CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

"GOLF COURSES PATH IMPROVEMENTS, BARNTON"

(338 posts)

No tags yet.


12…12

  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The City of Edinburgh Council is currently progressing a scheme to enhance walking and cycling provision on the Golf Courses Path between Barnton Avenue and Barnton Avenue West. This scheme supports walking and cycling policies detailed in the Council’s Local Transport Strategy and the Active Travel Action Plan.

    These improvements will involve widening and resurfacing the path, while solar LED lighting studs will be installed to delineate the path edges. Minor access improvements will also be made at the east end of the path at Barnton Avenue.

    The extent of the works is shown on the attached plan. It is currently anticipated that work on this scheme will commence on Monday 3 March 2014 and will last approximately four weeks. We will seek to minimise disruption during construction, and a temporary path will be provided between Barnton Avenue and Barnton Avenue West during the works.

    The standard working hours for the site shall be Monday to Saturday between 0700 hours and 1900 hours. The maximum noise level permitted will be reduced for all work carried out after these hours. Should work outside the standard hours be considered, or any works which are likely to cause significant disturbance, leaflets shall be delivered to residents within 100m of the site boundary giving full details of the proposed works and their duration.

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. PS
    Member

    That's good news as it is pretty narrow, but I suspect there isn't much they can do about the pinch point at the western end of that section where the path is squeezed between either brick walls or a brick wall and the golf course boundary fence, beyond trimming back some of the golf vegetation (largely hawthorn, as I learned to my cost when I grabbed hold of it to keep myself upright once).

    It would also be helpful if they swept the path - it can be pretty greasy from tree deposits in Autumn/Winter.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Really good news. It can be difficult to see the edges on that bit of path in the dark. On the flip side that bit of path can be a bit of a race track for some cyclists, widening may exacerbate that problem.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. fimm
    Member

    Good news, agreed.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "I suspect there isn't much they can do about the pinch point at the western end of that section where the path is squeezed between either brick walls or a brick wall and the golf course boundary fence"

    Probably not! (Though if it was a road that needed widening due to increased traffic...)

    Demonstrates a failure of the planning system - assuming walls are where they are supposed to be.

    If not, then failure of the planning enforcement system - which is, unfortunately, not uncommon in Edinburgh.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    Whilst this is very welcome news, it's ridiculous that there's still not going to be proper street lighting installed. It's NCN1, for goodness sake, and should be properly lit as it's heavily used. A little birdie told me it had something to do with residents whinging about it spoiling the ambience at night, which, frankly, is not a valid excuse when you live in the suburbs. My wife sometimes walks home from her work and walks the long way round due to the darkness at this point.

    Has there been a consultation on this?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. EddieD
    Member

    As a dark skies campaigner I should be vehemently disagreeing with Harts Cyclery - but there is street lighting at both ends, so it's ludicrous to complain about the "ambience"...

    I use it a lot for evening rides, and better lighting would be a godsend.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    EddieD, precisely. The streets are fully lit either end and then as your whizzing (in a controlled and responsible manner, ready to give way to pedestrians at any moment...) down the hill you're plunged into darkness. I don't think half a dozen lights in west Edinburgh will spoil anyone's astronomy hobby and last time I checked neither the Burgess or Bruntsfield have night golf!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. minus six
    Member

    Squirrels in the daytime being the main hazard on that path, I reckon LED lighting studs will be perfectly sufficient for evening guidance.

    If the nimby entitled barbour set dog walkers round Barnton and Cramond could keep their dogs leashed and respect they are obliged to share the territory, then that would be the biggest improvement.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    Bax, it's not just about guidance. Folk walk on it as well and people want to feel safe (like my wife). If we just needed guidance we'd have LED sidelights everywhere and not have street lights at all. Lest we forget, we have to deal with over 16 hours of darkness a lot of the year.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. minus six
    Member

    Must admit i like being plunged into darkness, but point taken about the walkers safety.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. cb
    Member

    This bit intrigues me:

    "a temporary path will be provided between Barnton Avenue and Barnton Avenue West during the works"

    What, they're going to lay down a completely separate path?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    I admit my wife's concerns aren't entirely rational, but that's not the point. And we've seen wires across the bit behind Tesco (albeit not the official path) which were hidden in...darkness.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    Guess the temporary path will be to the left (heading west) at the Barnton Ave end as they make the 'minor access improvements'. Shouldn't need to be very long to go round and get you back on the path.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. minus six
    Member

    they're going to lay down a completely separate path?

    looks like a dual path, judging by the pdf that chdot kindly linked to?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    "looks like a dual path, judging by the pdf"

    I think that's red 'circle' around the path.

