CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

George Street Improvements

(1175 posts)

  1. chdot
    Admin

    “We must remain both fast and bulbous in our work.”

    Mmm, you do have a way with repurposing other people’a words.

    That's the raspberries.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    'Bulbous' is a great word. Under-used.

    Also underestimated is the damage Picardy Place did. We consulted and the result was, if anything, worse than the original. I'm worried that if I have my say on George Street they'll just add another vertex to their triangulation - dig a trench across it or something.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

    “We consulted and the result was, if anything, worse than the original.”

    It is at the moment.

    Impossible to know if it’ll get any better OR if consultion made any useful difference.

    Don’t suppose anyone is still trying get some clarity on the dubious dealings that allowed all this to happen and get signed off before anyone noticed.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  4. dougal
    Member

    I feel sure Picardy Place would have been much further on by now if they hadn't re-opened Leith Street to motor traffic.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  5. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Don’t suppose anyone is still trying get some clarity on the dubious dealings

    I expect Reporting Scotland are all over it. Anyone watch that?

    Posted 5 years ago #
  6. gembo
    Member

    Monsieur IWRATS, tu connais le captain de la Coeur de boeuf? Or words to that effect

    Posted 5 years ago #
  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    You're calling Jackie a trout mask replica? Harsh. Fair.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  8. dougal
    Member

    Here we all are, commenting at our operating level. I've taken a few days off so not travelled George Street recently. Is it currently Xristmas Xaos?

    Posted 5 years ago #
  9. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    'Is it currently Xristmas Xaos?'

    Only on the Charlotte Sq-Castle St block so far. & one full traffic lane left open for bikes.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  10. gembo
    Member

    @Iwrats, fast and bulbous, as you would appear to know, also from the Captain

    Matt Groenig of Simpsons fame a big Van Vliet fan. On first hearing TMR he wondered why locking the Magic Band up for 8 months had produced such a mess rather than a tight rhythm section but on re-listening he realised they were deliberately doing what they were doing.

    Autumn's Child the last track on Safe As Milk remains a sublime entity of great wonder which I haver never listened to on headphones before today. Theremin Magic.

    Autumn’s child got a loophole ’round her finger, Halo rings her head

    Posted 5 years ago #
  11. wingpig
    Member

    The chunk between Castle Street and Charlotte Square is two-way cycling on the north side, whilst the Virgin Money Street of Light is constructed on the eastbound side and central reservation. Passage to/from the westbound side is over the raised pedestrian island bits. Eastbound is fine, but westbound sort of dumps you back on the road without enough space to be in the advanced stop area (thanks to the fencing guarded by a tabard-person), so lots of cyclists are skipping straight onto Charlotte Square irrespective of any fast/heavy motor traffic. The fence along the edge of the central bit is not straight, and will probably (based on previous years' form) move further north and develop lots of gaps when it stops being a construction area and people start milling around it.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  12. neddie
    Member

    Electronic versions of the display boards are now available, along with the consultation survey.

    Display boards & documents:
    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/firstnewtown

    And bizarrely a separate* page for the survey:
    https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/george-street-and-first-new-town-design-project/

    Closes 25 Jan 2019

    *Because the council like duplication

    Posted 5 years ago #
  13. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Done. Told them to stop using 'plaza' and just kick the cars out.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  14. gembo
    Member

    Yes I completed too. I asked them to be Bold and to ban single occupant vehicles and to emulate Les Parisiens. Maybe this is what I said

