http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-26530245
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
"Cycle plan for upgraded A9 a mess say Scottish Greens"
(20 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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Posted 10 years ago #
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Link from Spokes on Twitter -
"
Plans to upgrade A9 fail to provide properly for cyclists, say Scottish Greens
"Nonsense" that costs prevent cycle paths being built, agrees Labour MSP
"
("Labour MSP" is SNP!)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Refreshing to read this analysis:
Scotland’s longest road, the A9 has a history of crashes caused by excessive speed, especially where drivers attempt to get ahead of each other as dual carriageway sections return to single file traffic. Risky overtaking on single carriageway section are also a major cause of crashes.
Makes a change from the usual "the A9 is such a dangerous road" guff.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A9 is often chosen by unknowing LEJoG riders - being the most direct route.
They only do it once, though ...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Have ridden a section of A9 south of Dunblane. Also crossed it at grade a few times in Perthshire.
Wouldn't really recommend either. Sometimes no alternative though.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The A9 is poorly engineered. Well, kinda. It's too good. There's no need to slow down, ever, because the road is built with big sweeping bends. With clear tarmac ahead it's possible to cruise far above the speed limit. But these are the same bends that generally cut down overtaking opportunity (to anyone that values their life) because sight lines are a little too short.
Locals and deütschewagon crew usual suspects for going when really they shouldn't.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The new road is “unlikely to have parallel cycle routes” due to “environmental impacts and costs”, Transport Scotland told the Greens.
I'm not sure how anyone could justify not adding a bike lane to a dual carriageway on environmental grounds. Are TS really that backwards?
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Are TS really that backwards?"
No, no they only believe in progress...
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was sure cycle provision was promised at POP too!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Is this story really what it seems?
There's already an NCN from Perth to Inverness. The only places it's far from the road are Perth to Dunkeld and Moy to Inverness.
The NCN Perth to Dunkeld is just as quick as any roadside path would be, and is much more pleasant. And the roads on the east side of the A9 there are just as good so I can't see what a cycle path there would add. Besides, that stretch is already mostly duelled so I can't see them doing anything with it.
Moy to Inverness is mostly duelled too, so they won't be working there. But the NCN could definitely do with imporvement as it deviates much too far from the shortest possible route. Why it doesn't cross the Nairn at the first opportunity and head straight down in Westhill has always been weird. But that route is there and it's fine.
The route also deviates from the A9 from Dalwhinnie to Newtonmore but again, the NCN is much the better route here anyway, and no slower.
Kingussie to Aviemore is a bit silly, they really should follow the quicker road through Kincraig. And Aviemore to Carrbridge is totally unacceptable, but it shouldn't be remedied by a cycle lane beside the A9 - much better would be one alongside the A95.
In some places the path does follow the A9 closely. Those are by far the most unpleasant bits, and they're not necessarily following a faster line.
We should think carefully what we actually want in the way of Perth to Inverness imporvements, and campaign for them. And we need to get a slice of the enormous road budget to pay for them.
First on my list would be cycling lanes alongside the busier stretches of road that aren't on the A9 - Pitlochry to Blair Atholl, and Newtonmore to Carrbridge.
Next up would be an improvement to the surface from Drumochter to Dalwhinnie. Going northbound that should be a joy, but it's rough, narrow and slow.
These things would be more beneficial to the communities that live alongside it too - they want to cycle to the next town, and usually going along the A9 instead of the local road would mean more miles and less enjoyable cycling. It would be great if it could be better and safer to cycle to places like Kincraig Primary School, for instance.
By using the train there are some great daytrip opportunities of any length between Perth and Inverness. A seiouus imporvement to the safety and enjoyment of the route could put a lot more tourists in local cafes and shops, as well as putting locals on bikes.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I agree, riding next to a main road for any length of time is a miserable experience especially if you're trying to hold a conversation.
What "we" need is an A9 equivalent for cyclists, going through all the towns to benefit local communities and providing tourists somewhere to stock up on food and water (cake and coffee). No one really wants a path next to a dual carriage way.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I agree, riding next to a main road for any length of time is a miserable experience especially if you're trying to hold a conversation
Or at night. Or the rain.
I think Calmax has hit the nail on the head - what is not needed is a paralell cycle lane with a few metres of grass verge "protecting" it from the road, what is needed is the principle of a direct, convenient and continuous north-south route through the highlands of safe and usable infrastructure that bypasses (or crosses) serious obstacles such as rivers, A roads and gradients.
It's the usual Scottish (and British) problem of good bits here and there and nothing inbetween to join them together.
There would surely be a boon for the towns and villages along the route given that motor traffic is bypassed away from most places and generally might pull in only once at somewhere like Aviemore on the way north from the central belt to Inverness.
Posted 10 years ago # -
And there's a pretty high probablity that the current bits next the A9 will be obliterated during the dualling work. So the full route will probably be unusable for over a decade.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"So the full route will probably be unusable for over a decade"
Better make sure "what is needed is the principle of a direct, convenient and continuous north-south route through the highlands of safe and usable infrastructure that bypasses (or crosses) serious obstacles such as rivers, A roads and gradients" gets put in first!!
Posted 10 years ago # -
No one really wants a path next to a dual carriage way.
The issue here is not what kind of cycle facility the government are going to build, but whether they will build one at all. Aye, we can campaign for green cheese from the moon if we want, but the point is to get the best deal for cycling from billions of pounds worth of road construction. The road will be built. It will most likely destroy some of the existing NCN in the process. It should be relatively inexpensive to include a cycle path alongside the new road, for those that need to use it. For those that don't, the local roads may suffice until some time in the future Scotland becomes a Dutch/Danish style cycling nirvana. There are also issues to be addressed of how cyclists, pedestrians, horses etc. get across the damned A9. Try crossing it south of Perth and you'll see what I mean.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"we can campaign for green cheese from the moon if we want
...
There are also issues to be addressed of how cyclists, pedestrians, horses etc. get across the damned A9. Try crossing it south of Perth and you'll see what I mean."
There are too different (but related - and important) issues here..
'Safe' local connectivity is vital, but so is a coherent and 'attractive' long distance route.
The only bits near the A9 I have cycled (some years ago) was from Perth to SNH - really wasn't pleasant returning at dusk/rush hour.
So I don't know how much of the existing route and/or Sustrans route is 'acceptable' to heavily laden Euro cycletourists or day tripping roadies.
I do know that there is too much disconnect between the SG/TS 'concerns' about road safety/the economy and considerations of 'green' tourism.
Just another area where joined-up-government is required.
Posted 10 years ago # -
There are too different (but related - and important) issues here..
Granted but they share the same root cause: a complete disregard for non-motorised transport when designing trunk roads.
Nevermind the inconvenience eh, so long as the supermarchés can rumble their juggernauts up to Inversneggy and back a wee bit quicker.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Granted but they share the same root cause: a complete disregard for non-motorised transport when designing trunk roads."
All the more reason for arguing for a better 'alternative'.
That's as well as (not instead of - that argument won't be listened to!)
Posted 10 years ago # -
I've cycled all of Perth to Carrbridge and bits and pieces round about the route, and I have to say there are only a few places where the route isn't very good, and only one of them could be improved as part of dualling the A9 (Drumochter to Dalwhinnie). There are lots of good off-road sections, especially when it goes on the old road, and where it is on-road the roads are generally extremely quiet.
The works could affect a few stretches by the road - north of Dunkeld (but you can easily take the very quiet B898 to avoid that anyway, though it is windier and hillier) and Calvine to Dalwhinnie, where the path is often close enough to the road that you could imagine it getting caught up in works (though Calvine to Drumochter is already dualled)
Sort the surface on Drumochter to Dalwhinnie, re-route Kingussie to Aviemore, build a new path Aviemore to the Carrbridge junction on the A95, re-route Moy to Inverness and it'd be fantastic.
A ribbon of tarmac 5 metres from a dualled A9 wouldn't be anywhere near as much use as making some improvements to what already exists and publicising it as a cycling A9.
Posted 10 years ago #
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