CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

George Street Improvements

(1175 posts)

  1. Klaxon
    Member

    What a difference infrastructure makes, as shown by Strava's 2014/2015 heatmap comparison tool

    George St, 2014

    George St, 2015

    (enlarge)

    And this is only amongst people logging on Strava whom I will stereotype as broadly 'those more likely to select direct routes'

    Posted 7 years ago #
  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I'm amazed at thickness of line for Princes Street and Leith Street.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  3. jonty
    Member

    Along with North Bridge, it's where I most often find myself in a peleton. Directness, greenways (and car bans) make even an otherwise flawed street quite attractive.

    Haymarket is pretty thick too.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  4. Rob
    Member

    Compelling evidence that PG is in league with the council, tasked with distracting cyclists so they don't notice the rest of Roseburn->Leith is in the wrong place.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  5. dougal
    Member

    Am I missing something here? There doesn't seem a significant difference between one image and the next; at least only a difference of degree rather than form. There are no "new" paths.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  6. jonty
    Member

    dougal: redder line on George St, indicating increase in cycling when the infrastructure was put in (perhaps.)

    Posted 7 years ago #
  7. Klaxon
    Member

    Dougal, I am drawing attention specifically to George St during the year the trial took place and on roads that link to it at either end. These routes became substantially more patronised even in the Strava demographic.

    If you pan around the map and slide 2014/15 back and forth pretty much no other street changes so dramatically in the city.

    Kaputnik, Leith St is currently a necessary evil, it's basically no different in traffic volume to York Place and much nicer to not have to turn right over the Picardy Roundabout. No other route links well to North Bridge - hence my dismay every time I see plans for it being rebuilt without any infrastructure past Calton Rd.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The city council already has plans for George Street, which include greater pedestrian and cyclist priority, pavement cafes and more space for festivals and events.

    But campaign group Living Streets is urging the politicians to go all the way and make it car-free. And it pointed out that new London mayor Sadiq Khan had committed to pedestrianise Oxford Street – “a far more ambitious project”.

    Its proposal is included in manifesto it has published ahead of the council elections in May next year.

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/campaigners-call-for-total-car-ban-on-george-street-1-4322849

    Posted 7 years ago #
  9. Fountainbridge
    Member

    From Cockburn Association (tweet and facebook)
    "a plan for George Street was approved and awaits funding"

    Anybody aware of approved plans?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  10. Stickman
    Member

    This went to June Transport Committee:

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/50922/item_84_-_george_street_etro_concluding_report_and_design_principles

    I don't know if that counts as "approved plans"?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  11. chdot
    Admin

    "

    George Street is not a problem

    GEORGE Street doesn’t need a complex new plan. Full pedestrianisation, no cars or bikes, making the most of the trendy bars and restaurants, outdoor musicians, banks or bureaux de change, plenty of floral displays in summer, lights in winter – job done.

    "

    By guess who?

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/helen-martin-stop-playing-santa-to-the-rest-of-the-world-1-4324729

    Actually it makes sense.

    It's just that CEC would have to sort Queen Street and have proper cycle segregation from York Place on the way to Roseburn.

    Mmm.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  12. chdot
    Admin

    "

    A major new free attraction, Street of Light, was launched in 2015 on the Royal Mile and was relocated to George Street for the most recent festival.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/drastic-cuts-looming-for-edinburgh-s-christmas-and-hogmanay-events-1-4337438

    Might not be repeated(?)

    Posted 7 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The whole west end of George Street will be closed to traffic to accommodation a major expansion of the book festival and a new arena for The Stand Comedy Club’s operators.

    "

    http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/edinburgh-fringe-and-book-festival-to-join-forces-for-70th-anniversary-arena-1-4432826

    No cycle lane(s) then(?)

    Posted 6 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    New Town & Broughton Community Council are calling for more residents associations. The reason is simple: constituted bodies carry more clout than individuals when it comes to tackling public issues. At NTBCC’s next meeting on 9 Oct, city-centre programme manager Anna Herriman will outline the Council’s latest plans for revamping George St (see our website 3.6.16).

    http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/sites/broughtonspurtle.org.uk/files/backissues/Spurtle%20267.pdf

    Posted 6 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

  16. neddie
    Member

    Regarding the project update (linked above by chdot)

    Project Scope
    The preliminary design stage of the project follows the adoption of design principles for George Street by the Council last year; it will build on the agreed design principles.

    The preliminary design will provide a blue print for any future development along George Street, as well as the First New Town Streets that it is connected to. The way that the street does, and could, operate, is fully interdependent on the way intersecting streets operate. This broader approach at this stage ensures that other planned public realm works in adjacent streets in the New Town are also fully accounted for in a coherent design, including the Council’s City Centre West East Cycle Link project.

    The First New Town Streets include Castle, Frederick and Hanover Streets, and the junctions with Charlotte and St Andrew Squares. The original plan for these streets, developed by James Craig, was adopted by the Council in July 1767. The First New Town is a focal point within the Unesco World Heritage site, and its historic character is of city-wide and national importance. George Street has a premier role within the New Town area, as a place and destination that sustains and supports a wide range of activities that bring life into the city.