    'World Class' Street Setting
    4 To what extent do you agree with including the following elements of the concept design:
    Concept Design:
    Agree
    Concept Design 2:
    Agree
    Concept Design 3:
    Agree
    5 Is there anything that you wish us to consider, regarding the street setting of the area? Please comment in the box below.
    Further comments - setting:
    Whilst I agree the setting of the street is important, I would put it as my second lowest priority for the street. My lowest priority is continuing to allow cars to be
    driven and parked on the street. This should be prevented save maybe for disabled access, for example as Paris is planning for its city centre. Edinburgh is
    gridliocked by cars and planners need to be more bold about stating this and should cite the Parisien example. Buses, motor bikes and and cars on Queen Street,
    bikes and trams on Princes Street and Pedestrians and bicycles on George Street
    New Seating Areas With Small Scale Planting
    6 To what extent do you agree with including the following elements of the concept design:
    Seating areas - Providing significantly more outdoor seating for people of all ages and abilities to use:
    Agree
    Seating areas - Using small scale planting (greenery) to create attractive, sheltered and human-scale setting for seating spaces:
    Agree
    7 If you disagree, or would like us to consider anything further, please write in the box below.
    Further comments - seating:
    This works really only if you stop cars accessing the street, except maybe the odd disabled vehicle. Again planners need to be bold and follow the Parisien
    example of banning cars from the city centre.
    Street Trees
    8 To what extent do you support the inclusion of some tree planting on George Street?
    Planting on George St:
    Agree
    9 If you disagree, or would like us to consider anything further regarding trees, please write in the box below.
    Text box 1:
    Again the trees will only be able to thrive if cars are banned from the street. Please be bold, ban the cars, follow the Parisien example.
    Walking
    10 To what extent do you agree with including the following elements of the concept design:
    Walking - Proposed increases in pavement widths:
    Strongly Agree
    Walking - Significantly improved crossing facilities for pedestrians at junctions:
    Strongly Agree
    Access By Bicycle
    11 To what extent do you feel that the following elements of the concept design can improve the experience of accessing the area by bike?
    Bicycle - Dedicated, bi-directional cycleway on the south side of George Street adequately meets the needs of people on bicycles:
    Disagree
    Bicycle - Continuing the defined cycleway space through junction areas will support safe interaction between all road users.:
    Agree
    12 If there are other ideas, or things we should consider regarding accessing the area by bike, please tell us in the box below.
    Bike:
    If you ban cars then pedestrians and cyclists will not need dedicated spaces. Please ban cars from the street apart from maybe the odd disabled parking space.
    Thuis is what is happening now in Paris. It is not too late to emulate our auld alliance comrades and ban cars.
    Building properly segregated lanes that cars can't be parked in is not as good as banning all cars but it is better than the poorly thought out bi directional cycle
    way. This is better than nothing but it is not enough.
    Access, Parking and Servicing
    13 To what extent do you feel that the following elements of the concept design can improve the experience of accessing the area?
    Improvements - The principle of prioritising blue badge parking on George Street, with resident and pay and display parking located in side streets.:
    Agree
    Improvements - Removing central parking on George Street, to allocate more space for pedestrians within the street.:
    Strongly Agree
    Improvements - Creating dedicated delivery and servicing areas on the north side of the street to retain an overall level of space that supports
    business activities:
    Agree
    14 If there are other ideas, or things we should consider to balance access requirements, please tell us in the box below.
    ideas:
    Lorries should not be allowed into our Georgian era World Heritage site. Lorries should be parked pout of the city centre and deliveries should continue by
    bicycle, electric bicycle or smaller electric vehicles (e.g. very, very small vans)
    15 What impacts on fairness and equality, if any, might result from introducing any of the ideas discussed previously?
    Fairness and Equality:
    The citizens of Edinburgh are collectively destroying the medieval and Georgian heritage cites by driving largely single occupant vehicles into the city centre. As
    they do so they are polluting the atmosphere causing respiratory problems for the population and destroying the atmosphere. This is not fair and is ignored due to
    a collective form of denial - We are all guilty of doing this and need to stop. The Parisiens are seeing this most clearly and we need to be like them. Fairness is an
    odd way of planning for the future, as if the inequities of society can be countered by a road design. Basically it is not fair that single occupant vehicles can be
    driven into central Edinburgh.
    Other feedback
    16 Please use this space below for any other comments you would like us to consider.
    Any other comments:
    Please be more bold. Please ban single occupant vehicles from central Edinburgh please emulate what is happening in Paris now. Please take some action that
    is bold. Please.
    About you
    17 What is your postcode?
    Postcode:
    Blerno
    18 What is your age?
    29
    19 What is your gender?
    Male
    20 What is your ethnic group? (Choose ONE section from A to E, then tick ONE box which best describes your ethnic group or
    background)
    Scottish
    Not Answered
    Not Answered
    Not Answered
    Not Answered
    Not Answered
    21 Do you have a long term illness or disability that limits your daily activities?
    No
    22 Would you like to be kept informed of the progress of this project?
    Yes

