Feeling like a bit of exploring, I did this route yesterday: http://www.strava.com/routes/976241
The first half was pretty good. Trying to get onto the path by the Esk at Musselburgh was stupidly complicated. There's an almost-path going from the far north foot bridge to the start of the path, but it doesn't go all the way. Had to double back a few times.
The section from Whitecraig to Dalkeith was fantastic - wide, smooth tarmac. It was empty, so while being a great bit of path, it doesn't seem to serve much purpose. Maybe people use it to commute?
Then the nasty bit - coming out of Dalkeith the bike infrastructure just stops. The shared use path becomes vague. I found it on the opposite side of the road, then sailed down to the Sheriffhall roundabout, and a "Cyclists Dismount" sign. Just where the road needs cycle infrastructure most, it has none. I did a bit of vehicular cycling and got round it fine.
The stretch into town was very mixed. Some half decent painted lines, but they also seem to end at junctions, where they are needed most. A few lanes than thin out to about 1ft in parts - just lethal. The Cameron Toll roundabout is the same - bikes are directed onto the pavement, then, nothing. No indication of where we are meant to go. I had to get back onto the roundabout to get around. The last leg into town was fine, apart from car parking in the bike lane, and drivers stopping in ASLs.
Altogether a decent sample of Edinburgh's cycling infrastructure. Half exciting, half frustrating.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Nice & nasty route
(6 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Nice route. I have done that but extended it to take the old railway path from Dalkeith to Penicuik past Rosewell then back to Edinburgh over the Pentlands to Balerno (if you don't mind a bit of off-road)… I usually go past QMU to get on the bank of the Esk - you don't quite get as far as Musselburgh itself...
Posted 9 years ago # -
@twq
One of my favourite leisure routes is to go up the WoL to Balerno, over Green Cleugh, down to Auchendinny to this path, into Musselburgh and up the Brunstane path to the Innocent Railway and thence homeward.
I've often wondered who would use the cycle path at the Cameron Toll roundabout. It has the look of a Situationist installation more than a piece of transport infrastructure. Even reaching the start of it could easily prove fatal.
Posted 9 years ago # -
might be a bit busy with walkers on the Penicuik-Dalkeith part this Saturday http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/walk-the-line
Posted 9 years ago # -
"I've often wondered who would use the cycle path at the Cameron Toll roundabout."
I have seen someone there - perhaps I should have taken a photo and put it on "Spotted". It would be nice when "they" develop such schemes: 1) they actually think about the needs of users and the benefits it might give 2) they follow national guidelines 3) they review the scheme afterwards to see how used it and learn from that for the next scheme.
Posted 9 years ago # -
It would be nice when "they" develop such schemes: 1) they actually think about the needs of users and the benefits it might give 2) they follow national guidelines 3) they review the scheme afterwards to see how used it and learn from that for the next scheme.
Or 'they' could just copy Dutch infrastructure and get it 'right first time'
Posted 9 years ago #
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