I've had a couple of notable close passes (one with added impatient beeping) from motorcyclists when heading up Leith Walk, but I wasn't watching them as closely prior to the TRO change.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Bus lanes to change
(321 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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I've noticed a lot of counters around the west of the city, one covering both lanes with another covering just the bus lane. Hopefully they'll get some nice data that says this was a waste of time and resources and quietly revert.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I haven't timed it (thankfully I don't have to use them that often) but the bus seems slower, as it has to wait to merge out of the bus lane to avoid parked cars.
I've rarely seen cars use them other than for parking. Perhaps due to the issue of having to merge back out.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've not noticed much difference to me personally while cycling, but then I don't use areas where there are bus lanes during peak hours anyway. I have noticed the counters that stevo mentions.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've been "buzzed" more by motorcyclists attempting to pass without adequate space - not giving us the time to single up, for example.
Controlling the lane I'd much harder, when you've got to account for 30mph single track vehicles...
Each time I reported it as part of the experiment.
I don't use the bus lanes that have reduced hours.
Robert
Posted 8 years ago # -
Or maybe BECAUSE of...
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've had conversations with motorcyclists who believe that, since they are now allowed in bus lanes, they are also allowed in advance stop boxes.
More generally, cycling in some bus lanes during the daytime free for all hours now is a bit Russian Roulette. Crossing North Bridge southwards, for example, there is almost always a solid line of cars in the right hand lane, and it is entirely unpredictable as to when one of them will suddenly decide to turn into and sprint up the bus lane. "But surely they indicate," I hear no one saying.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"motorcyclists who believe that, since they are now allowed in bus lanes, they are also allowed in advance stop boxes."
Some motorcyclists have always believed the latter, regardless of the law.
' "But surely they indicate," I hear no one saying.'
Ha. The art of indicating direction while driving a motor vehicle seems to be a dying skill these days. The sight of it has become almost as exotic as finding a working telephone box.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Must admit, I really haven't noticed much difference in driver/ rider behaviour since this has been introduced.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I have seen a lot more motorbikes/mopeds in ASLs. Not sure I'm that bothered, although it can be a bit unpleasant if you end up on their outside and keep pace with them. Some of them only use the back, as if there's some sort of hierarchy. Perhaps some signs/quiet words required. Have a bit of sympathy given that they're still fairly vulnerable and don't really have anywhere to "go" when they filter, although presumably drivers don't mind so much when they "cut in."
I don't cycle much off-peak so haven't really noticed much change with respect to cars, although it's unpleasant to have a motorbike speed past you when you're taking the lane in a greenway.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Someone has suffered a close pass in a bus lane that was not in operation at the time. There was plenty of space in the other driving lane too. The tweeter was also one of the 150 objectors to the change in the bus lane times.
Video:
https://twitter.com/mike3legs/status/774263760940851201Posted 8 years ago # -
If the driver did that to the wrong cyclist in the West Midlands, he'd be getting prosecuted.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Have used the bus a bit more than usual over the last few weekends and boy is it frustrating to be stuck in a queue of very full buses (say 50+ passengers in each) that are unable to use the bus lanes as the 3 or 4 cars that are allowed to park in them at the weekend are given priority.
Even in the sections where there is no parking, the drivers often don't bother using them as it just means getting delayed in trying to merge back in to the inside lane whenever they come up against the next obstruction.
I calculated that I made it on the #34 (route avoiding Princes Street) from Fountainbridge to Meadowbank at an average speed of 2.8mph on a Sunday afternoon. I'd have walked it quicker if I didn't have a sleepy young lump with me.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"recommends...
to make the permanent alteration to the operating times of the all day bus lanes, converting them to peak hour and to permit motorcycles to use with flow bus lanes during operational hours;"
Posted 8 years ago # -
I have to say I've never had any grief from a motorcyclist. Taxi drivers, on the other hand...
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've never had any grief from a motorcyclist
Most of us are proud of the roadcraft that keeps us alive, but we're not angels. I did once get a high speed close pass in a green lane from a middle-aged guy on a BMW tourer, normally the epitome of the 'well behaved' rider.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Neil Greig, head of policy for the Institute of Advanced Motorists in Scotland, said the move was “a victory for common sense”. He said: “There was no point in half the road lying empty when there was no demand from the buses.
Quite right. Those bus lanes should be available for parking, thus speeding up traffic flow.
Nick Cook, the Tory group’s transport spokesman, backed the move to make the peak-only restrictions permanent.
Cllr Cook claimed the council’s record on transport issues over the past five years had been “very much against the motorist”
Given the council’s track record on the trams and the 20mph limit, which have increased congestion, I think residents across the city will welcome an initiative that will help to increase traffic flows."
The Great God Traffic Flow is a jealous god and it must be appeased. And a definite "citation needed" on the 20mph limit causing congestion.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Neil Greig, head of policy for the Institute of Advanced Motorists in Scotland, said the move was “a victory for common sense”. He said: “There was no point in half the road lying empty when there was no demand from the buses.
"
Apart from the question of cycling/safety, it's up to CEC councillors to resist the 'common sense'/normality of drivers/car journeys/use being normal/(most) important.
Leslie Hinds has done well on 20mph etc., but missed the opportunity on this.
One explanation (from her) was that no-one (Spokes etc.) formally objected when this was first proposed.
Can't remember the details, but something went by with almost no publicity and this only became 'publicly visible' when the whole legal process started.
Posted 8 years ago # -
“There was no point in half the road lying empty when there was no demand from the buses, so we might as well fill it up with space-inefficient and polluting private motors instead."
Fixed that for you Mr Greig
Posted 8 years ago # -
This was an experiment was it not?
I seem to recall the last time we had an experiment (George Street), the council fell over themselves to remove it and re-instate the previous system as soon as possible while harumphing loudly about their legal obligations, to be followed by many years of hand-wringing and inaction before something better is instated.
Doesn't sound like that will be the approach taken to make this particular experiment permanent.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Tweet from Spokes
"
#Buslane cuts agreed by @Edinburgh_CC. Amend't by @EdinburghGreens councillors defeated. @LivingStreetsEd @CyclingEdin @nigelbagshaw @edfoc
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
But there were warnings today that car drivers worried about being caught out would still avoid the lanes unless there was a major public awareness campaign to tell them: “Don’t fear the Greenways”.
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
Now that the bus lanes all have the same operating hours it won't be difficult to make them all allday.
(Dreaming)
Posted 8 years ago # -
I had an exchange of emails with LH about this early last year. I was trying to get her to explain exactly what were the expected benefits of the change. I never got any explanation - she stated
"The success or failure will be if the changes have any effect on the running times of buses."
There seemed to be no expected positive benefit. Her original reponse to me said"The surveys generally showed that at most of these locations there was little or no delay to buses during off-peak periods; that is between 9:30am and 4:00pm, Monday to Friday. This appeared to indicate that all-day bus lanes, offer little additional operational benefit to buses, compared to peak periods lanes, under normal traffic conditions."
I pointed out that since there was little or no congestion outside peak hours, opening up the bus lanes to general traffic would be solving a problem that doesn't exist. But she never addressed that point.Posted 8 years ago # -
And a technical question - what's the point of 'quote' tags? They don't affect the formatting of the text - all they do is start a new paragraph, without any indenting or italicising to set it apart from the rest of the text. I had to edit my post to manually add quotation marks,
Posted 8 years ago # -
Oh the poor confused car drivers! Quickly, something must be done! Divert cash from wasteful cycling initiatives and spend a bundle on an awareness raising campaign for the fearful wee things!
Posted 8 years ago # -
I think the bus lane change was a sop to the car lobby to get the 20mph through - no more than that.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Leith Street 4.30 today -
Posted 8 years ago # -
Just need to make sure this happens -
"
1.1.3 notes that the extent of the bus lane network and the hours of operations will continue to be reviewed and requests for amendment, particularly from bus operators and cycling groups, will be reported back to Committee in the future; and
1.1.4 notes that investigations will be undertaken on the feasibility of providing cycle facilities within existing bus lanes.
"
Especially because of 3.8
"
Lothian Buses has compared the bus transit times along a range of bus lane corridors during a six week period in 2014 and the same period in 2015. The range of corridors included some which were already peak only but the majority changed to peak in 2015. The analysis did not show a conclusive effect on transit times but did show a consistent marginal increase.
"
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/52206/item_76_-_bus_lane_network_review
Posted 8 years ago #
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