith. The segregated sections are better than what was there previously (the lowest of low bars to jump). However, they are isolated, short and surprisingly twisty. This is a massive missed opportunity. There was clearly room to install segregated lanes right to the foot of the Walk - you only have to look at the comically wide pavements to see that.
Parking on Leith Walk is just ridiculously bad - at one point I passed triple parked cars. The advisory lanes are simply treated as car parks and, as discussed above, getting on and off the segregated sections is difficult due to parked cars.
Just to remind everyone - this was meant to be "an exemplar commuter corridor" (https://www.transport.gov.scot/news-item/58282ab66ca26b0bb4c628c5). As it stands, this will encourage no new cyclists - as they would have to be willing to brave the on road sections, in which case they would have been happy to cycle the route as previously laid out. Still, probably for the best given the proposals for a cyclist blender at Picardy Place. Plus, what else could they have spent several million pounds of the cycling budget on?
Posted 6 years ago # -
Might a human bollard exercise best be carried out at Saturday lunchtime?
Folk free, daylight for press, still busy with traffic...
Posted 6 years ago # -
So what message are we trying to get across with this? Starter for 10:
- we support the council's aims to build safe protected bike lanes
- we want the council to get things right, and the lack of segregation at the ends means the lanes aren't as good as they could be
- we want a solution that works for cyclists and pedestrians: orcas weren't working but there are other things that canLooking at the protests elsewhere (and given how short the Leith Walk lanes are) we probably don't need too many people to stand: maybe a dozen? A few people to cycle up and down as well to guarantee a good photo.
A Saturday would suit me as well.
Posted 6 years ago # -
A few people to cycle up and down as well to guarantee a good photo.
Kids would be good?
Which is probably another reason for a Saturday.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@Stickman
The message should come from someone who uses or would like to use the cycle lane, but definitely along the lines of supporting the council, knowing this is just temporary, being sure they'll find another segregated solution and just wanting to ensure children's safety in the strange and surely unintended interregnum.
Posted 6 years ago # -
OK, a v soon Saturday starts to look like a plan...
Posted 6 years ago # -
@snowy: would you be interested in donating your children to the cause?
Posted 6 years ago # -
- we support the council's aims to build safe protected bike lanes
Honestly, this "we support the council" stuff baffles me.
The armadillos weren't replaced because the council doesn't support cycling. It supports parking.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@gibbo
There's a time and a place for the Highland charge and this is not it. Picardy Place yes, Leith Walk not so much.
There will be an internal conflict in the council between active travel and health and safety or some other bunch that insiders will know.
My idea here is to help the folk on our side without alienating the other or deepening the conflict.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Picardy Place yes, Leith Walk not so much.
What's the difference? They're both the result of the same mentality.
I understand the benefit of using the carrot, rather than the stick, but Spokes etc has tried the carrot - and only the carrot - and this is where it's gotten us.
Honestly, if I were a councillor who was paying lip service to creating segregated lanes - but had no willingness to agre to having them on a busy road - I'd be laughing my ass off every time the "cycling community" praised me for screwing them over.
But, who knows, maybe I'm the one person on here who thinks this way?
Posted 6 years ago # -
@gibbo
I think it depends if battle lines have been drawn up or not. If they have, then strip to the waist and run into the first volley by all means. Spokes at times do appear to be more interested in arguing for less lethal musket balls.
Here, I detect confusion rather than defiance. Time for Psy Ops and infiltration.
Posted 6 years ago # -
It's clearly not a health and safety issue. We've got one dead and dozens of injured cyclists that show safety doesn't change the way the roads are designed in Edinburgh.
There isn't a single wholly-positive aspect of the omnishambolic Leith Walk design. Now they're actively removing semi-good bits and replacing them with pain.
Posted 6 years ago # -
How is it not a health and safety issue? There were multiple reported instances of pedestrians falling amongst traffic, including one on this thread. I'm angry about the inadequacy of the scheme and double standards too, but if we engage on the assumption that they're acting out of some cruel vengeance for this cyclists they've just spent months building infrastructure for rather than a lack of imagination, we'll get nowhere.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Because Edinburgh Council DGAF? Remember they make "every effort" to do nothing at all about dangerous infrastructure.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@IWRATS
If they have, then strip to the waist and run into the first volley by all means.
You're talking like this is some sort of aberration, where the council has failed to live up to its usual standards.
It's not. This is what the council is. It's what the council was when it failed to provide safe routes next to tram tracks. It's what the council was when it created plans for Picady Place.
If you guys want to ignore history and put together your little praise party for the council over their tearing down cycling infrastructure, go ahead.
But I predicted segregated cycling lanes on Leith Walk wasn't going to happen. I predicted that the council would prioritise parking instead.
So, when you guys were celebrating the "new dawn", I said, "False dawn."
I was right.
I look forward to someday being wrong about this, but nothing coming out of the council is suggesting it'll be any time soon.
(Given their laughable excuses for not considering replacements - other than "brighter paint.")
Posted 6 years ago # -
But there is a segregated cycle lane in Leith walk its just not long enough and has a van parked in it
Posted 6 years ago # -
But there is a segregated cycle lane in Leith walk its just not long enough and has a van parked in it
LOL.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Posted 6 years ago #
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Diverted to have a snout round Leith Walk's new cycle infrastructure. It's not good, is it? Total wild west parking. This was my favourite;
All in plain sight of these two operatives;
Posted 6 years ago # -
@IWRATS Operatives, heh.
@HankChief Well there you go. The clarity so far has been... weak.
Posted 6 years ago # -
'...an Armadillo being hit by a car causing it to fly through the air.'
That right, aye?
Posted 6 years ago # -
Without a doubt.
Posted 6 years ago # -
This story serves as a metaphor for Edinburgh Council's cycling design:
Posted 6 years ago # -
@dougal I was considering a tattoo. Perhaps I have found the perfect design!
consider physical intervention
Hmm. Consider doesn't mean decide on. Still think human bollards required to underline the point.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I suspect the possibility of human bollards and council lip service beginning to be paid to reconsidering segregation is not coincidental...
Posted 6 years ago # -
an Armadillo being hit by a car causing it to fly through the air.'
I raised the issue of end protection the week they went in
Dismissed at design stage to ‘reduce street clutter’
Posted 6 years ago #
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