CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.

Idea - Leith St cycle lane closure - memorial event?

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  1. DdF
    Member

    The 10-month temporary 2-way cycle lane to/from the top of Leith St seems set to disappear on July 29 when Leith St reopens to general traffic.

    Segregated provision (admittedly not all of perfect design) is agreed all the way up Leith Walk, past the Omni area, along the first part of Leith Street, but ending at the Calton Road junction, where you then will have to join the cars, lorries and buses along the narrowing hill up to the top.

    Spokes and others have for years been fighting for a permanent cycleroute here - even if it is just an uphill one initially. E.g. here from 3 years ago and here more recently.

    We have failed, other than the temporary cycleroute for the last 10 months during the St James roadworks. There is still one hope, namely the City Transformation, about which we should know more later this year, so it is important to keep the issue prominent.

    The temporary cycleroute has proved really popular and appreciated, albeit with occasional problems, and people are really going to miss it after July 29.

    Spokes had the idea of a mini farewell ceremony for the temporary cycleroute, aiming to get a splash in the Evening News, to show politicians how valued this has been - and to keep up pressure for a new cycleroute and reduced traffic to be included in the Transformation??

    For example, a piper playing a lament, or any other appropriate idea, plus a few banners with relevant wording and the spokes banner. Probably more in sorrow and mystification than anger - after all, the Council has now agreed fully segregated for the whole of Leith Walk and up to Calton Rd, yet this vital final connection is excluded in order that there can be 2 traffic lanes.

    An event could be 15 mins or so lunchtime Thur 26, to get in the Friday paper i.e. a couple of days before the temporary lane disappears.

    A couple of spokes (& CCE) activists (Rosie & McD) are happy to be involved in planning something, but no one was available to take on an overall organising role. [personally, I'm not around much in the period up to the 29th]

    There shouldn't be any problem getting people to attend (as happened with the Orcas event) via twitter, CCE, spokes member email, etc, but the event can only happen if it is organised.

    So that is the idea, just in case anyone else on CCE thinks it's worth doing and is inspired to take the lead!

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. sallyhinch
    Member

    This sounds like a useful stunt for embarrassing the council

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    “for embarrassing the council”

    Which bit?

    Part clearly wants what’s been built.

    Politicians have been mostly powerless (this is just a variation of Picardy Place) and didn’t even bother much with ‘this was all decided by the previous administration’.

    ‘We’ have been doing all the embarrassment for them.

    Best hope is that what is on the ground doesn’t work - particularly for buses - and requires a rethink.

    Real danger is that many people on bikes will ignore ‘infrastructure’ and ride on the road and suffer the consequences of drivers who believe they shouldn’t be on the road.

    Seems likely that most bike riders will avoid Leith Street like they do Princes Street.

    ThisIsEdinburgh.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. Juanito
    Member

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/leith-street-set-to-reopen-this-month-1-4769784

    Services returning to Leith Street are 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 19, 22, 25, 34, 45, 49, N7, N11, N16, N22, N25, N26, N34 and N44 from 0500 on 28 July.

    That's a lot of buses...

    I do think this is a great idea though. It's been a really helpful bike lane, and is very heavily used.

    Perhaps also worth increasing the scope to a bit to a thanks to the developers / council / community groups for making it happen in the first place.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. paulmilne
    Member

    I'm sorry to hear this. I've only recently started coming out the back way from Waverly and joining Princes Street from Waterloo Place via Calton Road and Leith Street. I'll have to rethink that in a couple of weeks now.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. gkgk
    Member

    Would this mean the London Road / Easter Road bit is reversing back to old set-up too?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. unhurt
    Member

    I'm in favour of a shaming farewell protest. Shall we develop some plans?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Maybe instead of banners try to get a good turn out of cyclists and photograph them all riding up the cycle lane together. The photos might highlight the problem if contrasted with photos of the traffic there once Leith Street's been reopened.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. HankChief
    Member

    How many single occupancy vehicles are needed to fill Leith Street?

    Aim for that many cyclists using a fraction of the space...

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. DdF
    Member

    Thanks all for the comments.

    a. Thanks @juanito, yes the article you linked says it reopens on 28th not 29th as in my original post - but a farewell event midday on 26th would still probably make most sense.

    b. @gkgk Presumably all the associated changes (e.g. London Rd/Easter Rd) will also revert to their previous setups.

    c. If the idea of a farewell goes ahead I feel it should not be totally negative, but, as in my original post, rather to point out that a great deal of good is being done with seg cycleroutes all the way up from foot of the walk (albeit the early sections design have some problems) and throughout Picardy Place, but for many trips this top section of Leith St is crucial. i.e. my feeling is basically publicly recognise the positive context within which this very negative aspect is happening - that approach works best with the politicians. If one is totally negative, their reaction can be "what is the point of doing anything."
    Also, it is worth noting that many of the council officers involved fully understand the value of this link and have tried to find a design that works (e.g. Paul Lawrence comments at the Transport Cttee) but have concluded that the level of traffic makes it impossible to provide the width needed. If they are right then the only solution is to reduce traffic levels. That is more of a political decision than just a decision for the officials - and it is where the Transformation project provides the next opportunity. By keeping the profile high, we can help push for that.

    d. A farewell event will only happen if someone takes the lead in organising a planning meeting! As mentioned, Rosie and McD have said they are happy to be involved in organising and go along to a planning meeting, but not in initiating.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. DdF
    Member

    More on the reopening...
    http://www.ntbcc.org.uk/latest-on-leith-street-re-opens-on-saturday-21-july/

    Note one very small victory! Cyclists will now be legally entitled to turn left at top of Leith St, which was to be banned in the original proposals. [Yes, certainly, a very minor success!!]

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. DdF
    Member

    Ooops - that article says Sat 21 July! The Evening news one and previous info had said Sat 28 July. Which is correct?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. Frenchy
    Member

    How many single occupancy vehicles are needed to fill Leith Street?

    At 20mph, with 2s gaps, all four lanes are filled between Princes St and Picardy Place by just ~60 cars.

    Considerably more if nose to tail, obviously.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. unhurt
    Member

    Have we time to go the "car frame around a bike" approach?

    see e.g. https://inhabitat.com/activists-show-what-it-would-look-like-if-bikes-took-up-as-much-room-as-cars/

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. neddie
    Member

    I'm in

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. DdF
    Member

    Council news release
    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/blog/newsblog/post/1347/leith-street-to-reopen-following-major-infrastructure-works

    It gives the Sat 28th date. It covers the cycling good points but omits the very negative one!

    Spokes tweet...
    https://twitter.com/SpokesLothian/status/1019512280394985473

    Posted 5 years ago #

  17. Rosie
    Member

    As DdF said in his original post, I'm happy to help out with organising/publicising this. Anyone any ideas how to proceed?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  18. paulmilne
    Member

    @DdF ditto the BBC report. Even the mockup artwork makes it look pretty miserable for the one poor cyclist depicted.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  19. the canuck
    Member

    i didn't realise it was closing so soon. i actually enjoy that section of my ride to work, aside from the very long lights.

    the bbc article seems to suggest there will actually be 3 lanes for traffic, in which case why couldn't one be converted to cycle lanes?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  20. unhurt
    Member

    Briefly discussed last night with @Iwrats over a beverage. What do folk think about a cardboard coffin plus pallbearers, procession uphill from where cyclists will be tipped into traffic, an accompanying piper playing a lament?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  21. unhurt
    Member

    Have just realised I like the idea of a public declamation. A suitable ode to the departing safe transit corridor perhaps? I know we have some vocal projection skills on this forum...

    Posted 5 years ago #

  22. neddie
    Member

    If this goes ahead, we should reclaim the inside lane at the top, for use by pedestrians, by setting up a human barrier.

    ‘Round about here should do it:

    https://twitter.com/fountainbridge/status/1020988582557880320?s=21

    Posted 5 years ago #

  23. mgj
    Member

    The car in the BBC picture is certainly the right colour, but it strangely seems to be moving rather than parked, which will be what actually happens on that stretch as the dress shop etc resume their daily, uninterrupted parking outside their premises. The traffic wardens must have missed their take over the last 11 months.

    A section of infrastructure that makes no sense; the steep part has no cycle provision, on the flat(ter) its get out of my way. How are you supposed to head North if coming from say North Bridge to get on the section approaching Omni?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  24. chdot
    Admin

    Entertaining thread -

    https://twitter.com/clairehimiller/status/1021732481391841280

    Posted 5 years ago #

  25. DdF
    Member

    Re the 'entertaining thread' - definitely entertaining!

    However I feel it is really misleading for Cllr Arthur to be getting all this stick and in fact he deserves as much support as negativity. Partly as explained in the 2 spokes tweets in the above thread.

    As regards the 2 votes which are being discussed...

    Leith St - he voted with the Green amendment and against his colleagues in the coalition (See minutes linked in the tweet). That takes political courage and risks getting thrown off the Cttee by his colleagues, which would be a tragic loss for us.

    Picardy - It seems pretty clear that his party bosses prevented him from attending because they guessed, or more likely he told them, how he would vote - and so they substituted someone more compliant. https://twitter.com/ProfScottThinks/status/1021849066374868992

    I wouldn't be surprised if he is taken off the cttee at the next reshuffle thanks to the above two issues, which would certainly not be in our interests!

    As for the suggestion that he resigns the whip, that is a very strong suggestion for this one issue and whilst it would make a point we would lose more than we gained. If he became and remained an independent he would lose what power he has within the coalition (he is, after all, just a newly elected relatively junior councillor) and would probably lose his seat at the next election, to our great loss.

    The real criticism lies not with a new councillor who is displaying a fair degree of political courage, and should be supported in that, but with all the other SNP and lab cllrs forming the coalition who have made the Leith St and Picardy decisions (and of course the LDs and Cons who support them or would be even more pro-car).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  26. HankChief
    Member

    Whilst I agree with you DdF, Cllr Arthur has a unique Twitter style that seems to say that nothing 'bad' (not just transport) that the administration does is his fault. And that he/the Labour party are only in coalition because it would be worse without him/them.

    We have no idea what is happening within his party's discussions on these topics so it is hard know but I believe it would be more helpful if his efforts were spent on convincing his party & coalition colleagues to not support 'bad' stuff.

    That could mean guiding 'our'/other constituent's efforts to convince the naysayers rather than just interacting with him and his unique position.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    “That could mean guiding 'our'/other constituent's efforts to convince the naysayers rather than just interacting with him and his unique position.”

    Party machines tend to not like dissidents, and highly public dissidents even less.

    The fact that the rest of the party/coalition is ‘out of step with him’ on ‘cycling’ is disappointing and illustrates how tough it is to change things.

    So, yes, better to interact with as many councillors as possible!

    Posted 5 years ago #

  28. gembo
    Member

    We were chatting about Twitter when he was at The Barge with us. Personally,Lthink he is much better in peon than on Twitter. I am dubious of the merits of Twitter? Does it work? How different is it from EEN commentators? I mean you can have a debate but does any reason breakthrough?

    I am not on it. So could well be wrong.

    Guardians of the Galaxy director just got fired for Twitter comments he made ten years ago

    Posted 5 years ago #

  29. chdot
    Admin

    “I am dubious of the merits of Twitter? Does it work?"

    “Guardians of the Galaxy director just got fired for Twitter comments he made ten years ago”

    I think you have answered your own question!

    It works in all sorts of ways - not all good.

    It clearly works for DTrump...

    There can be no doubt for some local things there have been some very positive effects of alerting councillors to issues.

    It’s unfortunate/inevitable that some councillors/departments/companies use Twitter in different ways.

    Some just ‘announce’ things and don’t respond.

    Most Edinburgh councillors are on Twitter, this is less common elsewhere.

    Some get so many Tweets (or are “copied in”) that it’s hard for them to deal with/respond well.

    I prefer Twitter to FB for many reasons, but both have merits and de-merits.

    Both can amplify the worst things/people, but have changed the world - good and bad!

    Bit like CCE. On some levels indulgently talking to ourselves, but also has some real benefits - particularly encouraging people to cycle more and, sometimes, get involved in things.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  30. McD
    Member

    Is any demonstration going ahead?

    Posted 5 years ago #

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