CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Spaces for People - East Lothian

(21 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by paulmilne
  • Latest reply from crowriver

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  1. paulmilne
    Member

    This just in:

    https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/news/article/13289/spaces_for_people_measures_in_local_town_centres

    The article stresses THESE MEASURES ARE ONLY TEMPORARY so if you are a car driver getting panic attacks at the thought of space being taken away, you can breathe easy. All will be back to normal at some point.

    Being from Dunbar I welcome the measures with some qualifications.

    The Back Road should really be blocked off for through traffic. This is better than it is now, but not really good enough.

    The Eweford to Belhaven Hospital road is so pitted and scarred by works traffic to (yet another) new housing estate, it is well-nigh impassable by bicycle. If this is coupled with some road repair, then hooray!

    So much more could have been done.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  2. fimm
    Member

    Musselburgh

    Investigate with ScottishPower, owners of the electric bridge, to open the bridge for non-motorised vehicles.

    Haven't they tried that before, with no success?

    Dunbar

    Temporary reduction of Back Road to single carriageway with priority to traffic coming up the hill.


    Yes, let's not do anything about the main road into town from that side...

    Posted 3 years ago #

  3. Frenchy
    Member

    @fimm - I understand that the council and Scottish Power have a very long history of arguing about the Electric Bridge. I'm not sure if either side has ever argued that the bridge should be open to people but closed to motor vehicles, though.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  4. mcairney
    Member

    The current footbridge is a hot topic in Musselburgh with some people arguing that cyclists should get off their bikes when crossing the bridge (despite this meaning they take up double the space on a narrow bridge while trying to maintain some level of social distancing.
    Opening the electric bridge up to bikes would be a massive win IMO.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  5. fimm
    Member

    I'm sure there used to be a Cyclists Dismount sign on the existing bridge. The other advantage of cycling over it is that you are on the narrow bridge for less time. There's plenty of space either end if you choose to wait for the bridge to clear.

    I agree that having the big bridge open for cyclists and pedestrians would be much better.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  6. Cyclops
    Member

    The issue with the electric bridge is that Scottish Power don't need it and East Lothian Council don't want it. Scottish Power closed it permanently at the end of 2019 as I think they'd got fed up paying for upkeep and maintenance. Scottish Power would be only to happy to sell it but ELC baulked at the cost of upkeep if they bought it. They also offered to sell it to the racecourse but they weren't interested either. Effectively, we've got a bridge nobody wants to pay to maintain which I suspect will be gradually allowed to deteriorate until it needs demolished.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    Buy it for £1 and put a toll on it...

    Posted 3 years ago #

  8. Frenchy
    Member

    Would Sustrans buying it be an option?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    Ought to be.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  10. CycleAlex
    Member

    Well that lasted two days.

    the temporary extension of pavement space in town centres will not be implemented at this time
    https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/news/article/13294/spaces_for_people_-_update

    Posted 3 years ago #

  11. paulmilne
    Member

    If experience of East Lothian Council is anything to go by, further consultation and discussion is code for kick it into the long grass and hope people eventually forget we ever tried to do anything good.

    Still, in Dunbar a couple of initiatives survive. But given they are not set to be implemented until August, there is still plenty of time for them to be rescinded, too.

    Cynical, moi?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  12. gembo
    Member

    Cycled to Gullane along the coast yesterday, super variaTION IN WIDTH OF BIKE lane and indeed surface, quite a LOT. Of Loose Chip east of Aberlady (which now haSA MARGIOTTA’S)

    Posted 3 years ago #

  13. Skawt
    Member

    I was out that way at the weekend and said to my girlfriend "I never realised there was a Margiotta's out here!" so I guess it's good to know it isn't just me that's unaware.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    @Skawt, I was in the shop last summer and it wusnae Margiotta’s then. Does anyone remember the very grumpy man in the Shandon Margiotta who was incredibly rude to customers? Did we discuss him on here? He had a good line in jumpers I recall.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    https://twitter.com/norriehamp/status/1281231025612431360

    Posted 3 years ago #

  16. Cyclops
    Member

    Margiottas has only been in Aberlady since March. It was the village store before that.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  17. CycleAlex
    Member

    Came across this site which shows the various AECOM designed plans for East Lothian: https://stantec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=5c888654c651412a9a36ab00b31166f6

    You need to scroll to the bottom and click on the red lines to see the actual plans.

    90% of what seems to be proposed is just painting cycle symbols everywhere but there's advisory lanes too. Not exactly revolutionary stuff though.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  18. Frenchy
    Member

    The electric bridge seems to be being opened for pedestrians and cyclists: https://twitter.com/flunkerts/status/1329052325437181952/photo/2

    Posted 3 years ago #

  19. Colin
    Member

    Well done to all involved for this small bit of progress.

    Cheers
    Colin

    Posted 3 years ago #

  20. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    That is good. Was planning to be down that way on Friday.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  21. crowriver
    Member

    Finally some good news!

    Posted 3 years ago #

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