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WEATN - West Edinburgh Active Travel Network (WEL)

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  1. HankChief
    Member

    A thread for the Community Links Plus Finalist in 2017.

    Will it get funding?

    "West Edinburgh Active Travel Network - City of Edinburgh Council. This project proposes to transform the west of Edinburgh into high quality Dutch-inspired cycle and pedestrian friendly neighbourhood. Included in plans is the creation of an attractive, direct and convenient cycling and walking route from the Roseburn area to the major business district of Edinburgh Park. The route would connect popular locations within a cycleable distance of 1-5km. Destinations along the route would include the Edinburgh Napier University and Heriot Watt campuses, the Gyle shopping centre and business park, new housing developments at East Craigs and Cammo, and existing communities Stenhouse, Broomhouse, Saughton, Sighthill and Wester Hailes. This major overhaul would see one of the most car dominated parts of Edinburgh transformed into an active travel hotspot."

    Posted 6 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    Maybe Humza will finally realise that all shortlisted projects need funded(?)

    Posted 6 years ago #
  3. Stickman
    Member

    Are there any details of this plan published? The summary quoted above is all I've seen.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  4. HankChief
    Member

    I think details have deliberately been vague as it is wholly dependant on funding and then there woukd be consultation with stakeholders.

    I was part of the CEC delegation (as excited local) that presented it to the CL+ panel last month, so I've seen the plans but have been sworn to secrecy.

    My view is that they would make a huge difference to the Gyle and West Edinburgh, but then I'm probably biased.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  5. toomanybikes
    Member

    From what I can understand of the WEATN plans, it has to win. Much more ambitious than some of the others.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  6. gembo
    Member

    @stickman if you follow @hankchief's linkee in the related thread you see a picture of the west Edinburgh network and Woodside going Dutch in Glasgow.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  7. Stickman
    Member

    @HankChief: Good to hear that you're involved in this.

    My view is that they would make a huge difference to the Gyle and West Edinburgh

    Excellent - I hope it is funded (along with the others).

    Posted 6 years ago #
  8. piosad
    Member

    Is the picture in the link the shops in South Gyle Crescent? I would then assume that should it win (fingers crossed!) we will have CL+ funding rectifying the lack of foresight that went with the tram/Broomhouse path?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  9. chrisfl
    Member

    That looks like South Gyle Crescent. It would be pretty amazing to get funding and to see this level of boldness from the council (subject to actually seeing plans), but as chdot says really there should be funding for all these schemes,

    Posted 6 years ago #
  10. chdot
    Admin

    "Maybe Humza will finally realise that all shortlisted projects need funded(?)"

    This was a guess, but I had been tipped off that it was "good news".

    Well done PoP and everyone on here and FORTY YEARS of Spokes.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  11. HankChief
    Member

    I always thought that it would be very hard to waste the extra £40m p.a. on airy, fairy stuff without actually building more infrastructue.

    Still need to ensure that it is high quality though.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  12. HankChief
    Member

    "Included in plans is the creation of attractive, direct and convenient cycling and walking routes linking the major business district of South Gyle / Edinburgh Park to residential areas to the north and south. The route would connect popular locations within a cycleable distance of 1.5km."

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/2362/multi-million_pound_funding_boost_for_edinburghs_active_travel_future

    Posted 6 years ago #
  13. 14Westfield
    Member

    I would love to see the missing links of cycle&pedestrian bridges for the path that runs alongside the tramline to the Gyle.

    That is surely one of the most egregious infrastructure failures on Edinburgh's path networks.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  14. HankChief
    Member

    @westfield. It's not that.

    North - South route with improvements to Gyle Crescent that will encourage active travellers from all directions.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  15. HankChief
    Member

    Tory Ward councillor

    "Delighted to have backed the successful West Edinburgh Active Travel Network bid - great news for my ward & city as a whole."

    Posted 6 years ago #
  16. piosad
    Member

    I'm sorry, I don't quite get it (back to negative mode again?). The initial quote mentions the network going from Roseburn to EP, which sounds like either a Balgreen/Broomhouse or some sort of Western Corner / SJR routing, but now it's a north-south route. Not to underestimate its huge importance for local travel in the west but is it going to help commuters from further east? Put more pressure on the canal via Wester Hailes? Rely on the Broomhouse path with its myriad problems? SJR? We talk about joining things up and that doesn't sound like at all. I really hope I'm missing something.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  17. HankChief
    Member

    @piosad - good questions. The answer, I think, is that CL+ schemes are limited in size due to a maximum budget constraint and WEATN is pushing up against that limit.

    There are plans for the South Gyle Crescent (pictured) and improving connections into the Gyle/Edinburgh Park.

    Whilst not perfect, there are already 'Quiet Route' links heading East from the Gyle and so the focus (outside of the centeal area) of this project is a North-South route which can improve connectivity by creating a workable route where one previously didn't exist.

    This is not to say that future CL+ bids can't apply to fill the gaps you mention and with more money in the Active Travel pot, you have to hope that they have a good chance of securing funding - a lot will depend on CEC's capacity to deliver, ambition and successful implementation of in-train projects.