    Posted 5 years ago #
  15. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Same, but I am a 75+ female Irish Traveller with Rickets.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  16. gembo
    Member

    @IWRATS <chortle>

    I did tell the truth on the actual survey but doctored my biography a little on here (which your old Irish Eyes spotted)

    Posted 5 years ago #
  17. wingpig
    Member

    I requested that they don't have planters which occlude sightlines too much, unlike the big wooden display cabinet things they had towards the end of the Experiment. I tried to work in a few reminders of the council's own alleged transport-mode hierarchy, which also went on a Post-It as someone else had misquoted it. I have pointed out Rose Street's battered and dented surface and frequent intimidation of pedestrians by huge delivery vehicles, which are only slowed by having to ease round tight corners. I recommended one-way-ing the Frederick and North Castle block rather than putting in unworkably narrow swerving segregated cycle bits with two-way traffic.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  18. paulmilne
    Member

    I advocated the complete elimination of motor vehicles, repurposing the central carriage way into a generous bicycle way. I think there is some virtue in separating out bicyclists and walkers. I also advocated council supplied rickshaws for those less mobile and horse and cart for larger commercial deliveries.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  19. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    I suggested my George St idea at the Spokes Mtg last night. Not that there was anyone on the panel with any power to influence the decision, but it was important part of the equality/diversity debate, which was the subject of the meeting.

    Time chop is where I ask my question, George St bit is the 2nd part of my contribution...

    https://youtu.be/aEWShbgPBvc?t=5752

    Posted 5 years ago #
  20. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    horse and cart for larger commercial deliveries

    Those were a significant mortality risk back in the day. Pierre Curie famously killed by a wagon of beer. Marie wrote him a letter every day afterwards.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  21. ARobComp
    Member

    How did he end up in this predicament? Did he fall off the wagon?

    Posted 5 years ago #
  22. unhurt
    Member

    @ARobComp shame on you sir. Actual pain on reading.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  23. dougal
    Member

    I think any of us would feel the worse for wear after a whole wagon of beer.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  24. gembo
    Member

    Pierre had not joined the tufty club, did not look right look left look right again actually gauche rive gauche

    he then walked in front of it

    Duke of Clarence drowned in a vat of malmsey

    Dylan Thomas died after drinking 17 straight whiskies (actual count was 5)

    Posted 5 years ago #
  25. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    No one can see past the wagon of beer. Marie wrote Pierre a letter a day for...checks notes...twenty eight years after his death.

    CCE really does have a heart of stone.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  26. Morningsider
    Member

    IWRATS - now you mention it, I don't mind if I do...

    Posted 5 years ago #
  27. Frenchy
    Member

    Run over by a beer wagon at 46, or most likely dying from cancer at around 70.

    Tough call.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I'm close to flouncing.

    Posted 5 years ago #
  29. unhurt
    Member

    The sensitive sociopath?

    Posted 5 years ago #
  30. gembo
    Member

    @IWRATS. pierre certainly couldn't see past the beer wagon.

    We are just focussing on this detail out of solidarity

    I am told that compared to other wagons of the day Pierre's beer wagon was both fast and indeed bulbous

    Posted 5 years ago #

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