CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"Alastair Dalton: Reclaiming roads for cyclists is a necessity"
(17 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
-
"
Alastair Dalton (@AlastairDalton)
01/09/2016, 22:41
Support for this in Glasgow already being shown by @HumzaYousaf re South City Way https://twitter.com/cyclingedin/status/771451172435718145"
Posted 8 years ago # -
Comments on Dalton's piece are, as usual, incredible.
You would think we lived in a world where cyclists were killing pedestrians at regular intervals. Car driving is so ingrained in the psyche now that most people just can't see past it.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Nice to see plenty of people calling out the nonsense.
Posted 8 years ago # -
He mentions traffic being "banished" for September's Pedal for Scotland. (Are any roads actually closed for this?)
Anyway, it's not even going to Edinburgh this year with the end point at Ingliston.
(
As spotted here in the D'Mains and Silverknowes asscociation newsletter.
"
Remember the traffic chaos last year on the day of the annual Pedal for Scotland event?
"
"The consequences were predictable and Cramond and Davidson’s Mains were effectively brought to a standstill for two or three hours. The good news is that lessons have been learned and the decision has been taken for the 2016 event to terminate at Ingliston.
"
)Posted 8 years ago # -
Several roads in central Glasgow were closed for PfS last year and maybe a few of the narrower rural roads. Most of the rest of the closures were a single direction/lane, if that, which made for some 'interesting' bottlenecks and a lot of the faster cyclists choosing to cycle on the wrong side of the cones until forced to move for other traffic. That is part of the reason why I didn't bother to sign up again this year. I hadn't even heard that it was going to be finishing in 'Edinburgh' at Ingliston until cb's post! I'm kind of regretting not trying the Tour of the Borders.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Last year they brought PfS up and over Ravelston Dykes, so I think it had more impact on traffic than in previous years when it mainly went along Route 1 (OK some impact at crossings). Not sure why, it looked like a lot of people massively struggled up the final hill.
This year people are understandably grumpy as transport is to/from Ingliston so people who are at their limit for the ride still have potentially another 10 miles to cycle to get the the start at the beginning of the day (to get the bus) and then home from Ingliston at the end of the ride. And it means you have a lot of un-regulated cyclists coming off the end of the ride rather than nicely marshalled ones. Or it just encourages people to put their bikes in the car and drive to Ingliston. Seems like lose/lose/lose all round.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The chaos at murrayfield was less from the ride's path and more from people parking all over the streets around stadium.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The epicentre of grumping about road closures this year will be Kirkliston & Winchburgh.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@cb
"The consequences were predictable and Cramond and Davidson’s Mains were effectively brought to a standstill for two or three hours."
I live in Davidsons Mains and, surprisingly, can't remember this standstill.
Oh, wait, that's because there wasn't one.
(The 2 junctions used by PFSers were easy enough for drivers to avoid.)
Posted 8 years ago # -
One or two of my neighbours in D Mains had their cars towed, because they ignored the "Don't leave your cars here or they'll be towed" signs. Quality Street was one way, it probably got busy at the NCN 1 crossing below Tesco... for a few hours on one day of the year.
Similar grumping about Tour of the Borders (saw a friend who lives down there repost something incredibly intolerant on Facebook before the event - I refrained from comment).
Posted 8 years ago # -
I'm actually really grumpy about them starting/finishing in Ingliston this year. This was not mentioned at all when I registered my son and I (though it was last year!).
I have had to fork out for tickets for the special tram service they are laying on to take cyclists from Haymarket to Ingliston, as I don't want to put an 11 year old through a long cycle to Ingliston so early in the morning, nor after he has completed 40 odd miles under his own steam. I understand why Murrayfield was off with the flood works ongoing, but Ingliston is a joke.
To top it all my son and I will still have to cycle through the city centre to/from Haymarket, dodging tramlines and traffic. At least from Murrayfield the NEPN is close by...
Grrrr. Last time for me possibly.
On the other hand, No.2 daughter may want to attempt it on the tandem next year...
They'd better sort out the finish point though.Posted 8 years ago # -
@Niall
"it probably got busy at the NCN 1 crossing below Tesco..."
I was out walking on the day - choosing a route where I'd see a lot of cyclists, including that crossing.
There were stewards stopping the traffic to let cyclists across. They were also stopping cyclists to let drivers past.
So, while the wait would be longer than usual for drivers, there certainly wasn't gridlock.
(I guess because Lauriston Farm Road offered an alternative route for cars.)
Posted 8 years ago # -
@crowriver - i take your points about ingliston not eing convenient, but I can't see a huge difference in getting to Haymarket versus Murrayfield. Either just take NEPN and then Peter Gregson's favourite route to Haymarket, or go from meadows, through to canal, and then follow the route from Leamington Bridge to Haymarket. A bit fiddly, but no worse than getting to Murrayfield.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@SRD, aye will probably head onto NEPN: longer but quieter. Mind you Princes Street will be be pretty quiet early morning, so maybe go that way on the way there, NEPN on way back.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@crowriver - why not holyrood, meadows, canal? should be fine on a sunday morning, and 97% car free anyway? can send you a route if you want - I know someone who's lived on viewforth for years and only just found that route to haymarket.
ps - also think Princes st probably fine if you're heading early in the morning.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Princes Street is more direct. I've done the Holyrood park thing, it's the section around Tollcross that's a bit hair-raising sometimes. Might go Meadows/park on way back, as the park may still be closed to traffic...
Posted 8 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
