So we can't have a bus lanes because it would displace traffic into local roads, but one of the improvements they are making is to repair the variable message signs telling drivers when there is congestion on the A90 so they can take alternative routes... through local roads one presumes...
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Posted 4 years ago #
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@Frenchy, I suspect someone in the council made the same mistake that Stickman made. The difference between two lanes and dual carriageway is one which I have found a number of well educated people making. Including one friend who was grumbling that they were stopped after doing 70 up an overtaking lane. They thought it was a dual carriageway but the policeman knew otherwise.
What I am more surprised about is that the error appears to have been made in a document which the Council's Road Services Manager has put his name too. Either he hasn't read it or he should know better.
Incidentally, my favourite dual carriageway is on Mull rather than widening a bridge while making a stretch of road bidirectional they built a parallel stretch and in the process created a single lane dual carriageway.
Posted 4 years ago # -
That would make a lot of sense.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@acsimpson: indeed - later on the report changes from referring to single carriageway to single lane:
“To the east of its junction with Telford Road, the A90 is effectively one lane in each direction so bus lanes could not be accommodated on this stretch.”
Posted 4 years ago # -
@acsimpson: my favourite dual carriageway is on Mull rather than widening a bridge while making a stretch of road bidirectional they built a parallel stretch and in the process created a single lane dual carriageway.
There used to be a stretch of single lane dual carriageway like that in Pembrokeshire, but the council eventually relented and widened one of the bridges. You can still see the old westbound carriageway on Google's satellite view.
Edited to add: There is apparently another stretch of single lane dual carriageway in Wales, documented in some detail here. According to Google Maps it's over a mile long, although the satellite view suggests that it possibly used to be longer. If you ask Google Maps to plan a route from one end to the other, and then reverse the route, it flips the blue line from one carriage way to the other!
That SABRE page also contains the slightly worrying fact that the A38(M) Aston Expressway is a [b]six-lane[/b single carriageway!!!
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Stickman, here's the A90 east of Telford Road. I count five lanes in total, including one bus lane, one parking lane, and three traffic lanes. Dunno what the middle traffic lane is for, but it would appear that, if you wanted to, you could add a bus lane and keep on-street parking on one side.
Posted 4 years ago # -
The latter part of the deputation from Lothian Buses is worth a listen
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ok, so I've had about 9 pints, but still - I despair that it's so hard to make people think "I'd like to take the car today, but it's too slow / hard to park / stressful". In my (9 pints down) opinion, so long as driving is the easiest or most convenient way, people will keep driving.
I guess the council is trying to change that, but any changes that affect drivers (Workplace parking levy, etc) are met with massive objections.
I suppose this was more of a moan than anything constructive. I'm going to bed.
EDIT: Also yes - the Lothian Buses deputation hits the nail on the head.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Anyone driving a single occupancy vehicle longer than three metres into Edinburgh is the climate crisis.
They are nudge proof
Congestion charge has to come in. Vehicles of three metres or under exempt? Might be tricky to enforce that one...
Posted 4 years ago # -
@EdinburghCycleCam
Next time, on my way in down Forrest Rd / George IV / Mound / Dundas St, I'm going to count the number of cars I pass (they are mostly stationary).
I reckon its maybe only 20 or 30 cars over ~1 mile causing all the gridlock and "chaos". Crazy when you think of the number of pedestrians on the same route.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@ejstubbs: Yes, but, the A38(M) Aston Expressway actually has 7 lanes in total, one of which is always an empty separator lane between the two directions of traffic (the number of lanes available for each direction varies according to the traffic flow at different times of day).
As the speed limit is "only" 50 mi/h, it's probably not massively unsafe that there is no solid barrier between the two directions.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Going for an overnighter tomorrow and delighted to find a 24 hour ticket on Borders Buses is less than £9 if you time it nicely could get a nice days riding at Glentress for that.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Twitter chatter suggests contactless is about to be rolled out, with a capped maximum charge. New bus stop posters showing contactless options and LB website updated with details.
Finally.
https://twitter.com/johnrobson87/status/1149051146172059650?s=21
Posted 4 years ago # -
Hope someone has a screenshot of the page, taken down again
Posted 4 years ago # -
Presumably says something similar to this, but applies to more bus services than just airport ones, which have been taking contactless since January.
Posted 4 years ago # -
The big news is seemingly price caps, which in one clean manoeuvre brings Edinburgh up to London standards of convenience so long as you don’t need to use a first or coach lines route
Posted 4 years ago # -
Klaxon: found this ;)
https://www.lothianbuses.com/contactless-private/Posted 4 years ago # -
What I want to know is whether I'll be able to use Contactless / Capping etc. for a child's ticket*. Mini Me is turning 5 this year and all the joy of not having to carry exact change because of the introduction of Contactless will be negated by the misery of... having to carry exact change for his tickets.
*I'm happy to use a separate contactless card for his tickets.Posted 4 years ago # -
Or you could start a campaign -
“
Children under 11 travel free on most public transport services when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, or with a 5-10 Zip Oyster Photocard.
Children aged 11 to 15 years old can get free or discounted travel with a Zip Oyster Photocard, or a Young Visitor discount.
Sixteen and 17-year-olds pay half the adult rate on Tube, DLR and London Overground journeys with a 16+ Oyster photocard.
“
https://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/do-kids-need-an-oyster-card
Posted 4 years ago # -
@chdot yeah, what do you reckon are the chances? Would be great though :)
Posted 4 years ago # -
“what do you reckon are the chances?”
High.
Probably take a couple of years.
It’s basically a Gov thing - UK + S - and how LAs and PT get funded.
And London being a special case, and...
All sorts of arguments about fairness (inc ‘subsidies for London’...) - low income families less likely to have access to a car.
More likely to get more families out of cars - some extra revenue to offset loss.
Ask LB if they are ‘aware’ of TfL age for free travel and ‘do you have plans to do the same’.
Worth having the reasons for “no”.
Then write to local councillors (LB 91% CEC owned) ‘how serious are you about Climate Change, cleaner air’ etc etc.
And all your MSPs with a range of arguments (possibly vary according to Party).
The next Scottish Parliament election is due to be held on 6 May 2021.
Write to party leaders and transport spokespeople asking them to put in next manifesto.
Cost? Dunno, ask TfL, ask SG cost of free travel for pensioners as a comparison. (Might be a lot more - no idea). Not arguing against free buses for pensioners, but is it only because they vote?? Less likely to have cars (like under 17s)?
Are there more families with young children than pensioners? (No idea).
Talk to Transform Scotland etc.
You’d not be asking for something outrageous or ‘new’.
Maybe LB would like the idea.
Maybe they could do it on Sundays.
“
Up to two children under five may travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying passenger who is responsible for them. Additional children under five will be charged the Child fare.
“https://www.lothianbuses.com/tickets
Mmm didn’t know that, thought it was only UKGov that didn’t like more than 2 children!
Good luck.
You’ll get lots of support from CCEers. Then try MumsNet (etc.)
Sounds like fun.
(Check no one else is already on the case, seems like a fairly obvious thing.)
Posted 4 years ago # -
For kids Lothian Buses still sell books of pre-paid CitySingle tickets for 5-15 year olds. You can buy these online at their web site and they'll post them to you free of charge.
I'm looking forward to contactless coming in, as currently using a pre-paid card loaded with single journeys. While convenient to use, topping it up is a bit of a pain sometimes. Also you don't always know how many journeys you have left on it. Also it only covers single tickets: to get a day ticket you need to buy pre-paid paper or buy on the bus with exact change.
East Coast and Borders buses already offer contactless, which is really handy if heading to East Lothian.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Took borders bus out of west Linton to Peebles today. 5 people in total on the bus. Walked the drove road back to west Linton. Great walking ok off road cycling till Romano bridge then would just go down the road (actually if walk again will just go down the road as the path is a massive diversion to avoid the grounds of Kaimes House). Had an astonishingly good cup of tea in the toll tearoom back in west Linton. Watched the Peebles bus head out. NO PASSENGERS. Confirm was contactless, just NO PASSENGERS
Posted 4 years ago # -
@gembo, and yet just the other day I saw a Borders Buses service 253 nipping along London Road on its way (eventually) to North Berwick. From what I could see it was chock full of silver and white haired people, mostly of a feminine persuasion from first appearances. Maybe a big WI gathering south of Dunbar somewhere? Or just a lot of happy shoppers coming back from the summer sales? Whatever the reason it looked busy. Mind you when I last boarded a 253 there were only 4 passengers, though we added a few others en route. It is a good service though: very handy for walking in East Lothian or Borders coast.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@crowriver fair enough, think heavy subsidies abound
Posted 4 years ago # -
I'm really curious about how they're going to handle the 43 and Skylink services as they have different fare zones. A secondary reader you use to 'tap out'? Simply make the Queensferry section £1.70 and add an off bus fare gate/reader at the airport?
Posted 4 years ago # -
@crowriver: "I'm looking forward to contactless coming in, as currently using a pre-paid card loaded with single journeys. While convenient to use, topping it up is a bit of a pain sometimes."
I too have a CitySmart (pre-paid single tickets) card. I only use it when it doesn't make sense to top-up my Ridacard e.g. when I'm planning to be away. It has become much more difficult to top-up the CitySmart since they closed the Hanover Street and Haymarket travel shops. You can't top it up at a Paypoint like you can with the Ridacard, so the only place you can do it at the moment is the Waverley Bridge travel shop. At this time of year that is frequently queued out the door with tourists and festival-goers, so capped contactless will be huge boon.
I can't use the m-tickets app because my phone is rooted.
At least when I need to get a day ticket the change is relatively straightforward (especially since I habitually keep a pot of one and two pound coins on my desk at home).
Posted 4 years ago #
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