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St James Redevelopment

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Who is on it?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  2. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "Background

    2.1 Edinburgh St James Limited Partnership (the Developer) acquired the St James Centre, including the now vacant New St Andrews House (the former Scottish Office building next to the centre), in May and June 2006.
    2.2 On 4 June 2009, the Council granted outline planning permission for redevelopment, refurbishment and demolition works to provide a major mixed use
    scheme on the site of the existing St James Centre and New St Andrews House.
    2.3 On 14 June 2016, the Growth Accelerator Model Agreement (GAM) was signed on behalf of the Council.
    2.4 On 21 June 2016, the GAM was signed on behalf of the Developer.
    2.5 Set up under the GAM, the remit of the TMRP is to ensure that the Developer undertakes sufficient planning to minimise disruption to the level of traffic flow and pedestrian movement, within and around the development, during the construction works.
    2.6 The TMRP ensures that work is undertaken timeously and that the required approvals are in place in advance of commencement of any work. Where necessary, the TMRP has access to the Council’s traffic modelling capability to test traffic management scenarios and understand the possible wider impacts of the traffic management proposals to the city infrastructure network.
    2.7 Chaired by the Council, the TMRP consists of the Developer, the local Roads Team, Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, the emergency services, Council communications and specialist advisors as required (e.g. traffic signals, modellers, utility providers etc). The TMRP will make recommendations to the City Wide Traffic Management Group (CWTMG) as detailed in the GAM.
    2.8 All traffic management plans and proposals associated with the construction of the development from local footpath interventions, to major construction works, will be progressed through the TMRP process. Where necessary, and where advised by the TMRP, there may be a requirement to undertake detailed stakeholder engagement on particular aspects of the works associated with the development."

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/53634/item_78_-_leith_street_temporary_traffic_management_arrangements

    So, no active travel involvement. Quelle surprise...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  3. neddie
    Member

    Not sure who is on the TMRP.

    David Key is not on it, neither are Spokes. He is getting this info 2nd hand.

    Also from the TMRP meeting:

    At the TMRP meeting it was agreed that new signage is to be installed by Laing O’Rourke by way of a ‘map’. This will act as a further aid to both cyclists and pedestrians in their movements both northbound and southbound at Leith Street.

    Furthermore, cyclists ignoring stewards and travelling at excessive speeds northbound has been witnessed. Therefore, we would welcome the support from Spokes to engage with its members on the temporary arrangements on Leith Street.

    As if all cyclists are somehow members of Spokes and Spokes have control over their members! Ridiculous.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  4. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Spokes should tell them to ram it.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  5. neddie
    Member

    What would happen if a developer asked the AA or RAC to “engage with it members” if drivers were speeding, ignoring signs, etc.?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  6. crowriver
    Member

    "They may open up Calton Tce Brae to bikes."

    This already seems to have happened in a stealth/guerrilla stylee, i.e.. one of the barriers has been shifted to create a small bike-sized opening so that cyclists and pedestrians may enjoy Royal Terrace, Regent Terrace etc. with hardly any traffic to contend with. A small bonus from this hellish gyratory.

    Something similar has happened at the barriers blocking the (former) left turn filter lane from Montrose Terrace to London Road, though it seems a bit unclear how useful that is.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  7. wingpig
    Member

    There's now a wee fenced-off road-digging area on the east footway at the south end, generating a more pronounced cyclist/pedestrian conflict-generation zone between the end of the segregation and the exit to Waterloo Place. There was no string or cones between the pedestrian and cyclist bits a bit further down, but plenty of tabard-folk milling around.

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    Posted 6 years ago #
  8. jonty
    Member

    One non-"pedestrian interface" related thing to be aware of during the day: I just got an eyeful of demolition dust coming down at lunchtime. Ouch.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  9. wingpig
    Member

    Back when they were taking down that block between Lady Lawson and Lauriston Place with Tap O'Lauriston and Cas Rock (and the LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH graffito) my colleague and I (whose foot-route included Lady Lawson Street) would inevitably end up blinking up some swirling dust every day.

    I haven't tried Leith Street northbound yet, so shall try this evening, now that there are clear both-ways pedal-travel markings and a relatively simple-looking short section of footway before getting to the northbound Greenside exit-lane.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  10. crowriver
    Member

    " that block between Lady Lawson and Lauriston Place with Tap O'Lauriston and Cas Rock (and the LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH graffito) "

    Used to be the (Scottish?) headquarters of The Post Office. Remember them?

    Parental Advisory:

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    Posted 6 years ago #
  11. Min
    Member

    Wingpig I haven't tried Leith Street northbound yet,
    Just done this. Wasn't actually too bad and a friendly hi-viz chap prevented me from remounting into the face of oncoming traffic after the chicanes. (As it looks like that is what you are supposed to do)

    But the tiny bike lane cum pedestrian lane is an accident waiting to happen IMO.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  12. wingpig
    Member

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    At least the purpose of the fluorobods is more obvious going north - for anyone unfamiliar with Calton Roulette t would be easy to step into a live traffic stream.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  13. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    This can't be right.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    "This can't be right."

    Define right.

    (Perhaps not...)

