Apart from a few vans and a huge stack of Heras fencing it looking almost clear between Castle and Frederick Street this morning. Lots of vans reeking of booze in the westbound all-vehicle lane looked like they were getting ready to head off.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
George St cycle lane
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Posted 9 years ago #
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I noticed a sign in Queen Street the other day saying the George Street cycle lane was going to be closed for a month from the 7th September. Does anyone know what that is about? Helpfully, the sign suggests cyclists "use alternative route".
Posted 9 years ago # -
Presumably the lane is to be closed so it can be removed. Until some reporting back has been done the street is being reverted to its pre-trial layout (because Reasons, none of which make much sense).
Posted 9 years ago # -
Well that is what I thought but to me, "closed for a month" is not quite the same as "being removed forever". But then, TiE.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The other question is 'why does it take a month to remove the sheds and burn some markings off'.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Allow some time to sweep up all the rat droppings underneath the decking, too.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago #
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Green councillor Nigel Bagshaw added: “While there are some procedural reasons for what is happening, I want real clarity that the end goal is a proper dedicated cycleway on George Street. Cyclists are weary of advisory lanes which quickly get clogged up with cars.
“More broadly, it’s now some years since the council commissioned Danish architect Jan Gehl to come up with a vision for a much more people-focused city centre. Progress towards that has been fragmented at best and it’s time to renew that commitment.”
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Posted 9 years ago # -
Apart from the concrete post-base across the mouth at the Charlotte end and one towards Castle Street, the lane was clear of static obstructions this morning.
The pedestrians who have become accustomed to wandering glancelessly across the cycleway will hopefully remember to start looking around them again when it becomes re-roadified.
I think we should install a ghost bollard, to remember those which fell in vain to protect the cycleway.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I think we should install a ghost bollard, to remember those which fell in vain to protect the cycleway.
A little garden of remembrance, a patch of green astroturf with a felled white bollard for each which was crushed, squished and bent into submission. Let their vehicle-induced horizontality not be in vain.
George Street Cycle Lane.
Gone, but not forgotten.
2014-2015.
R.I.P.** Replaced in Paint.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Danish architect Jan Gehl
Foreign devil. We know better. But not without a few trips to Denmark at taxpayers expense of course, just to make sure.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm amused / depressed by the typo in the photo caption on that EEN article. Bus lane, bike lane, what's the difference?
Posted 9 years ago # -
3 weeks ago I put in an FoI request asking what proposals Universal Arts had made to the Council (about the pop up bar) and what CEC's response was
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14657&page=6#post-195238It was my first venture into FoI land, and it will probably be my last, as the answer shed no light on the process imo. However, here is the full question and answer:
Question
“The 2-way cycle lane in George Street, Edinburgh was recently closed by a 'pop-up bar' and a notice on the barrier said that it would be closed until the end of August. Communication with the managing company, Universal Arts, indicated that Universal Arts had put forward plans to CEC to, a) maintain the 2-way cycle lane in operation during the Festival, b) arrange for additional cycle parking, and c) offer discounts to cyclists.I would like you to tell me, under a freedom of information request, what plans were proposed to the Council by Universal Arts under the headings a), b), and c) above, and what was the Council's response to those proposals.”
Our response:
a) Maintain the 2-way cycle lane in operation during the Festival
The event organiser (Universal Arts) provided to the Council a detailed event plan that was part of their Licensing application. It contained a commitment to retain cycling access to the block of George Street in question throughout the Festival. That was a commitment made to the Council as part of the application process. While the presence of this event (as with many other events during the Festival month of August in the city) caused some inconvenience and disruption to pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles, there was access provided for all of those users of the street. The roadway for vehicles and the cycle way for cyclists were not to the same extent or standard as access had been in the previous 11 months of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order on George Street. However, the commitment had been to maintain an access in both directions, and westbound cyclists were able to use the southern carriageway, while eastbound cyclists were provided with a segregated routeway.
b) Arrange for additional cycle parking, and c) offer discounts to cyclists.
These other two matters b) and c) were both matters that were not made as commitments to the Council, though the event organiser (of their own volition) did mention in a number of public (non-Council) meetings the possibility of providing additional cycle parking and discounted tickets for cyclists and others.
While these two ideas were both mentioned by the event organiser, they were not mentioned in any formal way to the Council so I can confirm that they were not part of the decision-making process, they were never commitments provided to the Council, and were not enforceable by the Council. You may wish to consider asking the event organiser why these offers (which seemed to offer additional benefit for cyclists and locals) did not materialise.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Went that way last night. The Charlotte Square end of the lane is still there, which confused me...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Didn't really evaporate after Fest.
Will take time - and more confusion...
Posted 9 years ago # -
There are a few badly-located signs up saying the George Street cycle lane is closed (for 4 weeks), although positioned from a driver's point-of-view so unlikely to catch the attention of many cyclists.
Dismantling of all the streetjunk that was part of the "experiment" (novelty, view-blocking planters; novelty, view-blocking art boards; novelty, view-blocking wine tents; novelty astroturf gardens etc.) is well under way and make the street more open, clear and pleasant to cycle than it has been for the last 12 months or so of the "experiment".
Posted 9 years ago # -
"...although positioned from a driver's point-of-view..."
I was actively looking for the "closed for four weeks" signs last week so managed to spot the one on the pole facing east on the north footway at the eastbound exit of George Street-onto-St David Street. Maybe it's there so that passengers on the top decks of buses heading from South-to-North St David Street are properly informed.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik
I was halfway through a comment last night to say it looks like no changes are happening in George Street. Decking and marquees still in place with diners in situ. Bike path still there and more accessible than it's been for the last month.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@dougal I think there were probably a fiew frantic calls to City Chambers yesterday to halt the trucks when the George Street proprietors saw the weather forecasts proved correct. Probably did as much fair-weather business in the eating and drinking tents last night as any good festival day.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Just discovered the true awfulness of the new painted George St cycle lane. Was riding east between Frederick St and Hanover St with the aim of turning right at Hanover Street to head up the mound to the old town.
Discovered that the cycle lane ends long before the advanced stop box on George Street and TURNS INTO A RIGHT TURN ONLY CAR LANE. So there I am on a cycle lane, wanting to turn right only to find myself in a left turn only car lane with a car behind me, a car in front of me, two buses in the lane to the right and the lights changing to green.
I had to cycle to the pavement and get off before I got hit. It was utterly unsafe. Who designs these things?
Posted 9 years ago # -
It sounds pretty standard for an advisory lane. Very poor, but standard. Take the right lane well in advance to avoid.
The lanes on that section of George St narrow considerably towards the junction with Hanover St, so gutter cycling is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention the bus stops and
illegal parking'loading'.Posted 9 years ago # -
"It was utterly unsafe. Who designs these things?"
"The lanes on that section of George St narrow considerably towards the junction with Hanover St, so gutter cycling is a recipe for disaster."
I was at the meeting thing about that. Things like give-up-before-the-junction lanes, surprise-direction arrows, INTO-THE-GUTTER-SCUM suggestion-paint and so on were definitely all pointed out to the council officer. FixMyStreet it and tweet and email the transport committee's council-people.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Met a cyclist heading eastbound down the middle of a now live westbound traffic lane between Frederick & Hanover St about 20 mins ago.
Lack of signage by CEC is going to get somebody killed.
Posted 9 years ago # -
So it's closed ex-cycle lane in 3 of 4 blocks and 2-way live traffic in one block.
Barking. The only way to get onto George Street at St. Andrew Square to head west is to go around the bollards and fences and down the ex-lane. The lights are gone at the junction with Hanover Street, but it's fairly easy to scoot across here. You are now entering the "new" (i.e. old) layout, with two lanes on each side for 2-way traffic, with a narrow painted cycle lane in the door zone.
Next stop, Frederick Street, where it's back to single direction westbound road traffic (but you could go east in the ex-lane if you wanted). I stuck with the flow here. Moving past Castle Street, again it's still one-way vehicle traffic westbound and an ex-cycle lane on the north side of the street. The only way to exit George Street by right turn / northwards is to scoot over to the ex-cycle lane as there's a no right turn at the Charlotte Square end.
If they maintain the no right-turn, I can't see how it's going to be possible to make a right-turn onto Charlotte Square, the obvious choice for anyone on 2 wheels trying to cut through past Register House.
Posted 9 years ago # -
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@CityCentreLeith: @CyclingEdin @LAHinds @AndrewDBurns Logged and passed to Roads Team for checking.
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Posted 9 years ago # -
Yep, had a look this morning for the first time. The easternmost, closed and removed lane, was actually a joy, because I just went past the barriers. Yeah, there's a sign up saying 'cycle lane closed', but with big gaps in the railings the road isn't closed - I guess I should see if there's a TRO closing the road while the removal works are under way. If not then it's fair game.
Without the street clutter it was just ideal.
The new (old) layout in the next section is barmy. Exactly why has a loading bay been put in when the businesses seem to have coped without one while the cycle lane was in? Now you're basically popped between a narrowed traffic lane, with people looking for parking spaces and not paying attention; and trucks unloading, with drivers swinging open doors etc.
I was wondering this morning if it had really all been set up to fail. It starts as far back as Leith Walk, as I rode up past the Playhouse, in the middle of three lanes so I could turn right at the roundabout, cars passing on both sides, one cutting in front, making me wonder if any novice cyclist was going to enjoy that (hell, I don't enjoy it). The push button for crossing at Hanover was never activated. At either end they never adequately joined it all up ("Ooh, get them to shuffle onto the pedestrian crossing bit and then we'll give them no guidance as to where to go once across"). The midway shimmy. The lack of enforcement of 'no cars'. And all in the knowledge that the process they have to follow means at the end it'll all have to be ripped up, put back how it was while they decide if it was a success (and perhaps as importantly, if they can afford to do the works a second time.
Shambles. Utter, complete, total, shambles. It's the type of thing would've made a good Yes Minister "Them's the rules" type of episode.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The odd thing is that I've seen more cyclists on George St in the weeks since the ETRO ended than I can recall even before Universal Arts-gate. Not sure why - students back & full of vim & vigour for new term?
Posted 9 years ago # -
*Might* just be that there really are "more of us"!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Oh, and I don't think the crossing at Hanover St was ever meant to be activated during the ETRO, given the dual Give Ways that were painted on the now-extinct lane. Not sure they were entirely legal/enforceable - a zebra crossing there would have been more sensible, but probably requires beacons installed.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Now you're basically popped between a narrowed traffic lane, with people looking for parking spaces and not paying attention; and trucks unloading, with drivers swinging open doors etc.
Not to mention people backing out from the centre-street parking...
Posted 9 years ago #
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