    The cycling revolution we all want is still going to take time but today marks a change of pace even if it doesn't get us directly to the end point.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  18. crowriver
    Member

    This appears to be the route. I'm sure we'll hear more once the plans come out for consultation.

    This looks 'best practice':

    Posted 6 years ago #
  19. acsimpson
    Member

    @crowriver, do you have a source for that map?

    It appears to use the existing East Craigs paths which may be a simple as a TRO removing the current cycle part of the vehicle prohibition. Despite the police calling the footpaths cycle paths in their press releases about Mayberry(sic) my understanding is that cycling is still officially not allowed on the local paths. I hope they will have the foresight to include all the whole East Craigs path network in the project and associated TROs.

    The route goes through Craigmount so the steps which are already the subject of a feasibility study will be included if they are not already fixed by the time this goes live.

    These are both things which Hankchief is/has been actively campaigning for. Is that why they invited you to perform the role of "Member of Public"?

    It then crosses the railway line somewhere at the west end of Gyle park which would be an entirely new crossing over (or under) the railway and far more direct than the current route which is best avoided.

    I'm not as familiar with the area south of The Gyle but the route appears to be fairly direct with only a little bit of wiggle so I assume it is another road with segregated lanes through Bankhead towards Sighthill.

    Despite the press releases it doesn't appear to directly link the 1600 new houses at West Craigs (at least I assume that is the ones they meant, although as this route will hopefully be largely built before the first residents are living there that is presumably to be expected. I imagine that the developers might try and use it to wangle out of paying for the new bridge at Edinburgh Gateway though so we will need to watch out for that. Connecting the main active travel path through this development to the East Craigs paths now feels even more important to me.

    While it will provide a nice route for travelling from the East Craigs area it doesn't appear to me to be direct enough to replace the requirement for a direct route from NCN1 to the north via Maybury to the Gyle. The large number of cyclists who currently use the pavement will probably continue to do so until Maybury Road itself is dealt with. Perhaps if the new route were to be given full priority when crossing any non arterial road it could serve this purpose for some commuters.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  20. gembo
    Member

    @acsimpson, does look like a road through Bankhead industrial estate which is plausible then it looks like the Greenway through wester hailes. Up the hill to the Lanark road

    Posted 6 years ago #
  21. Frenchy
    Member

    Despite the police calling the footpaths cycle paths in their press releases about Mayberry(sic) my understanding is that cycling is still officially not allowed on the local paths.

    Cycling is allowed on all footpaths, unless specifically prohibited by TRO.

    Cycling is not allowed on footways ("pavements"), unless the route is a "core path".

    The definition of a footway is a path which is "associated with a road". I've not been able to figure out how closely associated a path needs to be, to be a footway (does a grass verge in between the road and the path make it a footpath, for example?)

    I don't know the area, but looking at a map, I think cycling would be legal on the East Craigs paths, unless there's a TRO forbidding it (which itself is unlikely).

    Posted 6 years ago #
  22. HankChief
    Member

    @Frenchy- we went through this a couple of years ago. They are adopted roads.

    However when I went through the list of adopted roads they weren't on there, due to an oversight. They were then added to the list.

    This saga and more about the East Craig's Path network can be found on this thread

    Posted 6 years ago #
  23. chdot
    Admin

    "East Craig's Path network"

    Still never been on all the EC paths.

    The network is clearly a useful local asset that ought to be legal for cycling on.

    I'm sure that those supporting the WEATN will be able to judge if such existing paths are suitable for an increase in use that is the purpose of this scheme without adversely affecting pedestrians.

    Better infrastructure where people live is a good thing, but 'main routes' need to also be alongside/on roads.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  24. HankChief
    Member

    The main part of the project is in the Gyle with segregated paths alongside roads and away from roads.

    The route North is a smaller part of the plan and is about connecting with local housing areas.

    The obvious choices for a route appear to be Drumbrae, East Craigs Path Network or Maybury.

    It's then a weigh up between connectivity, directness and ease of implementation.

    Most of East Craigs housing has a path next to it and whilst it is a bit round the houses in East Craigs it will deliver you in the middle of the Gyle.

    It may not be ideal for commuters from further a field but the target is journeys of 1-5km.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  25. Frenchy
    Member

    @HankChief - Thanks. How frustrating.

    @acsimpson's idea of including the East Craigs paths in the TROs for this project seems sensible.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  26. acsimpson
    Member

    "Still never been on all the EC paths."

    @chdot, I'd offer to take you on a tour of them but I'm only a beginner. I've lived in East craigs for 12 years and still occasionally find paths I have no memory of going down before.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  27. crowriver
    Member

    @acsimpson, I found the images in a Spokes tweet welcoming the funding announcement. I presume they are official CEC images from their bid documents, given that they bear the council logo.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  28. Stickman
    Member

  29. piosad
    Member

    Positive to see a segregated link envisaged to the canal/Wester Hailes. Assume that will include improvements to the horrid S Gyle Access/Bankhead Drive guddle and a more formal cycle route along Wester Hailes Rd…

    Posted 6 years ago #
  30. neddie
    Member

    @piosad

    The map shows the route avoiding Wester Hailes Rd and taking hilly back roads instead

    Very disappointing

    Posted 6 years ago #

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