    Right has got nothing to do with it.

    Developers don't care and can get away with it.

    Seem to be too stupid to realise that there could be a workable solution without the expense of people in yellow jackets.

    Is the 'building site' really that dangerous? If so close road to all traffic.

    CEC's role in this is either 'poor' or non-extent because they have passed it all to developers to do at arms length...

    Of course 'we' are just whinging - why shouldn't we push a bit so that drivers can use the Calton Road ratrun?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  15. Min
    Member

    I am very impressed at how they have made something so fiendishly complicated out of something that looks (to my untrained eye) to be pretty straightforward.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  16. gembo
    Member

    Was at Scottish parly for numeracy bash tonight. Went for 44 bus on London road by going up over abbey hill. Bit of a mess down that way too.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  17. crowriver
    Member

    "why shouldn't we push a bit so that drivers can use the Calton Road rat run?"

    Did you mean can't? The drivers are using the rat run in large numbers now, more than "usual". Hellish for pedestrians.

    @gembo, aye the gyratory is hellish too, the rush hour cars just block the junctions like idiots and cause big tailbacks. The lollipop ladies at Abbeyhill school are right fed up with it all after less than a fortnight.

    Just think, another year of this nonsense!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

    "Did you mean can't?"

    No.

    I was being ironic.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  19. crowriver
    Member

    "I was being ironic."

    Okay. :-)

    Posted 6 years ago #
  20. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    "This can't be right."

    Define right.

    (Perhaps not...)

    That's a very good point. This is starkly, obviously wrong. If that road is dangerous it needs to be closed. Hiring people to point downhill cyclists into oncoming pedestrians is going to get someone lamped, no doubt.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  21. wingpig
    Member

    Longer, slower clip:

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    That smallish excavator directly opposite the Greenside exit looks like a limiting factor in any rearrangement - hopefully it's digging out the central reservation, after which the northbound cycle bypass can go through that bit, without a need to dismount before Calton Road.
    It would be a lot easier if there were proper barriers in place, rather than cones, string and tabards - several non-vehicles find themselves on the wrong side of a flimsy barrier after trying to slightly cut a corner, due to the perversely orthogonal arrangements.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  22. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "TfE are now inviting ‘important stakeholders’ (i.e. locals) to Valvona & Crolla (Multrees Walk) on 22 and 23 September to be told ‘what this means for you’."

    "Significantly, there is no mention on the invitation of you telling them what you think about it, or of contributing to planning democracy by describing what you’d like to see at the start of the design process. As far as we can see, it will be all one-way traffic."

    "This enhancement is expected to include creating a three-lane gyratory with a building in the middle, narrowing the paved and tree-lined area outside St Mary’s Cathedral, and moving the Paolozzis to an as yet undetermined new location"

    WHEN: Friday 22 September, 4pm–7pm; Saturday 23 September, 10am–4pm WHERE: Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè, 11 Multrees Walk

    http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/picardy-place-changing

    Posted 6 years ago #
  23. dougal
    Member

    @wingpig, You missed out my favourite bit - where the left turn lane when entering Picardy Place roundabout has been entirely blocked by the world's largest street sign even though the lane it blocks is still in regular use.

    Also, I thought emergency services are supposed to still get up that route. Will the first person to see a fire engine go through that chicane please upload the video?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  24. wingpig
    Member

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    Maybe they suspected that being shunted a lane to the right was necessary to persuade drivers not to try going up it anyway, just to see if it was really closed; a U-turn would be tricky, if not impossible, given the absence of solid physical barriers.

    I assume that the approach of an emergency vehicle would result in all nine of the betabarded chicane-monitors leaping into action to scrape everything temporarily out of the way?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Hacked into pieces as part of the ongoing St James revamp. City of Edinburgh Council say the bridge’s removal is essential as they seek to increase pavement space on Leith Street and to implement a new two-way cycle lane.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/picture-goodbye-to-leith-street-s-bendy-bridge-1-4562644

    Posted 6 years ago #
  26. neddie
    Member

    A two way cycle lane that "gives up" just about where the bridge used to be

    Posted 6 years ago #
  27. Klaxon
    Member

    The developer's very first action was to build a new John Lewis HGV loading bay fronting on to Leith St up to the extreme limit of deviation of owned land, removing the old landscaped area

    'We need the width', no, you just took it away

    Posted 6 years ago #
  28. wingpig
    Member

    My southbound journey up the cycle lane this morning was conducted patiently a safe distance behind the fluorotabard steward walking up it.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  29. Stickman
    Member

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/first-look-plans-for-cycling-network-at-picardy-place-1-4564300


    Commenting on the works programme, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, City of Edinburgh Council, said ...

    “I’m pleased that the designs have been updated and improved to reflect feedback received from cycle and other interest groups, and that they now pay much closer attention to the needs of all road users, however they may be travelling.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  30. crowriver
    Member

    Hm. Are they seriously proposing placing two orphaned cycle lanes in the middle of that huge gyratory? Why no lane heading across Picardy Place on the northern edge towards Leith Walk?

    Otherwise the uphill cycle lane on Greenside Place looks okay.

    Posted 6 years ago #

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