What started as an exercise in thinking about sustainable mobility became, for many people, more about the social benefits.
Ghent looks nice.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
"Car-free Belgium: why can't Brussels match Ghent's pedestrianised vision?"
(23 posts)-
Posted 7 years ago #
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Ghent is nice - possibly just edged out Bruges on my I-could-live-here index whereas Bruges had a bit more touristy stuff. Ghent's Belfort was considerably more vertiginous as it didn't have wire mesh over the windows at the top.
Posted 7 years ago # -
About half the size of Edinburgh in population
Posted 7 years ago # -
“Before you do such things you have to work months and months and even years to explain it, to prepare people,” he says.
That's the key quote for me. I'm not aware of anyone articulating a vision (sic) for the way Edinburgh should be in twenty five years time, either Dutch cycle nirvana or 70's Glasgow carmageddon. All I ever detect is piecemeal multidimensional triangulation.
Oh, and Ghent is wonderful, at least to visit.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
Ghent Six Day: everything you need to know
"
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guide-to-the-ghent-6-87922
Posted 7 years ago # -
"I'm not aware of anyone articulating a vision (sic) for the way Edinburgh should be in twenty five years time"
How about thirty four years time?
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16958
(But it's a participatory process.)
Posted 7 years ago # -
“Before you do such things you have to work months and months and even years to explain it, to prepare people,”
I'm in two minds about this.
If there is a 'goal' it's useful to explain the process.
Obviously anything more than one electoral cycle away relies on fantastic foresight/optimism or general platitudes such as 'nice place to reside with decent accommodation and employment (or even quality leisure) for all'.
In transport terms, individual jet packs are probably out, as are instantly charging electric vehicles.
I'd settle for integrated public transport, (a bit like London where all you need is a credit/debit card and trust that the TfE computer will charge you reasonably), plus widespread, coherent, infrastructure for people to use bicycles.
With those two sorted there would be much less motor traffic.
However dividing the city into areas where you couldn't drive 'anywhere' might speed things up.
Could be controversial...
When I say 'in two minds' I'm conscious that Amsterdam and Copenhagen (and probably New York etc.) did stuff (like removing a bit of parking) without telling people.
In some cases without even telling the politicians.
UK legislative framework inhibits such things.
And (lack of) imagination and 'fear of consequences' doesn't help.
But of course Edinburgh/CEC is still better than some places.
At the walkcyclevote event on Saturday a tale was told of 'a large Scottish council' where officials wanted to do a few things but were told 'if it involves removing parking or reallocating road space, it's not going to happen'.
Apparently some officials call their councillors "dinosaurs".
No doubt some won't be re-elected next May.
But will their replacements be any better??
Posted 7 years ago # -
The Edinburgh 2050 Vision thing feels like the council is trying to get some proper buy-in to a vision for the future, which can then be the long-term goal they point to when people get shirty. Paul Lawrence made a plea to folk at the Transform Scotland event last month to post their views.
Whatever is done shouldn't be half-measures (see Brussels example in the article). Close the road and lay the new paving straight away. Make the environment look and feel nice and shop owners might like it.
What's striking about the photos of Ghent is how pleasant and homely the narrow roads look without cars parked all the way down them. Maybe the argument isn't that Edinburgh's medieval roads are too narrow for bike lanes, but rather that Edinburgh's medieval roads are too narrow for car parking. Stop obstructing the king's highway...
Posted 7 years ago # -
"The Edinburgh 2050 Vision thing feels like the council is trying to get some proper buy-in to a vision for the future, which can then be the long-term goal they point to when people get shirty."
Yes, but a problem is plans are also based on a degree of certainty - which is increasingly in short supply.
Just been reading the 1948 "Regional Plan for Central & S. - E. Scotland".
OK it wasn't thinking this far ahead, but there is a remarkable amount of space taken up with coal.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@chdot
That article makes Ghent sound really idyllic. It makes sense in so many ways to get rid of horrible, noisy, smelly motor vehicles from large parts of the city. There is literally no need to have tens of thousands of (single-occupant) vehicles driving into, out of and through Edinburgh every day. It's obvious to anyone with half a brain how much more pleasant Edinburgh COULD be with similar changes.
Here's hoping...
Posted 4 years ago # -
ThisIsEdinburgh
Posted 4 years ago # -
Edinburgh changes for Edinburgh people.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Apparently the incredibly powerful exhibition of Paula Rego paintings at the Dean Gallery has had some complaints. All from men. I asked if the complainers had a high Gammon content. THe staff member felt this was accurate. Auld Reekie remains the Reykjavik of the South. Actually Reykjavik much more progressive.
Thing is If you are 70 years old now walking around a gallery in Harris Tweed shooting jacket, pink cords and brown brogues - you were 17 in 1967 wearing kaftan and smoking the herb?
Posted 4 years ago # -
“17 in 1967 wearing kaftan and smoking the herb?”
You’ve swallowed the Swinging London/‘60s propaganda.
“
Despite shaping the popular consciousness of Britain in the 1960s, however, Swinging London was a West End-centred phenomenon that only happened among young, middle class people, and was considered "simply a diversion" by some of them.
“
Posted 4 years ago # -
We should set out own exhibition of George Street re-imagined with asymmetric non-exclusively-male statuary and cycleways everywhere to really set the gammon boiling.
Posted 4 years ago # -
OK in 1973 they grew beards and drove their motors round the Picardy Place Gyratory and down into the off licence in the train station they also drove to buy a half bottle of White Horse
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ghent was reasonably idyllic even back in 2009, prior to this change. There was a small sample of car-absence from the cobbledy central bits whilst they were replacing some setts on a few streets and doing some archaeology on some of the square. One notable difference between there and here was how worksites consisted of the work and the plant required, with no huge areas Heras-fenced off and full of contractors' cars and Portakabins. You were just trusted/expected to not fall down holes and trip over uneven surfaces.
e2009-10-21_10-56-48_2459 by wingpig, on Flickr
e2009-10-18_19-52-26_2222 by wingpig, on FlickrPosted 4 years ago # -
@wingpig - I was in Ghent around that time and thought it was very cycle friendly, not to mention a charming city. There was masses of cycle parking by the station and the city centre seemed fairly car-free. I have happy memories of sitting at a cafe drinking those fantastic beers as the cycles went by.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@gembo - ooh I didn't realise there was a Paula Rego exhibition on.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Rosie, I went with a friend and her husband, and afterwards she said she would have liked to have had a female friend there to talk to about the issues and feelings it brought up. Some disturbing stuff, beautifully painted.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Paula Rego on TIL April in the Dean Gallery. Over the road at the GMA there is a LIGHTER exhibition ABOUT light. Lot of lightbulbs, moonlight and glitterballs. Worth doing them both back to back. The light one shows just how great Paula Rego is and Also helpfully lightens your mood.
Paula Rego’s work reminds me of Goya’s war paintings.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ghent is one of the places that completed my epiphany about 5 or 6 years ago when I went on a wee holiday with my wife. It's really striking how peaceful the city centre is, despite the fact it is bustling with commerce. A lot of parallels with Edinburgh. It can be done here, no problem.
Posted 4 years ago #
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