oh dear, the businesses have not been bowled over by this then?
City Mobility Plan – Draft for Consultation
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
George Street Improvements
(1175 posts)-
Posted 4 years ago #
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So despite the noise from @EssentialEdin that George St will not be pedestrianised, council officials confirm pedestrianisation plans could be brought forward, dependent on the bus network review being able to take the vehicles off the street.
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Posted 4 years ago # -
There'll no doubt be some de facto pedestrianisation for the Book Festival and (hopefully) the Christmas/Hogmanay events, so they might as well bring it forward just so everyone knows where they stand.
IIRC, bus access along George Street was one of the key justifications for keeping motor vehicle access, so if the buses go, that's a big plank in the argument that falls away.
Posted 4 years ago # -
“bus access along George Street was one of the key justifications for keeping motor vehicle access”
Yes/no
Buses would limit ‘proper’ pedestrianisation, but it COULD be managed as buses ONLY.
There are buses - like a low speed shuttle service and - buses through to all sorts of destinations. The later should be on Princes Street (though tram only would be interesting) or Queen Street.
Edinburgh has this belief that ‘people won’t change buses’ and/or ‘won’t swap between trams and buses’.
Really??
Posted 4 years ago # -
Edinburgh has this belief that ‘people won’t change buses’ and/or ‘won’t swap between trams and buses’.
I think making a bus ticket last an hour/hour and a half/whatever would solve a lot of that.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Indeed.
Wonder where CEC/LB could look to see it working elsewhere??
Posted 4 years ago # -
I've asked several councillors about it, and one of them (can't remember who) told me Lothian Buses had considered it but determined it wouldn't be economically viable for them.
Hard to believe when it's so prevalent across Europe.
Bonkers that it costs me twice as much to get the bus from Gilmerton to Duddingston (4 miles) as it does to get to Newhaven (8 miles). There'll be far starker discrepancies than that, too.
Posted 4 years ago # -
“but determined it wouldn't be economically viable for them”
Less revenue by not being able to charge people twice?
Really not an equitable argument - or much of an economic one if other places see more usage due to simple ticketing.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Yeah - they reckoned that the number of fares they'd 'lose' would outweigh the increase in the number of people using the bus.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Did LB not also say that contactless payment wasn't economically viable for them, though?
Posted 4 years ago # -
> Yeah - they reckoned that the number of fares they'd 'lose' would outweigh the increase in the number of people using the bus.
Seems like a prime opportunity for a trial with some fare income guaranteed by local or central government.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I’ve got some photos of the nice wee electric buses that Regensburg has running (at a sensible speed) through its largely pedestrianised medieval centre if Lothian Buses is interested in seeing them?
Posted 4 years ago # -
“if Lothian Buses is interested in seeing them?”
I am, and Cllr LM should be.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@chdot I'll see if I can achieve the double whammy of getting my Flickr account back in action and remembering how to post photos on here. :-)
Posted 4 years ago # -
To save my efforts, here's a German Zeitung article on them (includes a photo):
Das Link"The bus is built relatively small so that it can get through the historic city centre. It is 2.2 meters wide and 7.70 meters long. It weighs twelve tons and has 14 seats and 25 standing places, a stroller or a wheelchair can also be accommodated."
There's a comment in there about there not being much gradient in the city centre, so I'm not sure if that would pose any issues in Edinburgh. Depends on the route, I guess.
Posted 4 years ago # -
GammonTory my dear Watson
Posted 4 years ago # -
I do like George Street, but surely the bird has well and truly flown on symmetry?
Of course, if symmetry is a key driver then removing motor vehicles entirely from the street would be an ideal approach. Imagine, no moving and/or stationary metal sheds (vans) and buildings (buses) disrupting those symmetrical lines and vistas.
Posted 4 years ago # -
By the same Tory thinking, they should only be allowing cars of a certain colour into the New Town.
Red ones could be good, to match their favourite trews
Posted 4 years ago # -
So the designs with a bidirectional cycle lane have been public since late 2018, why only make a fuss now when the project is starting to move forward again?
Unless of course they're doing it for other reasons...
Posted 4 years ago # -
The Tories think they will be the largest party in Edinburgh following the next Council elections. I imagine they want to delay cycle/walking projects for as long as possible, with a view to being in a position to cancel them after the election.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@neddie by the same thinking should only be allowing horse drawn carriages into new town ah but then any gammons paid to agitate by Shell Oil would have to STFU
Posted 4 years ago # -
The Tories think they will be the largest party in Edinburgh following the next Council elections.
Me, trying to reason with the Scottish Labour party;
Posted 4 years ago # -
Got to love the 60/70's trope of talking a computer to death.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I remember watching this late at night on terrestrial television. Deeply moved by the ending. Billed as a comedy, anything but in reality.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I've never seen it but I just read the pretty bleak synopsis on Wikipedia, sounds like a barrel of laughs!
Posted 4 years ago # -
@steveo
Watch it when this is over. Not before. It's a pair with Silent Running in my mind.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Another laugh riot I'm guessing.
(my 70's sci-fi is truly dreadful)
Posted 4 years ago # -
Imagine having a take this bad:
Disappointing to see the Council Leader jeopardise one of the world's finest examples of urban planning for the sake of some fast cash from Sustrans. Just like Princes Street Gardens and Underbelly, there's no limit to what Adam McVey is willing to sell off in the city.
Always great to have elected members that clearly have no idea how Sustrans funding arrangements work but are happy to talk nonsense like they do.
https://twitter.com/lewisritchieIND/status/1245439060572848129?s=20
Posted 4 years ago # -
It’ll be personal, they used to be in the same party...
Bit surprised he’s still a Cllr.
Posted 4 years ago #
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