CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

George Street Improvements

(1192 posts)

  1. Arellcat
    Moderator

    assessment of existing data

    Wouldn't it would help, then, if those data represented as large a sample of the population as possible? This bike-wielding individual hasn't had the opportunity to become one datum.

    After the Spokes meeting I wrote to Lesley Hinds about how George St users who hadn't been surveyed might yet contribute. She has asked one of her colleagues to respond to me on that point (and several others).

    Posted 9 years ago #
  2. wingpig
    Member

    "Delivery vans will always ignore the signs though as they have a god given right to drive anywhere."

    Also, people who spend their days hoicking large sacks/boxes/cartons/bags out of and into vans and business premises might be quite well-placed to make short work of hoicking a relatively-light (compared to the yellow 800kg temporary sign-bases) enough out of the way to drive past it, especially if they have a sturdy sack barrow in their vehicle.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Also, people who spend their days hoicking large sacks/boxes/cartons/bags out of and into vans and business premises might be quite well-placed to make short work of hoicking a relatively-light

    Indeed, the man who delivered our doors back from Dip-n-strip brought them up the stairs three at a time with ease; I was struggling with one.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    given that in many places the concrete blocks have navigated their way completely off the carriageway and onto the pavements, these are clearly being moved out the way so vehicles can continue to drive along the cycle lane. Motor scooter Vespa thing using the lane to exit against the intended flow of vehicular traffic proved this point.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  5. Fountainbridge
    Member

    I took some new photos today and it doesn't look like the bollards have been moved recently.

    It does seems the concrete bollards between Hanover and Frederick streets are further apart than they need to though.

    Did notice far more cyclists on the route.

    11th April - https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9uSw6n
    21 April - https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9NUQkr

    Posted 9 years ago #
  6. deckard112
    Member

    Loads of cars parked on the section between Hanover St and Frederick St last night. Also a few contractors vans dismantling the decking although I don't have such an issue with that. I can accept that from time to time, vehicles will need to gain access for works.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  7. fimm
    Member

    Last time I used the George Street lanes I observed a van/lorry of some kind turning the other end and coming towards me. I was preparing to make an issue of this when, as I got closer, I realised it was a street cleaning lorry! At about 9pm, I don't think this was unreasonable... we'd complain if the lanes were never swept.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  8. wingpig
    Member

    Watch out on the Charlotte-Castle section at the moment - people taking down the decking/tents/pedestrian view-blocking photo-boards have been leaving their Heras fencing in the cycle lane, leaning against the side of the tents.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  9. Arellcat
    Moderator

    21 April - https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9NUQkr

    Need to photograph the western end of the cycle lane. When using the lane yesterday I very nearly clobbered my right shoulder into the 'No Motor Vehicles' sign. It's quite a tight manoeuvre coming from Charlotte Square.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  10. Disco Dave
    Member

    I was going to comment yesterday that some shiny new bollards had appeared at the end of each block.......but then by this morning the one outside Lakeland was already missing, leaving a mangled stump of fitting bracket on the ground...

    Posted 9 years ago #
  11. deckard112
    Member

    The Living Room on the West section is also undergoing reburbishment/conversion to a Slug & Lettuce so loads of contractors vans around and materials partially blocking the path.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    There were lots of vans parked up on cycle side outside the Church of Scotland offices / Anita furniture shop this morning, also parked in the central parking reservation with van doors open across the path. Looked like either an office move or lots of furniture going into (or coming out of) that shop.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  13. Disco Dave
    Member

    Kaputnik - I have been watching that job each morning for the past week or so - I initially thought they were taking down the decking, but it never seemed to get any smaller :)

    There seems to be renovation of the interior of the building next to the decking, and they were using the decking to stack various bits of joinery. I wonder if furniture going in means they are nearing completion?

    Posted 9 years ago #
  14. Fountainbridge
    Member

    Grant Stott on Twitter by fountainbridge, on Flickr

    Posted 9 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Dear all,
    Please consider this email to be an invite to the final meeting of the quarterly George Street Stakeholder Group. All are welcome, including members of the public, and anyone with an interest in the future of George Street. Please do forward this invitation on to anyone you feel may wish to contribute.

    The meeting will have a slightly different focus from previous meetings. There are 3 key items on the agenda:

    ONGOING RESEARCH
    Feedback from ongoing on-street customer research project (results from Spring 2015). The intention is to circulate papers on 9 June (the week before the meeting).

    LONG TERM DESIGN PROCESS
    There is a procurement process currently underway (which will have completed by 15 June) that is seeking to appoint an independent designer. Their remit is outlined on the link below, having been advertised on Public Contracts Scotland. By 15 June the successful tenderer will be in place, and this meeting will receive an update on who that is, and the important matter of the timeline for their work (and opportunities for involvement) over the summer of 2015.
    http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR204827

    NEXT STEPS FOR GEORGE STREET
    As the George Street Experimental Traffic Order comes to a conclusion after the summer festival in 2015 (with work to return the street to its former layout taking place through September 2015) this meeting will also be given an update on “what next” for George Street.

    As has been the case throughout this trial year for George Street, your views, expertise and participation will be made most welcome at this meeting, and all present will have the opportunity to speak and contribute on the day.

    I look forward to seeing you on 15 June at 10am.
    Kind regards
    Iain

    Iain MacPhail | City Centre Programme

    "

    Posted 9 years ago #
  16. kaputnik
    Moderator

    It may be temporary, but I noticed some of the wooden patio areas are being rebuilt in concrete blocks and "ornamental" gabions (wire baskets full of stones).

    Also one of the patio areas has the deck off, which reveals the frame below is largely infilled with a 6" depth of poured concrete. Might be a bit of a job getting them out!

    Posted 9 years ago #
  17. wingpig
    Member

    The replacement bollard at the Frederick St end of the Frederick-Hanover section has been tucked out of the way behind one of the planters, presumably to stop anyone else crashing into it and breaking the second attachment-point.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

  19. I can think of one other change that would calm the street....

    Posted 9 years ago #
  20. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Yes. Gabions. Adds a nice air of the motorway embankment to a neoclassical thoroughfare.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  21. wingpig
    Member

    I say I say I say: How many inebriated oaves does it take to push over a small stack of miniature gabions onto a cycle lane?

    Posted 9 years ago #
  22. kaputnik
    Moderator

    A - not many, I saw these being put up and they're just hollow plywood boxes with a cosmetic layer of stones on the outside behind the wire.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  23. ARobComp
    Member

    miniature gabions? Maybe for the construction of miniature napoleonic siege batteries... I see what they're up to!

    Posted 9 years ago #
  24. chdot
    Admin

    Now being discussed at Transport Committee.

    Reason ETRO 'runs out' without a TRO replacement is because 'clear view on best design didn't emerge in early months of trial'.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  25. Klaxon
    Member

    Must say I would have been unhappy if a 'clear design' had emerged that was counter to good practice and forced through before the trial conclusion, so this may be the less of two evils.

    Proof will be when the actual draft designs are published

    Posted 9 years ago #
  26. chdot
    Admin

    @Klaxon

    Agree, but still not clear if ETRO could have been extended...

    Posted 9 years ago #
  27. algo
    Member

    Watering plants from the bike lane - not sure how much alternative there was for the van and they were very nice when I passed, but the slippery hose running along which I had to hop over wasn't particularly safe….

    Posted 9 years ago #
  28. PS
    Member

    There's a lot of plant/planter maintenance done from vans or flat-bed trucks standing in the bikelane.

    There's no malice of intent or anything, but rather a lack of thinking from those in charge. It's another thing that doesn't send the right message about the bikelane or the city.

    Why not use a fleet of cargo bikes for these guys? It would send out the right message and instil a bit of cycling culture within the workforce. That way, we might see a bit more empathy and - who knows? - some bike-centric decisions being made by the guys who actually do the work. Institutionalised cycling.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  29. algo
    Member

    @PS - excellent sentiments.

    What I found particularly inefficient about this is that the van is being used to transport the water (I'm pretty sure). This isn't really an option for cargo bikes I reckon given the size of the water container, but maybe for watering purposes it would be possible to provide tap adaptors in the mains pipes where the access for the water toby is...

    Posted 9 years ago #
  30. wingpig
    Member

    One of the concrete bollardinas was blocking the entrance to the eastbound half of the lane at Castle St this evening.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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