"1st of which is can it be opened to cyclists and pedestrians?"
Good for her. Presume it will have to be answered.
There is a rail shuttle to Dalmeny - it continues to Haymarket.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
Avoid FRB tomorrow
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Posted 9 years ago #
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Or does she mean bike shuttle if bridge won't be opened for bikes?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Also, does this look like a barrier Amey are planning for a lot of vehicles to pass through?
It's a construction site, don't you know! It will naturally have tons of cones and stuff that laymen can't cope with.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I will monitor in next few weeks but traffic on my commute west wards through Edinburgh was very light. Surely the congestion is not all folk heading to the bridge?
Posted 9 years ago # -
St John's Road is noticeably quieter.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I walked to the train station and got the 15:07, was home before 4pm. Quite civilised really, normally get home just before 7pm.
There was something about the London tube strikes, and people finding their optimum commute as a result. Train saves me about 90 minutes every day over bike going over the bridge, how much time did everyone save today having to use the train?
Posted 9 years ago # -
A colleague said that the South Gyle station car park was full before 7am today.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Taking the train today cost me ~1/2 hour and I was uncomfortable and grumpy. I'll be even grumpier and a lot fatter by new year as well and I dread the thought of this lasting more than 3 weeks, which I suspect it will.
Dalgety Bay Station was full by about 6.45 as well, though the morning train didn't get too crowded until we reached the South side of the bridge. The 1702 from South Gyle was pure misery however...
Fingers crossed the engineers get this sorted ASAP
Posted 9 years ago # -
We're planning Christmas. Family in north Fife, us in Edinburgh. Want to avoid 5h driving to and fro on Xmas day, does anyone know if there will be trains running?
There are no public transport services between Fife and Edinburgh on Christmas Day.
Usually I walk across the bridge with my partner early in the morning and catch a 40 bus from Sth Queensferry into town to attend a family meal and dispense presents to children.
We then reverse this journey on the way back later in the evening.
Not this year though. I'm not swimming across the Forth or getting a taxi via Kincardine.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Looks like trains ok out with rush hour but car parks full by 7a.m.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The Facebook post from Andrew Carrie Traffic and Transportation suggested that only 33% of traffic crossing the bridge went into central Edinburgh...
However, looking at the transport Scotland report from 2006, it looks more like 61% of traffic is travelling to the North, West and centre of the city, with a further 17% going to the city bypass (and possibly on to East Edinburgh / East Lothian). If we assume half of that 17% is going to East Edinburgh, then it is nearer 70% of traffic going into Edinburgh. See: http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/report/j8512a-07.htm
Do I get a prize now, for correcting the 'internet'? :P
Posted 9 years ago # -
I take the train from Fife to Edinburgh in the evening and usually take my bicycle on the train. I'm glad I didn't tonight though. The train was full by Inverkeithing (aisles full with standing people), lots of people left behind on the platform, including I think 2-3 bicycles at Inverkeithing and 4 bicycles at North Queensferry. This was the normal two carriages, no extra capacity.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
@SpokesLothian: #Forthroadbridge: bike commuter & spokes member Alasdair Alexander on GMS 6.35am Tues->https://t.co/OUsr9AlMgT @BBCGaryR @edfoc @CyclingEdin
"
Posted 9 years ago # -
Looks like I've got myself on radio Scotland tomorrow morning at about 6.35am, speaking as a commuter and Spokes member. I hope to get an answer to the question, "why a blanket ban?" and also "is it possible to find a way to make cycling work?" Discussion will be based around different people's experiences normally vs post closure.
Sorry, won't be mentioning crypto-fascism, but, if there is a follow-up...
Posted 9 years ago # -
What about mopeds and motorbikes? They don't cause any real impact on the bridge either. They should also be included in any exemption from the closure, yes? Horses too?
What other 'out' groups should be allowed access?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Good luck PaddyIrish:
The only tip I've heard about doing radio is to think what you want to say in advance and then say it in answer to your first question (whatever that might be - may need some crowbarring) in case you don't get asked again/the conversation moves on.
HC
Posted 9 years ago # -
I didn't notice 'HorseDonkeyMuleAss' on the vehicle breakdown stats. I'd be surprised if anyone has been regularly commuting across the bridge on an horse, given how far out bridge staff have been seen to flip at something as unusual as a unicycle. Maybe they were counted as 'LightGoodsVehicle' if they were towing a small cart of appropriate axle weight.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
And he insisted that repair work on the structure should be finished in early January, contradicting claims by one expert that it may never open again to heavy vehicles.
"
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/forth-road-bridge-selfie-danger-warning-1-3969330
Posted 9 years ago # -
Good work PaddyIrish.
Shame you weren't on first - the guy before stole some of your thunder but you still got your points across.
It was also a pity the car driver's line cut out. Would have been helpful to hear how bad driving was to make people think about alternatives.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Missed it by seconds. Was an early start. Interested in hankchief's advice. I once went on a course about engaging with the media. At that time the advice was to have only three points. Down to one now?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I missed the 6:03 this morning (my fault), so had to get the 6:37. Train took a wee bit longer to get to Edinburgh so I enjoyed a slightly longer morning nap than yesterday morning.
I don't see many stories of calamatous attempts to get to work on this thread, so I can only assume that everyone is somehow managing to get to work with as little fuss as me, despite the pressures being imposed on them by corporate England, or something?
Posted 9 years ago # -
The Scottish Establishment is made up of crypto-fascist individuals, in my view.
Fortunately I'm in Berlin for now and have thus removed myself from the commuting mire.
You're having such a great time Baldcyclist, perhaps you should get that annual train ticket in January !
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago #
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@Baldcyclist.
A bit of an "I'm alright Jack" post. Not everyone has the ability to leave home early and not everyone lives near teh start of the train service.
I think you at Burntisland will be OK to get on trains nice and early, before the bulk of the passengers join Dalgety Bay seems to be the borderline case. Those who join at Inverkeithing and later really struggled and many were left on the platform. I was on the 7.08 from Dalgety Bay and it was really unpleasant.
Similarly in the evenings, those who get on at Waverley/Haymarket will probably be OK, but South Gyle and beyond saw a lot of people left on the platform. Yesterday a grandmother and two young kids got wedged on at Dalmeny (the alternative was staying on the platform) and you could see they were really scared. Not nice for anyone.
Posted 9 years ago # -
People were still getting seated at Dalgety Bay on my train.
Yes, there are long queus at Inverkeithing, but the staff are working admarably to get everyone into Edinburgh. Of course it's not pleaseant for lots of people, but everybody is getting to work, and getting home.
Those who can work from home, or change their working hours temporarily, should.
I mentioned last week the impact the bridge closure will have on our childcare arrangements, and my wife getting to work (now having to do 5:30am - 10:30pm days, she's not complaining either), but with some forward planning, and some putting up with some long days for a short time we'll get through this.
The long and short of it is, it's happened, it's not particularly pleasant, but each and every one of us have a responsibility to deal with our own circumstances and get on with it.
I don't particularly like getting up at 5am either, but dems the breaks, I need to get to work. Instead of complaining about it I'll get on with it. :)
We'll also be getting our 11 month old up at 5am tommorrow with us to walk to the train startion and get him to his childcare.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@paddyirish 'scared'. That's really sad. I hope people tried to be accommodating? I'd normally expect better from folk on trains around here.
I do wonder if anyone's reflecting on how our planning (or lack thereof) is being shown up here. We've facilitated bedroom/dormitory towns and commuting/shopping from long distances, but failed to invest in the Infrastructure to make it sustainable. Will there be any political learning?
Posted 9 years ago # -
That is fair enough, but still doesn't mean that everyone, including the authorities, shouldn't take as many steps as possible to minimise disruption. If they can stake steps to tune the operation so that your wife gets home at 9:30 rather than 10:30, (unless you hate your wife), I assume that would be preferable.
And looking at allowing cyclists across the bridge may make it a little less busy on the trains and the roads, which may make the difference between folk getting on a train and staying on the platform). Again a good reason to deny access will will put this line to bed, but there hasn't been one yet. Quoting "health and safety" without specifics, is just putting head and sand and saying "I don't want to talk about it"
Posted 9 years ago # -
Now, soon there will be two road bridges to maintain and a vast increase in overall maintenance costs. One bridge will be for buses and cyclists, the other for cars & lorries.
Which one will get the lion's share of the maintenance funds and which one will be allowed to fall into disrepair?
Let me think for a moment...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Quoting "health and safety" without specifics, is just putting head and sand and saying "I don't want to talk about it"
That seems to be entirely true - and unhelpful.
To be charitable, they have bigger things to worry about than a few hundred people wanting to cycle across the bridge.
BUT
Those people would make the marginal difference of fewer people being left on platforms.
IF the bridge was open to pedestrians too, that could really make a difference. Even a one way flow for an hour each way - 7-8 southbound 6-7 northbound??
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'd be surprised if anyone has been regularly commuting across the bridge on an horse
Fred Dibnah took his traction engine over it pulling a wooden gypsy caravan. "hump" of the bridge wasn't great for maintaining water levels in the boiler.
Posted 9 years ago #
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