CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

More of 'us' ?

(591 posts)

No tags yet.


1…678…20

  1. wingpig
    Member

    During normal non-festival summer there's also the grass either side of MMW for people to sit upon and bimble along, whereas these are now limited by all the important poster substrate barriers.

    Considering the considerable cost of installing a huge circus tent and some interlocking plastic duck board stuff it wouldn't be much extra for a couple of signs (and flashing lights) warning the people leaving the circus-tent area that they're about to walk across a two-way bike path (from the bike side of which bikes are not technically permitted to stray), just in case they were thinking about stopping for a chat on it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. Greenroofer
    Member

    Dragging us gently back on topic...

    ...there were 125 bikes in our basement bike store at work on Monday. This is the third-highest number in three years of counting. The two higher number are both on exactly the same day in 2014 and 2013 (i.e. the Monday in August when the schools go back)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Lots of people in the office talking about "back to being good". Mainly this is diets and drinking less and going to the gym more. For some it's reasonable to hope it means a long-term modal change in personal transportation.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    "For some it's reasonable to hope it means a long-term modal change in personal transportation."

    I'm sure some will come across -

    https://cyclefridays.wordpress.com

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. lorlane
    Member

    4 bikes in our bike storage this morning - that's a record! Approx 7% of our staff.

    Does anyone know the average?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    More of starting them young -

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. Stickman
    Member

    Between the Balgreen tram stop and the east end of Roseburn park I was passed by 17 cyclists this morning. I gave up counting at that point, but there must have bee a dozen of us on West Coates heading east, then loads more going through Haymarket.

    The good weather is bringing people out.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. SRD
    Moderator

    I've been really struck by my bikes on my routes too (especially bruntsfield through links).

    But yesterday one of the CEOGB crew came up from London and kept whinging about how he didn't see any cyclists.

    lovely and encouraging.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. Morningsider
    Member

    Another new cycle commuter added to the growing throng. Mini-Morningsider cycled to the new South Morningside Primary annexe this morning.

    Cycle and scooter parking at the new annexe is woefully inadequate. Yesterday, there were roughly five times more bikes and scooters than spaces and almost all the spaces were taken over half an hour before before the bell this morning.

    Also, the council has seen fit to erect a shelter over a bench outside the playground - but left the cycle parking uncovered.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. wingpig
    Member

    "...I was passed by 17 cyclists this morning. I gave up counting at that point, but there must have bee a dozen of us on West Coates heading east, then loads more going through Haymarket."

    "But yesterday one of the CEOGB crew came up from London and kept whinging about how he didn't see any cyclists."

    Whenever there's a largeish clump of other cyclists at a hefty junction up here it reminds me of huge clouds of cyclists seen swarming across junctions in London-based cyclists' helmet-camera footage, though on a markedly smaller scale; Dalry-West Maitland and Brougham - Earl Grey particularly.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    "Mini-Morningsider cycled to the new South Morningside Primary annexe this morning."

    Perhaps https://cyclefridays.wordpress.com should have a cycling with children section.

    "Taking kids to school" is often a reason/excuse for driving.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. Nelly
    Member

    Turning right from Morningside Road into Church Hill last night I was slightly miffed as I couldn't get my usual 'beat the lights, just after the green man' flyer.

    Cause?

    Six (yep, six!) cyclists waiting in front of traffic to come the other way (heading toward Dominion).

    I then readjusted my mindset to realise that is - by far - the biggest bunch I have ever seen at that junction.

    Happy days !

    Posted 9 years ago #

  13. panyagua
    Member

    Queue of four cyclists behind me when I emerged from the *one* shower in Argyle House (yes, that 11-floor 1960s brutalist edifice behind the Castle). The good news is that two more showers are being installed, along with some much-needed additional secure bike storage.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    "two more showers are being installed"

    Is that by Codebase?

    Well known fact that 'enlightened employers' (I know that building has many businesses) attract smarter people - who obviously cycle...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  15. Dave
    Member

    Can you imagine working somewhere without a shower? (Or even somewhere with only one shower?)

    We have one per floor, but that seems to work out OK (there are maybe 50 staff per floor at a super rough guess). Only rarely do I have to wait, when there's been a super popular lunchtime run.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  16. Stickman
    Member

    I would guess that my building has over 1000 people working in it. There are two showers in the tiny men's changing room. The building is less than twenty years old, yet adequate changing facilities weren't thought important.

    There are more showers in the gym, but that is only for people paying £20 per month membership.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  17. paddyirish
    Member

    About 15 people, including 3-4 women, at about 7am on the bridge today, travelling in both directions. Traffic is definitely up this year, will be interesting to see how many regulars we have after the clocks change.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  18. Mandopicker101
    Member

    In the last office building I worked in, we had one shower for our floor, which was populated with a few cyclists and some runners. That was just about OK. What wasn't OK was that the shower was fed by a header tank. On a Monday morning you had to let it run for a while to get something approximating fresh water. The seals leaked like teabags, the extractor fan didn't work and the landlord wasn't too bothered.