    The development of the George Street and First New Town preliminary design also sits within the wider context of the development of a vision for Edinburgh’s city centre.

    Appointment of Consultants
    WYG Environmental Planning Transport Ltd (WYG) has been appointed to develop the preliminary design, working in partnership with LDA Design Consulting Ltd. WYG has assembled a multi-disciplinary team and will utilise a ‘placemaking’ approach to develop the design for George Street and the First New Town, recognising the high profile of the area The Council has an allocated revenue budget towards the design costs, and has been successful in receiving an additional contribution of funding towards this design stage of the project, from Sustrans Scotland’s Community Links Plus programme.

    Engagement and input
    Wide stakeholder input will be central the development of the design. An engagement plan is to be developed in early October. There will be a range of opportunities to be involved during the development of the design. Local representatives who were closely involved in the earlier stage of work, for George Street will continue to play a key role in this design stage of the project, alongside further and wider stakeholder involvement. The detail of opportunities for further involvement and engagement will be shared widely.

    Timescales
    A draft preliminary design is expected to be complete by the end of March 2018. A period of wide engagement will then take place, to help refine the design, with a final design expected to be delivered by the end of June 2018.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  17. HankChief
    Member

    Drop in Consultation TODAY & Tomorrow. Anyone able to go?

    "
    January’s drop-in events are open to all members of the public and will be held on Monday 15 (1pm-6pm) and, Tuesday 16 (3pm-8pm) January at The City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DE.
    "

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/2420/have_your_say_on_the_future_of_edinburghs_george_street

    Posted 6 years ago #
  18. wingpig
    Member

    Ooooh. Can make that this lunchtime. Shall make some notes or take some pictures of plans and post them here if people can't make it. Hope there are no posh people honking about symmetry and patriarchal statuary like there were at the thing at the hotel.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  19. wingpig
    Member

    Currently uploading some pictures to Flickr. On a table at the event there was a big printout of the very detailed results of the datagather, the jump-out summary of which is that people follow desire lines as THE WAY IS SHUT. There was another smaller document from the stakeholder workshop, with sensible suggestions (need some disabled parking, limit delivery times) and some other sorts of suggestion (symmetry). Couldn't see either of these online. Couldn't see anything containing the results of the extensive comments left on the previous datagathering consultation drop-in thing at the hotel.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  20. jonty
    Member

    What's wrong with symmetry? If anything, a desire for symmetry leads to better cycling streets (unidirectional on each side vs bodgy narrow bidirectional on one side) and better junctions.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

  22. dessert rat
    Member

    i was surprised and delighted at the sentiment on both the info panels and the dozens of post-its left: "99% reduce/get rid of cars".

    Only hope they have the courage to follow through and pay no attention to the chip-wrapper comments.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  23. crowriver
    Member

    Went to the City Art Centre around 5pm but the place looked shut.....it was snowing hard and had other things to do, so didn't bother trying to find the consultation.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  24. neddie
    Member

    Here's some shots I took at the consultation: (I went so you don't have to)

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    cont...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  25. neddie
    Member

    cont...

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    cont...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  26. neddie
    Member

    My comments:

    Untitled by Ed, on Flickr

    Posted 6 years ago #
  27. dessert rat
    Member

    I can see my post-it notes in those pics. Wonder if anyone will actually read them or if the collective 'less cars please' will have any impact.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  28. neddie
    Member

    Oh, forgot to mention...

    Someone tried to egg me as I unlocked my bike on Market St! Looked like it was thrown from the passenger side of a passing car/van judging by the angle.

    Missed anyway. One for the rubbish driving, or maybe rubbish egging thread?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  29. neddie
    Member

    Got talking to Anna Herriman and an older well-spoken lady at the end of the drop-in. The lady was asking "Why on earth do I have to declare whether I am a lesbian or not?" (Imagine that said with a posh New Town / Morningside accent and a hint of indignation)

    To which Anna went on to explain about bias and then what each of the letters LGBTiQ meant. Said lady was educated on the meaning of "i" and "Q". [Look of horror]

    I didn't have the heart to tell them about "a" and "p" (asexual and pansexual).

    It was all very jolly, until in the lift on the way out, I got the "So, you're a cyclist are you?" from the lady.

    Uh-oh, here we go...

    "Well, what do you think about all these cyclists riding on the pavement..."

    I ended up mumbling something about, "Um, I think they shouldn't do it. Cyclists are just human-beings who happen to ride bikes, sometimes humans do bad things. What about people who drive on the pavement?"

    Then I went outside and got nearly egged.

    Happy days!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  30. wingpig
    Member

    When I first went on Monday there was a pair going full Morningside on the youngish bearded consultant-looking man, albeit with frequent mentions of Abercrombie Place. I was too busy reading to eavesdrop properly but whatever it is they want the council never ever do it.

    Posted 6 years ago #

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