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Dalmeny to Newbridge Cycle Path - Maintenance

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  1. Rosie
    Member

    Volunteer work is under way to improve the Dalmeny to Newbridge Cycle Path.

    The council are well aware of this path but, after relaying a small section of it, they have no immediate plans to improve it. This is a real shame, especially as it links such large employers as Edinburgh Airport and RBS with the burgeoning residential areas of South Queensferry, Dalmeny and Kirkliston.

    Peter Hawkins, Spokes Planning Officer, and Jim Watson, a keen cyclist regularly commuting along this path, have spent time improving the drainage at some of the worst sections. We will continue to undertake voluntary work so that this path can be safely enjoyed by cyclists, runners and walkers alike.

    As we are now well and truly into Spring I would very much like to publicise this path a great way of enjoying some exercise whilst exploring the local countryside. It is certainly a much more pleasant alternate route to the very busy B800 where a cyclist was knocked down and killed a couple of years ago.

    Anyone who would like to get involved in helping to improve this cycle path is invited to contact Peter Hawkins through Spokes (spokesATspokes.org.uk.

    https://www.facebook.com/169099526468801/photos/a.968439659868113.1073741827.169099526468801/1133236020055142/?type=3&theater

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "The council are well aware of this path but, after relaying a small section of it, they have no immediate plans to improve it."

    Which really is scandalous but fits in with CEC's normal notion of 'only doing paths that a lot of people use'...

    (Almost) no-one used the Lasswade Road to Straiton Pond route until it was done at great a expense (well worth it). Even now I suspect more people use the Newbridge path than the one to Loanhead.

    This one really should be regarded as both a serious potential commuting route as well as a really nice leisure route.

    Could have been done for pennies (relatively speaking) as part of the the new Forth Crossing project.

    But of course things aren't like that in 'the real world'.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. duncans
    Member

    Forth Crossing project seem to have spent a lot of 'active travel' money on railings, lights and dismount signs. Job done!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. Stickman
    Member

    I didn't even know about it until reading this thread. What sort of condition is it in currently?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. paddyirish
    Member

    Well, the cooncil are not discriminating against active travel here- they treat it with an equal degree of contempt as Lochend Road - Bug Alley is the smoother surface...

    Have limited time available but will email Peter to see if there is anything I can do to help.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. paddyirish
    Member

    @stickman, depends on the weather, but after rainfall there are a number of puddles which are best embraced (with mudguards). Absolutely passable with a hybrid/cross bike and a pleasure to ride. wildlife as well deer, owls and one confirmed sighting of a badger by a fellow rider.

    Dog walkers are almost unfailingly proactive in stepping aside and very cheery (1 incident in 4-5 years).

    I shouldn't tell this one, but come September, the hedgerow bounty is great. Have made great hedgerow vodka the last 2 years based on pickings while on my commute home.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. Stickman
    Member

    @paddyirish - cheers, I have a mudguard-equipped cross bike so I'll be investigating soon....

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. Rosie
    Member

    @Stickman - on past experience, slewy mud.

    I didn't know it until about a year ago. It starts at the Newbridge roundabout but it's not signposted. It's a lovely path that goes through Kirkliston and ends at Standingstane Road, near Dalmeny.

    I often do a scenic circular route - Canal to Ratho - road to Ratho Station - walk across bridge over A8 - path to Dalmeny and then through Dalmeny and back along NCN1.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    South Queensferry circle leaflet

    https://www.evernote.com/shard/s4/sh/675da3d5-46d2-4ea8-bcaa-927248086975/b2d35a21852716f036f027526cb39381

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/news/local-news/dalmeny-cycle-path-given-face-lift-by-volunteers-1-4104150

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    A previous thread for this route -

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5119

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Path-work volunteers for Dalmeny-Kirkliston path

     Local resident Jim Watson is so fed up with the muddy state of the railway path Dalmeny-Kirkliston- Newbridge (leading to the A8 path) that he is taking action to clear the drainage ditch himself, and is being assisted by Spokes's Peter Hawkins. They would really welcome a few other volunteers to join them. The next session is this Thursday, 5 May, 10am-1pm. Peter says...
    ◦ Activities:digging out the side ditch, and clearing overhead vegetation and vegetation in the ditch.
    ◦ Tools needed: loppers, bowsaw, secateurs, spades. Stout footwear. Peter and Jim, the organisers, come by bike so can only bring a limited number of tools.
    ◦ Please email if you are coming and if you can bring any tools. Parking may be available on Standingstane Rd, which runs parallel with the path. Email: peterhawkATphonecoop.coop
    ◦ Meeting point: on the path, about 1.2km south of Dalmeny; access from Standingstane Rd or Carlowrie Rd. Work area is near the bridge which carries a minor road which runs west from Standingstane Rd to the B800; the path is in a deep cutting at this point. Also near the former Royal Edinburgh Yards.
    ◦ Please be aware that if you volunteer you are entirely responsible for your own safety and Spokes will take no responsibility for any injuries.

     Finally, the real solution is for the path to be tarmaced, but it is not sufficiently high on the council's cycling projects priority list. It is galling to see the km of new road-building going on in the area due to huge new housing areas – and the new Forth Road Bridge – and yet none of these developers is required to create decent cycling access, even though the path leads to major employers such as the airport and RBS, via the A8 path from Newbridge. If you use this area, consider raising this with your councillors and MSPs.

    "

    http://www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/1604-30-action-update.pdf

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. HankChief
    Member

    Some promising noises from Cllr Lang on FB.

    https://www.facebook.com/1027629967354323/posts/2291876484262992

    "SUCCESS ON KIRKLISTON / NEWBRIDGE WALKWAY
    We are pleased to see that our pressure to get the Kirkliston/Newbridge walkway foliage cut back has paid off.

    The trees and bushes had become so overgrown that parts of the path had become almost impassable.

    As we reported a few weeks ago, we have also convinced Council officials to apply for new funding for a possible major upgrade to the whole walkway. We will keep residents posted on this."

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. Dave
    Member

    That's good. We tried to go along there a couple of weeks ago when we didn't have enough car spaces to get to South Q with house guests, but it was insanely overgrown.

    Surely they won't get a surface/lights upgrade while the Water of Leith remains a darkened mudbath?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    “Surely they won't get a surface/lights upgrade while the Water of Leith remains a darkened mudbath?”

    Depends if Newbridge area residents are likely to object -

    and if Colinton to Balerno area residents still want to ‘retain rural character’ (and object to tarmac more/again).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. duncans
    Member

    Is it passable at the moment?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  17. paddyirish
    Member

    Passable, absolutely. The Darian Gap may be deemed to be impassable. I know it has been cut back from Kirkliston as far as the slope down to the waterworks on Gogar Station Road. For some reason, the last 200m to the Newbridge roundabout was still overgrown as of last week. No idea about the Dalmeny to Kirkliston section.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  18. HankChief
    Member

    Lochend road. (Not GSR)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  19. paddyirish
    Member

    Thank you!

    Posted 5 years ago #

  20. duncans
    Member

    It was exactly as paddyirish described. More undulating than I remember though. Could do with being paved...

    Posted 5 years ago #

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