Spokes is currently putting together its report on supermarkets.
Many Spokes/CCE members have submitted details of the parking (and lack of suitable/adequate).
Spokes is also interested in "access", so I thought I'd spend a sunny afternoon at Canonmills.
Extra sunny!
Once upon a time there was Willy Low and now the ubiquitous Tesco.
This is how Tesco assumes (wants?) its customer to arrive -
CEC/Sustrans hopes otherwise -
(Also shows the need for making sure signs are up to date!)
I didn't see any other cycle route signs pointing to Tesco. Elsewhere there are signs saying "supermarket". For this one, more signs from places like Scotland Street, Eildon Street and Warriston Road (via Boat Green - quickest route according to CycleStreets) actually saying "Tesco" would make sense.
It's six years since Rodney Street Tunnel opened. It's become a popular link between the New Town and the NEPN.
It should also have been made easier for people to get straight to Tesco, but there's still no acknowledgement of the "desire lines" - at least by Tesco. Presumably CEC and Sustrans has tried to get better access here(?)
As part of its various plans and policies, CEC should be making sure that places like this are easy (and obvious) for people to walk and cycle to - not least because the idea is to increase the numbers of walkers and cyclists.
At present they are supposed to use this -
Instead of through the hedge!
(Note - 'proper' path is by the yellow gantry to the left of photo)
Clearly Tesco ought to want to do something here (it's presumably their land/hedge?) in conjugation with CEC and Sustrans.
The immediate area is within the City Centre and Leith Neighbourhood Partnership, but Eildon Street and Eyre Place are in North NP.
Eyre Place is of course where one of Edinburgh's most notorious pieces of 'cycle infrastructure' is STILL waiting to be brought into the 21st Century.
That just needs a bit of money, some political will and (perhaps) more officer effort. Surely it's near the top of a 'wish list' somewhere, just 'waiting' for a bit of the "Cycle Budget"(?)
CEC is currently looking at places where more contra-flow cycle lanes can be introduced. Would be a bit embarrassing in any city trying encourage cycling if they 'needed' "CYCLISTS DISMOUNT" signs...!!
But even before that's dealt with, there are plenty of other things to be getting on with.
Remove this path-narrowing-nonsense -
Also various possibilities to tidy up the vegetation and plan for path widening on CEC land -
AND have some serious discussions about making improvements with land (presumably) owned by Tesco.
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