CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Route help please: Haymarket Yards

(12 posts)
  • Started 6 years ago by ejstubbs
  • Latest reply from wingpig
  • This topic is resolved

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  1. ejstubbs
    Member

    My office will be relocating to Apex 3 on Haymarket Terrace shortly. We are promised secure bike parking - hurrah. As far as I can see, access to same will be from Devon Place, off West Coates. I'd like to be able to get there without using either Haymarket Terrace or West Coates. It would seem logical that I should be able to do this from the Roseburn Path-Balbirnie Place-Haymarket Yards corridor, but I can't tell for sure on any maps whether there's a way through from there that would get me to Devon Place.

    Looking at Google Street View it looks as though there's a way through from the new Devon Gardens development that links up to Haymarket Yards, or else to the shared use path next to the tram tracks, but it appears that the Google car never actually went down Devon Gardens (link).

    Alternatively, there is a mysterious-looking staircase which appears to lead down from Devon Place in the direction of Haymarket Yards (link) but I've no idea where it actually goes. In any case, having to heft the bike up a set of stairs would be a bit of a drag.

    Anyone know the area well enough to tell me whether there is a way through, or if I have to resign myself to mixing with the traffic on the main roads round there?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  2. stiltskin
    Member

    Pretty sure you can’t access it from Devon Place,although I can’t remember going down there. I think there is a big wall in the way. Don’t know about the stairs

    Posted 6 years ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

    OSM isn’t infallible, but I suspect not -

    https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=17/55.94448/-3.22618

    Posted 6 years ago #
  4. Stickman
    Member

    I'm pretty sure there isn't access. This was one of the (many) problems with the "Roseburn Vision" - no access from Balbirnie to Devon Place, and the "Vision" would need compulsory purchase on some land to get it.

    To be honest I don't find Wester Coates too bad, especially if you are heading west to get to Balbirnie when the bus lane is in operation. If you really don't want to cycle on Haymarket Terrace then it isn't too far to walk from Haymarket Yards to Apex 3.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  5. Rosie
    Member

    I'm pretty sure there's no cut through. I echo Stickman - I don't find Wester Coates too bad, & commute on it, though not now with the present works at the Haymarket.

    Alas, alas that we didn't get a path connecting the NEPN and Magdala Crescent behind Donaldson's.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  6. West Coates is fine traffic wise, its the surface thats rubbish!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  7. ejstubbs
    Member

    OK, thanks all for the local knowledge. Looks like I'll have to scope out an acceptable route in person before we up sticks.

    I think it would be a lot more straightforward if the Haymarket Terrace roadworks hadn't happened. If that mess wasn't in the way then I'd be happy to go all the way through Haymarket Yards and then hang a left along Haymarket Terrace.

    @Stickman: no access from Balbirnie to Devon Place, and the "Vision" would need compulsory purchase on some land to get it.

    From online maps/Street View there seem to be places where there's nothing but an old wall, a bit of pavement and some grass between the two routes! Can't they just get some kind of agreement for access, rather than having to get a CPO? Or they could have made it a condition of the planning permission for the Devon Gardens development. (Mind you, some people do seem strangely antipathetic to having "their" roads used by a few of their fellow citizens for the apparently nefarious purpose of getting from A to B.)

    I know, I know: I'm probably taking a naively simplistic view of an issue which has already defeated the country's cleverest legal minds and most skilled diplomatic negotiators...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  8. gibbo
    Member

    One imperfect solution would be to leave Roseburn Path at W Coates Terr, then go W Coates Ave, W Coates Rd.

    Then, if you don't want to use the bike lane, wheel your bike 110m, then cross at the traffic island to get to Stanhope St.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  9. chdot
    Admin

    “Mind you, some people do seem strangely antipathetic to having "their" roads used by a few of their fellow citizens for the apparently nefarious purpose of getting from A to B”

    Yes, footpaths too.

    “I know, I know: I'm probably taking a naively simplistic view of an issue which has already defeated the country's cleverest legal minds and most skilled diplomatic negotiators...”

    You do yourself a disservice.

    ‘Though you make the mistake of assuming that clever minds were involved.

    More likely that no-one even bothered to look at it.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  10. ejstubbs
    Member

    @gibbo: Thanks, that looks like an acceptable option. I actually wouldn't mind turning left on to the bike lane from Wester Coates Terrace to get to the Stanhope Street junction. It's right turns on busy roads that I prefer to avoid, and crossing on foot at the refuge could be a good solution to that, so thanks for pointing out that it's there!

    @Rosie: Alas, alas that we didn't get a path connecting the NEPN and Magdala Crescent behind Donaldson's.

    Agree: that would have been perfect for me!

    Anyone familiar with the cycle route shown on OSM that joins Wester Coates Gardens from the WoL walkway? I assume (based on knowledge of the steps from the WoL to Magdala Crescent) that it'll be quite steep?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  11. claire3000006
    Member

    Yes, steep and muddy! Not sure I would call it a 'path', never mind 'cycle path'.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  12. wingpig
    Member

    "Anyone familiar with the cycle route shown on OSM that joins Wester Coates Gardens from the WoL walkway? I assume (based on knowledge of the steps from the WoL to Magdala Crescent) that it'll be quite steep? "

    "Yes, steep and muddy! Not sure I would call it a 'path', never mind 'cycle path'. "

    Didn't stop it being selected as part of the SPIECN, though.
    It's not that steep, but it's muddy enough to be too steep if it's too wet.

    Posted 6 years ago #

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