http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-36964236
Humza Yousaf on Radio Scotland making a point of mentioning cyclists as well as cars.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
'Urgent action' needed on Scottish roads
(20 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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It's really noticeable if you go somewhere else on holiday (e.g Wales) where the roads are maintained properly and then come back. In town even roads which have no potholes or cracks can be a bouncy uncomfortable ride on a bike (or in my car, which has hard suspension)
Posted 8 years ago # -
On recent trip to Arran with the bikes it was hilarious that the "terrible" condition of the roads was brought up by residents. I had never before traveled on such smooth roads and had no idea what they were talking about.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I know we've discussed this before, but in town the problem is the utilities - specifically poor reinstatement - not the roads themselves.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The minor roads in Northumberland are noticeably smoother than similar roads in the Scottish Borders.
Posted 8 years ago # -
My wife was in Christchurch (NZ) after the big earthquake in 2011 and her mum commented on the state of the roads, she reckoned that apart from the ones obviously ripped apart they were still better than Edinburgh's.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@dougal, aye I think sometimes folk just like to have a good whinge and can't see far beyond their own noses (vis the Roseburn lynch mob).
Posted 8 years ago # -
@SRD completely agree. If you get a chance, take a look at the quality of the patch on Falcon Gardens coming down from Newbattle Terrace. You could pick it apart with your bare hands. Best bit - they had the conundrum of dealing with a D lock left on a sign post. Rather than lift it up and surface round the post, they just left it there and partially submerged it into the tar. So now it's stuck there. It reminds me of that internet photo of the hedgehog that was painted over during road line painting that did the rounds a few years ago.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@dougal,
did you go to the South of the island?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@paddyirish
We were based in Corrie but according to Strava made it as far south as Kildonan round the east coast.
It was mostly the people of Lochranza and Brodick we spoke to.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@SRD:
Do utilities really fully explain the lunar state of places like Leith Walk? I think the volume of buses (and the inadequacy of either the build or maintenance spec) are another significant factor.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The road around Corrie have been recently resurfaced and are much better, but I would call those in the S and W corner pretty dire...
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Two in every five roads across the Capital need to undergo vital repairs, spending watchdogs reported today.
"
ttp://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/study-finds-40-of-edinburgh-roads-in-need-of-repairs-1-4193686
Posted 8 years ago # -
considine gardens- willowbrae area I got off bike to cycle on pavement as road was bad- got told off by grumpy man. @dougal I cycled the isle of arran many years ago- lovely - do they have any traffic lights yet on the island?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@mercury1and2 They had some temporary lights for road works but I don't remember any permanent ones. Maybe for pedestrian crossings?
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
The good news is that most types of roads haven’t deteriorated further, despite some pretty significant council spending cuts.
The bad news is there has not been much of an improvement either, despite a succession of such reports over the years, accompanied by various recommendations for action.
The simple truth seems to be that it’s a complicated problem and we don’t have enough money to fix it. But what it also boils down to is that Scotland has lived with the situation, and will continue to do so.
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
"The simple truth seems to be that it’s a complicated problem and we don’t have enough money to fix it."
As I said in the other thread on this topic yesterday:
"The Scottish Government intends to spend more than £9,000,000,000 on major trunk road projects in the next 15 years - more than three times what it would cost to bring every road in Scotland up to a decent standard. Yet, fixing our current roads is deemed unaffordable."
Top journalism from The Scotsman again.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Bit of fuss about not a lot -
(Unless badly filled potholes are a conspiracy to 'enforce' 20mph compliance...)
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Morningsider, I have engaged Alastair on Twitter about this. In fairness he does mention in passing (at the end of the article) "the billions pledged for new roads like dualling the A9 and A96". So he's aware of that, but presumably thinks (as many appear to do) that maintenance AND billions' worth of new roads are required?
It's that groupthink denial thing again, I suspect. What passes for "consensus" in Scotland, though never explicitly debated, ever. "Silent majority" style.
Posted 8 years ago #
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