    This is the official answer - though I'm not sure it makes things clearer!!

    "
    any pedestrian/cycle diversion route were the path to be closed during construction would be either the A90/Queensferry Road or Gamekeepers Road/Cramond Road North and South, which is quite a significant detour, particularly for pedestrians. As such, we have asked the contractor to provide a temporary walkway between Barnton Avenue and Barnton Avenue West during the works, and this will be discussed with the contractor once they have been appointed to ensure it is done safely and with no risk to the public.

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. stiltskin
    Member

    Interestingly enough, the pdf does seem to imply they will be 'improving' the narrow section at the west end of the path. I wonder what form that will take (& how you would divert around it)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  18. Focus
    Member

    Yes! A long-overdue improvement. The complaints about light pollution ruining the "ambience" are guff though! Seriously, anyone who thinks it is pleasant to stroll through there in the pitch black is deluded. It's not that long a path and could probably be served reasonably well with just a couple of low-height street lights anyway.

    What will be (hopefully) vastly improved is the cleanliness of the route. It's pretty annoying to have an otherwise clean bike muddied up thanks to a substandard path on an otherwise tarmacced journey.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  19. barnton-to-town
    Member

    "If the nimby entitled barbour set dog walkers round Barnton and Cramond could keep their dogs leashed and respect they are obliged to share the territory, then that would be the biggest improvement."

    Tosh; I use the route twice every working day. I haven't seen anything other than mutual respect on that section in 15+ years.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    "Tosh"

    Can't accuse CCEers of agreeing on everything!!

    And long may it (politely) continue!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  21. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Good point, B-t-T, you see more Baarbour jackets round Livingston these days than in Cramond.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    In case of doubt, "tosh" is polite.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  23. chdot
    Admin

    "you see more Baarbour jackets round Livingston these days than in Cramond"

    Really?

    Why??

    Who's counting???

    Posted 10 years ago #

  24. barnton-to-town
    Member

    I hadn't realised a Barbour jacket defined behaviour anyway, in the same way that a youngster wearing a hoodie isn't by definition a hooligan.

    Seems to be simply provocative to claim otherwise in either case.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    But would you hug a Barbour-wearer(?)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  26. minus six
    Member

    I haven't seen anything other than mutual respect on that section in 15+ years

    True nuf that

    Braepark Road is the epicentre of unleashed malarky

    Posted 10 years ago #

  27. DaveC
    Member

    I can't see led up lighters?? being any use. Lots of shed leaves come end of summer until spring, just when you want it.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  28. SRD
    Moderator

    'Loads of shed leaves' = 'shedloads of leaves' :)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  29. SSR
    Member

    Glad to see this stretch being improved. It can get particularly treacherous in late autumn when it is effectively narrower because the leaves haven't been swept. It is also probably the worst frost trap on the Fife to Edinburgh route. Hopefully as part of the improvement this stretch of the route will actually be maintained and swept regularly.

    Speaking of maintenance, there are parts of the NCN1 Edinburgh to Fife route which have obviously never been swept for months. The slope down to Crammond Brig from the North being the most obvious example as leaf mulch is still on the path from the autumn. Is there anyone we should contact about this in the hope of getting it cleared properly?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    "Is there anyone we should contact about this"

    Twitter has been effective on this route.

    http://www.edinburghnp.org.uk/neighbourhood-partnerships/almond/what's-on/west-team-on-twitter

    Posted 10 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

12…12

Reply »

You must log in to post.


Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin