from the boardwalk cafe fb page
COUNCIL NONSENSE ON NO BIKE RACKS FOR PROMENADE! To be clear we asked for bike racks for whole promenade NOT outside cafe in isolation!(Huge number of bikes in photo) - Scotland’s Bondi Beach and a key Council manager says “No Bike Racks because the runners will run into them and we can’t be seen to be favouring your business”, yet the same Council delivers massive pre-graffitied bin to sit on promenade alongside existing park benches, all of which are larger than bikes and bike racks!!! Welcome to Edinburgh, Capital City of Scotland - the dynamic vision for healthy lifestyle and coastal living (despite having huge numbers of promenade visitors, stunning scenery and massive unfulfilled coastal potential)!!!
For much of the last 3 years, Boardwalk Beach Club have been asking for bike racks along the whole 3 mile Cramond Foreshore Promenade, 3 miles North West of Edinburgh City Centre, stretching from Cramond village, through Silverknowes Beach to Gypsy Brae. 2 years ago The City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) Cycling Team visited and were excited by the prospect of adding cycle racks to the promenade, at various locations, at each end of the promenade, along the prom and including some bike racks to be situated outside Boardwalk Beach Club. Happy Days. This seemed logical, as the Council were actively promoting Health, Cycling, Walking and Active Travel.
The photo here shows huge bike usage locked to fencing but along most of the promenade where there is vast open space and lack of facilities, bikes get chained to signs, benches, around litter bins or lie on the grass and are at risk of theft due to lack of adequate provision for bike racks.
Unfortunately, when the CEC Cycling Team came for a second visit with the Parks Department, Boardwalk Beach Club and the Cycling Team were told by the Parks Department that they could not be seen to be favouring our business and that they could not add bike racks to the promenade because “runners would run into them” and they said they would have to go out to Cramond consultation on the matter.
The City of Edinburgh Council Cycling Department and Boardwalk Beach Club were duly unhappy and astonished to say the least. Why waste money consulting over the question of acceptability of Bike Racks on a 3 mile promenade when it’s 13 metres wide, 3 miles long and when it already has many park benches and bins dotted along the promenade? The Parks response was to block the introduction of bike racks and so nearly 70 years there has never been any bike racks from Cramond to Gypsy Brae on the 3 mile promenade despite the council publicly advocating healthy lifestyle, yet privately ignoring it on Cramond Foreshore Promenade - one of the city’s most neglected assets. It beggars belief that the Parks Manager for Edinburgh North could suggest consultations for bike racks on a promenade and suggest runners may run into them and it also comes, ironically, shortly after the same Council delivered massive 1100 litre pre-graffitied bin to the same coastal stretch which benefits from the best coastal views in Edinburgh. Council officials have been stressing that they can’t install bike racks because of the runners or be seen to be favouring one business in the city - Boardwalk Beach Club - despite Boardwalk Beach Club making a massive contribution to the regeneration of the promenade - more so in two years than any council action over 50 years!
Indeed, huge numbers of small businesses and others are benefiting from bike racks being installed in multiple locations throughout the city so why are we any different??? Hypocrisy and nonsense beyond belief. Boardwalk Beach Club and Cramond Foreshore Promenade seem to be being negatively discriminated against. Boardwalk Beach Club feel that some people in CEC people should pursue their passions and make things better for the common good, not pursue negative and blocking tactics which neglect, waste and do not lead to huge potential being fulfilled or realised. Let’s make this place awesome, not stifle, neglect or waste our resources in what is such an amazing situation. 50 years of decay, decline and unfulfilled potential must stop now and this amazing place, which is now being experienced by so many, should be treasured and nurtured.
The Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes Association have also picked up on our call for bike racks and raised the issue with the council mid way through last year.
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