(Don't get too excited...)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Road layout changes in the west end at Ryans bar? (Also Haymarket)
(764 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Gosh that us an ugly cludge of buildings.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"The Haymarket redevelopment is vital to enable the station to handle increasing numbers of patients."
Sounds like they've been expecting, and planning for, a lot of cyclist-down accidents on the tramlines?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Er...
"The Haymarket redevelopment is vital to enable the station to handle increasing numbers of patients."
(edit: beaten by PS)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Gosh that us an ugly cludge of buildings.
I think it was described by Cockburn Association (or similar body) as looking like a Morrison's Supermarket.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@SRD it doesn't look that bad from street level...
Anyway, you've obviously never been to Birmingham New Street - now that is a horrible station...Posted 11 years ago # -
From the aerial shot, it looks like the builders have been working from 3 or 4 different sets of plans!
As for the tram letter, it's sadly what we've come to expect. We have signs, signs and more signs! That'll stop the accidents.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Apparently the signals were out of order because the sensors that identified taxis and bikes waiting for lights to change we're not working, but they have now been installed and should be working shortly.
Posted 11 years ago # -
So, just the (literally) mixed signals of traffic lights and Give Way to be sorted. Oh, and enforcing the No Right Turn sign!
Posted 11 years ago # -
I saw the taxi rank for myself today. Taxis parked on the double-yellow lines, jutting out into the road forcing cyclists to veer across the tram lines were putting on their hazard warning lights so they know they are causing a danger. Some one on a Pashley Guv'nor jinked out into the road to increase the angle he crossed the tracks at.
Just awful.
Posted 11 years ago # -
When I used the jug handle on Monday night the lights changed pretty quickly so maybe the sensors are now working.
It would be a huge improvement if there wasn't a long wait when using it (which I've had previously)
Obviously you can only get to it if the taxis aren't blocking the entrance though.
Posted 11 years ago # -
New thread to discuss 'potential improvements' to layout -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11620&replies=1#post-132494
This thread still open for 'incident' reports etc.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
The Police are attending this area and discussion has been useful with
the taxi companies. I have asked for a dedicated Traffic Warden to be
in this area in the next week."
Lesley Hinds
Posted 11 years ago # -
"in the next week" or for the next week? The difference is quite important. Or very important.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I went through going eastwards this morning. Whilst there were four more taxis than could fit protruding out of the rear of the jug-handle and preventing a track-crossing-free route into it there was hardly anything heading west, whereas the westbound lanes were solidly gummed from Manor Place back to Rosebery Crescent, including a solid line of vehicles sitting still on the eastbound tram track. Presumably they'll do something with the signalling before trams start running to stop things ending up in the trams' way.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds like this is when you went past -
Posted 11 years ago # -
Haymarket last night....sigh.
Posted 11 years ago # -
How about everytime one of us passes and sees a taxi 'over-ranking' (and therefore denying us access to the Jug handle without crossing the tramlines at a shallow angle) we send a picture and details to the taxi office and Lesley?
Or maybe we have a standard flyer that we can hand out to the taxi drivers if we are passing and spot a transgressor.
I guess the effectiveness of the latter will depend on whether they are ignorant of the impact of their actions - we can't assume that they all read the EEN...
Just how much better is a fare at Haymarket than continuing cruising or neighbouring ranks?.
Posted 11 years ago # -
It wouldn't take too many cyclists, queuing at the jug handle light, to completely block access to that rank.
rejoining the end of the cycle queue (if the last couple of cyclists kindly let you in) after leaving the JH would ensure that taxis were NEVER able to enter the rank.
Would be interesting to see how cabbies, plod and the council coped with that, considering it could be done in a completely law abiding way.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@ Bikeability Edinburgh
The idea is sound and the execution of it no doubt legal, but if the intent were to be to cause obstruction of the highway it could fall foul of the law. Then again, the taxi drivers are causing obstruction of our part of the highway on a regular basis and they get away with it...
Posted 11 years ago # -
@deckard's photo is infuriating. There is absolutely no way for a bike to get past there without having to cross the tram tracks at an oblique angle.
I agree that we need to start sending pics and/or taxi numbers to the taxi office and council.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm recently back in Edinburgh after several years away and I'm a bit confused by the road changes. I'd be grateful if somebody could confirm the route I'm expected to take to go from Lothian Road to Dean Bridge - without dismounting or annoying pedestrians. My sorties onto Charlotte Square have resulted in dead ends. A look at the map suggests I need to go all the way down to Queen St. Can this really be right? There was a previous post suggesting that there were plans to allow cyclists to turn left on to the bus lane at the bottom of Lothian Road. Is the current situation temporary? Thanks.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Lothian Road - Rutland Place - Rutland Square - Canning St (now permitting only northbound egress) - Stafford St - Melville St - Queensferry Street. The alternative could involve Charlotte St and St Colme St, or Lothian/Rutland/Canning/Dewar Place/Morrison/Torphichen/Palmerston etc.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Lothian Road, Princes Street, South Charlotte Street, Bike lane next to Register House, Randolph Place, Queensferry Street.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@ Focus, the intent would be to highlight how difficult it is for cyclists to negotiate both the main junction AND the recommended safe route, the 'jug handle' Practice makes perfect as they say, and that is definitely a bit of local infrastructure that cyclists should make themselves familiar with.
Any disruption to taxis wanting access to their rank, and the general traffic flow would indeed be unfortunate, but may actually end up highlighting us cyclists plight with the publicity it could generate.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Here's 'The Trams' official response on why there are missing ASZs at the junctions on Haymarket Terrace Eastbound:
It is policy that there will be a presumption in favour of new traffic management schemes always incorporating ASLs with approach cycle lanes where ASLs are not required at traffic signal controlled junctions.
The Tram designer was made aware of this policy, however, as the stretches of road for eastbound traffic on Haymarket Terrace are very short the designer considered that this would affect capacity so they were not provided. There was also not sufficient width at this location, given the number of lanes to be provided, to install an advisory cycle lane.
David Haxton | Customer Services Manager | Tram Co-ordination Team | City of Edinburgh Council
9 Lochside Avenue | Edinburgh Park | Edinburgh | EH12 9DJ
Tel: 0131 529 6164
david.haxton@edinburgh.gov.uk
So now we know exactly how low the priority the Trams designers have given to road space to cycling. All about maximising 'the flow' of private motors, etc. (Even though we all know this doesn't work!)
Posted 11 years ago # -
I emailed our estwhile traffic convenor, Lesley Hinds, at the weekend. Enclosed a link to deckard's photo, above (hope that's ok!) and asked what the council were going to do about it.
It's fair to say that Ms. Hinds and I don't get along all that well (long-term conversations re the trams, that I won't bore you with) but she seems on board with trying to fix this:
Lesley Hinds; "I am aware of the ongoing problem at Haymarket and while we are working with the taxi trade their abuse of this taxi rank is unacceptable" (punctuation sic)
Me; "Good to hear you're in agreement, then. So we can expect to see some enforcement?"
Lesley; "Yes"So, hopefully something will be done.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ms Hinds' phaseology in your post sounds to me like that the council accept that the taxi drivers abuse the parking regulations, and that the council allow the taxis to ignore it to a certain extent -" and while we are working with the taxi trade their abuse of this taxi rank is unacceptable" - I think that that implies that their abuse of other ranks is acceptable.
I'll have to start mailing/tweeting myself.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Indeed, Eddie, hence my follow-up question :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Passed this way around 8.20 this morning. There is a yellow sign "EXTENT OF TAXI RANKING" on the pavement toward the end of the rank. I saw this because there were no taxis in the rank at all.
Posted 11 years ago #
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