    The 'secure' lock up was in the basement carpark where anyone could wander in and ride away with your bike. Even more helpfully, the lock up floor was painted in a fetching blue - which a) wasn't anti-slip and b) flaked off in about 2 weeks. My winter-studs made short work of the paint and for weeks after the tyres had attractive blue flecks.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  19. Roibeard
    Member

    @panyagua - The good news is that two more showers are being installed [in Argyle House], along with some much-needed additional secure bike storage.

    I should hope so, as 500 of Edinburgh University's finest will be moving in over the next year.

    The demographic is such that quite a few cycle - I'm hoping that the cycle routes improve as a result, and apparently the council is already thinking of cycle exemptions to one way streets in the area...

    Robert

    Posted 9 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    " apparently the council is already thinking of cycle exemptions to one way streets in the area..."

    Been thinking about that one for 30 years.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  21. condor2378
    Member

    @Morningsider, Child No 1 also goes to the South Morningside Primary annexe and I agree with you that the provision is clearly inadequate, particularly as it's clear to see that there are a lot of kids getting to school now via bike or scooter, as child no 1 does, which is a Good Thing.

    I was there this morning about 8:15am waiting for my wife with child no 2 in a bike seat on the back. If I knew what you looked like, it could have been a Spot!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  22. panyagua
    Member

    @chdot

    Yes, Codebase have instigated the new shower installation, after pestering by various people including me. It's taking a while, but we're getting there. I was the only member of our 5-person company cycling in until yesterday, when one of my colleagues took the plunge.

    @roibeard - I should hope so, as 500 of Edinburgh University's finest will be moving in over the next year.

    I didn't know that - do you know which department(s) and when? (i.e. how long have I got before the shower/bike store gets busy again?)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  23. Roibeard
    Member

    @panyagua - Information Services are moving in, beginning in October with a single division to form a beachhead, with subsequent divisions moving in next summer from Holyrood, George Square and King's Buildings forming an overwhelming pincer movement. (Too many Downfall parodies?)

    Apparently it'll be refurbished during this academic year, in anticipation of our arrival, but we need some accommodation in October, so they're getting an existing, recently refurbished suite (currently in use by the landlord?).

    Robert

    Posted 9 years ago #

  24. panyagua
    Member

    @roibeard - thanks for that. I hope they also think about replacing the two non-working lifts (out of four) before the building gets any fuller than it is now.

    Anyone who thought that Argyle's House's days are numbered will need to think again - concrete brutalism lives on. Anyway, it's better being on the inside looking out...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Councillor Paul Godzik, education convener, said: “In total the council has allocated nearly £20m to tackle the issue of rising rolls and to provide new, high quality classrooms for our pupils.

    “The rapid rise in the school population is a problem facing local authorities across the UK.

    “It is a real challenge for us here in Edinburgh, but it’s a challenge we are meeting.

    “No other council in Scotland has taken such an innovative and collaborative approach to tackling this issue or invested as much.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/education/20m-spent-on-increasing-space-at-schools-1-3861527

    Not innovative enough to provide adequate bike parking?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  26. gembo
    Member

    What schools don't have adequate bike parking? New builds such as tynecastle high have seventy Sheffield racks covered. No bikes except me and sometimes the BMX Bandits if we were trying to fix them Many canoes.. Craigroyston high another seventy covered with me and two buggies.

    I think if anything bike parking has been over specked?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  27. Morningsider
    Member

    gembo - I don't know about any school other than South Morningside Primary. There is nowhere near enough bike/scooter parking at the new annexe.

    It's quite disappointing as the parent council surveyed all parents with children due to attend the annexe about their travel intentions. This gave a pretty good indication of the likely numbers cycling and scooting. The council had the information about how much cycle/scooter parking was likely to be needed. They just didn't act on it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  28. gembo
    Member

    South morning side always had space issues, I remember the annexe was in fairmilehead church hall, certainly no cycling scooting space there. Where is the new annexe and how much cycling scooting space is there? Is it Dean bank that has been modernised? There may be a difference in spec between a new build and a renovation? I checked the plans and the wee squiggle for bikes and scooters did look wee. Maybe parent council/pta can buy more if there is space?

    Black hall where I have been recentlynverynfull racks of scooters and bikes, indeed was trying to leave one day last year and could not as pupil had padlocked my bike to his. Had to go round the classes until culprit identified.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  29. chdot
    Admin

    "New builds such as tynecastle high have seventy Sheffield racks covered. No bikes except me"

    Well there you have the sharp divide between primary and secondary.

    "I think if anything bike parking has been over specked?"

    And there you have the sharp divide between optimistically providing for 'what could/should be' and - especially given the reality of teenagery - what CEC can/will do to get more cycling to school.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  30. Snowy
    Member

    The Sheffield stands at JG Primary were reinstated about 2 days before the kids went back last week, after having been removed for builders' access over the summer. Parking for about 40 bikes I think, although plenty railings around for the overspill.

    Posted 9 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

1…678…20

Reply »

You must log in to post.


Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin