CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Cycling west-east through quartermile

(14 posts)

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  1. SRD
    Moderator

    I've just* realised that both of the roads that go through quarter mile parallel to NMW say 'no entry' from Chalmers St.

    On googlemaps Nightingale way shows as one way, but Simpson loan only shows 'no entry'.

    Have they always been like that? I thought Simpson Loan used to be two-direction for its full length?

    Yet another clear case where cyclists should surely be allowed a contraflow.

    *actually spotted this a while back, but kept thinking it was either temporary because of roadworks or I had imagined it/gotten confused.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. sharpie
    Member

    It has always been like that, the only way to enter Quartermile on a bike without breaking any rules is via Nightingale Way from Lauriston Place. In reality, folk coming from the west along the Meadows ignore the no-entry sign on Simpson Loan but the entrance is only wide enough for one car so you have to hop onto the pavement if a car is coming out.

    Don't get me started on the cyclist dismount signs! I work there and am trying to get the office managers to engage with QM estates.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    I've written to David Key to ask if it could be changed to 'except cycles'. presume he will write back and say 'private road....blah...blah...blah'.

    sara

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. neddie
    Member

    I think David Key has stood down from Cycling Champion

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. gembo
    Member

    Prof Scott would be good Cycling Champ

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. dessert rat
    Member

    i expect to see zero change in cycling championing issues then.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. jdanielp
    Member

    I got into the habit of taking Nightingale Way when heading west and went the 'wrong way down a one way street' on Nightingale Way before turning up Archibald Place when heading east while MMW was partly closed. On a couple of occasions I even cycled by police officers whilst doing the latter...

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    Suppose any cycling champion will be told to tow the party line? Thus the remit is flawed at conception?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. LaidBack
    Member

    QM is designed to not be 'permeable' E/W. The road to the back of Soderberg is very broad but ends there and foot/cycle traffic is squeezed through a narrow but very popular path. Why they haven't put bollards in yet is a mystery!
    The northern side by Starbucks could be a cycle route if they made shared use (officially).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. Snowy
    Member

    I'm also not a fan of the complete non-permeable nature of QM in a north-south aspect, for pedestrians/bikes. I assume it was done to preserve some sort of exclusivity/privacy for the occupants of the eye-wateringly overpriced flats in the tower blocks on the southern edge. But it would have been so easy to design in an access point from North Meadow Walk to connect people on the Meadows to the commercial facilities in the middle of QM. As it is, QM's a sterile place due to poorly thought out passage for pedestrians and bikes.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. mcairney
    Member

    Yep making that stretch past Starbucks officially shared use would be a good start. I used to go along that way to Pure Gym but got fed up with the tutting Heriots kids. Even dismounting and walking with my bike seemed to offend them!

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. gembo
    Member

    I would have thought lack of permeability is a little bit of a fire risk? Can emergency services achieve access easily?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. Snowy
    Member

    Good point gembo. I wouldn't fancy the chances of the fire brigade getting a ladder to the west side of the block above the shops (sainsbury etc). The only access is Simpson Loan and it's one badly-parked car from not being able to get a fire appliance anywhere close to that side.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. crowriver
    Member

    "got fed up with the tutting Heriots kids. Even dismounting and walking with my bike seemed to offend them!"

    When you spend much of your young life being chauffeured around in a New Town tractor that sort of attitude is unsurprising. Also they would be offended by the mere sight of oiks bending the(ir) rules in any case.

    Posted 5 years ago #

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