CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

The Great Unravelling - A story foretold

(22 posts)
  • Started 4 years ago by Morningsider
  • Latest reply from wingpig

  1. Morningsider
    Member

    I am sure I can't be the only one really enjoying our new pop-up cycle lanes. I think they are getting better and more ambitious as the roll-out progresses. Anyway, even as new lanes are being rolled out, I think it is worth considering what happens next. All of this lovely new infrastructure has a maximum lifespan of 18 months, as they are authorised under Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders.

    This is worrying.

    I am sure most of you will remember the George Street cycle lanes, authorised using an experimental TRO - which also have an 18 month lifespan. It is now five years since the George Street lanes were removed and there is no sign of their replacement, as part of major public realm works, happening any time soon.

    Are we really going to lose miles of segregated cycle lane in early 2022? Going on past experience, there is no way TROs for any of these lanes will be ready by that time. This means the lanes will be grubbed up. If this is to be prevented that we need action by the Scottish Government to change the TRO system.

    I had thought about putting this in the new PoP thread, but thought it deserved separate attention.

    Thoughts?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    “there is no way TROs for any of these lanes will be ready by that time“

    Why not?

    (Apart from “ThisIsEdinburgh”)

    Posted 4 years ago #

  3. Morningsider
    Member

    @chdot - think you answered your own question there. Although to be fair to the Council officers, I imagine almost all of their time is currently taken up with getting the temporary measures through. Not helped by demands for consultation, report writing, attendance at committees and general nonsense.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  4. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Morningsider

    I couldn't face replying when I read this post. Having now slept on it....

    1) Nothing will change between now and May 2021. The lanes are controversial and there's an election coming and potentially upheavals in the current administration.
    2) That means we have the period from May to the end of 2021 to influence this with the new Scottish Government.
    3) The best way to influence this will be to write our proposed legislation and circulate it to the new MSPs as they take office, asking for one to submit it as proposed legislation.

    ACTIONS

    1) @Morningsider to write the law - delivery first draft Jan 2021
    2) Refine in light of CCE comments - spring 2021
    3) All members of the Evil Cycling Lobby to do a full-on blitz with MSPs, councillors and MPs starting May 2021.

    EDIT

    Great tags, man. Those tags abide.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    “

    ACTIONS

    1) @Morningsider to write the law

    “

    Apart from the pressure on one person (who could undoubtedly do it), that all looks like a PLAN!

    Posted 4 years ago #

  6. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    ACTION

    @Morningsider and @chdot to write the law.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    Mmm

    You seem to be pretending you don’t want to do it.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  8. chdot
    Admin

    Question:

    How many published authors are there on CCE?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  9. Frenchy
    Member

    Define "published".

    Posted 4 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    “Published” can be in the eye of the (maybe) published.

    Hardbacks need not be involved.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  11. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    ACTION

    Additional step: Secure the co-operation of an independent cycling body to act as sponsor fr the proposed legislation. Evil cycling lobby then go 'Oh yes we support the proposal by Reputable Cycling Body!'

    Additional step 2: Secure an MSP to propose the legislation in parliament. I think I know the exact one....

    Publications come in all shapes and sizes of course.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    “Additional step: Secure the co-operation of an independent cycling body“

    Yes but

    How about

    NON-cycling body?

    (Well not primarily concerned with ‘cycling’)

    Posted 4 years ago #

  13. bill
    Member

    Somewhat related:

    letitgo by Bill Harriman, on Flickr

    (Drawing by Michael Leunig)

    Posted 4 years ago #

  14. Stickman
    Member

    How about the Transport Secretary of a Government that has a target (commitment? aspiration? fantasy? I forget which it is now) to increase cycling/walking and also reduce carbon emissions?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    Indeed, Gov(s) should be reminded of their (mostly empty) words at every opportunity.

    Meanwhile ‘we’ are (ONCE AGAIN) trying to get necessary stuff done.

    At the same time CEC is spending VAST amounts on other transport options AND the planning it requires -

    “but worryingly there is a huge amount of detail in the associated arrangement drawings - potentially meaning that it's going to be difficult to get significant changes.”

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18506&page=11#post-338910

    Posted 4 years ago #

  16. slowcoach
    Member

    @Morningsider: re maximum lifespan of TTROs, can they not be extended by Scot Govt for 6 or 18 mths (if Council ask) under RTRA 1984 sec 15 (3)?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  17. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Stickman

    You are being silly.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  18. crowriver
    Member

    "Are we really going to lose miles of segregated cycle lane in early 2022? "

    Yes.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    “Yes“

    An almost bigger danger is losing some before then either because of criminal damage and CEC not having the resources to reinstate or because ‘try it and modify’ becomes try it and remove’ because of vandalism and/or opposition.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    I’ve been reminded of this -

    “

    RECOMMENDATION 8: The Bill should simplify the TRO & Redetermination Order processes to reduce complexities, cost and time restrictions for implementing local transport measures.

    “

    http://transformscotland.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Transform-Scotland-Getting-the-Bill-Right-v2.1.pdf

    SG unconvinced. Time to try again?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  21. Morningsider
    Member

    @slowcoach - I think an authority can ask Scottish Ministers for an extension of six months, not sure about 18 - although you may well be right. It would certainly be good to get an initial commitment to extend the life of all Spaces for people infrastructure, but that would simply delay the inevitable by a few months. I feel this needs more substantive action.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  22. wingpig
    Member

    Item for the PoP AGM?

    Posted 4 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.


Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin