http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/dutch-aim-to-bust-congestion-with-fast-cycle-routes--28945
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
"Dutch aim to bust congestion with fast cycle routes"
(12 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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"[...] improving the quality of the cycling itself through such measures as smooth tarmac, good lighting and the construction of new bridges and tunnels."
What we'd give for smooth tarmac let alone bridges and tunnels.
Posted 13 years ago # -
IF this was ever to happen in Scotland, Edinburgh to Fife would be a priority.
Not like it's not been suggested -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1313#post-12318
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yes, I was going to mention the route to Queensferry, given it has been mentioned in another thread recently.
"The majority of the routes [...] will facilitate journeys of up to 15km between major population centres. That's the distance the authorities believe people will readily cycle if suitably fast, high quality routes are provided."
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Yes, I was going to mention the route to Queensferry"
Perhaps time to 'expand the vision' and call it Edinburgh to Fife (E2F perhaps). I'm sure there could be improvements across the water too.
At a time when MASSES of money is about to be spent on a new motor crossing, this would be peanuts - and cost effective and tick various health, environment, economic development (Inc. tourism), etc. boxes.
Wonder how many Edinburgh or Fife MSP candidates will have it in their manifestos??
Posted 13 years ago # -
There are paths to and from the bridge but the main route next to the A90 is over grown, littered with potholes and tree root bumps. We take the route down on the old Kirkliston road and then out past the Queen Elizabeth yards and 2 Div HQ barracks, but this adds to the routes length. There is the cycle route from Silver knowles but it goes south to Murrayfeild and not into the centre.
Back to the original post, the cycle routes in The Netherlands are far better being separated from the main ceh traffic flow like pedestrians here. See the pic in the article. Plus the cyclist has priority at junctions which means they flow past them where as if we did this here you'd get moan down by a car/bus trying to beat you through the junction. I think it will take a change in the law AND peoples thinking to change anything.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Think this is the same story:
Posted 13 years ago # -
Wonder how many Edinburgh or Fife MSPs
Would use it... Or local radio DJs. There's probably likely to be less enormous boulders to drive into on it.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Would be great to have a fund like that Dutch one in Scotland, with Ed<->QF/Fife/North being a prime candidate for funding.
Please remember NOW is the best chance we will have for ages to try and get more funding into cycling at Scottish level, because... (1) election manifestos are being finalised (2) the 2011/12 Scottish draft budget is in Parliament and being negotiated between the parties, and (3) the Scottish Govt is working on provisional budget announcements from now up to 2014/16. Unless higher priority for cycling gets into these decisions now (especially manifestos) then it will be far harder to get any decent boost in funding for cycling conditions in the next few years. Spokes is urging everyone to write to their MSPs - now is the time!!
http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2010/12/contact-msps-spokesworker-30-12-10/Posted 13 years ago # -
DdF - you are right, now is a good time to contact sitting MSPs and prospective parliamentary candidates. The thing to remember is that only one thing matters to these people just now:
GETTING ELECTED
No need for long winded explanations of the benefits of cycling - they do not care. However, they do want your vote. All you need to say is - "I intend to vote for the person with the best cycling policy. What is your cycling policy and how much do you intend to spend on cycling?" Firstly, that will throw them off guard - they are used to gripes about bins, council tax, dog poo, pesky kids and the like. Secondly, it will get them thinking about cycling. It is amazing how few "real people" talking about a particular issue it takes to make a politician think something is an issue worth dealing with.
The thing is, you have to appear to be "normal" - any hint that you are a member of a campaign group (especially sending pre-written letters prepared by campaign groups - even SPOKES!) will immediately have you dismissed as a nutter who can be ignored.
Obviously, this is just my opinion. But you have to ask how successful the appeals to reason for increased investment in cycling have been over the last few years.
Just to be clear - I am not dismissing the great work of groups like SPOKES. We need them now more than ever, and they are well placed to lobby using technical and academic sources. My point is that ordinary cyclists are better simply raising the issue of cycling and noting anything the politicians say for use after the election. I (ahem) understand that they may not always do what they promise in their manifestos.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Totally agree, well almost! Although Spokes obviously submits formal letters from the organisation, we never suggest pre-written letters for individuals, although we do often suggest topics to write about; and try to let people know when is the best time to write about what - like now is the time to write on funding.
To my way of thinking it doesn't matter if individuals are writing in with differing points of detail - what is important is raising the subject in the political consciousness - which in turn adds weight to letters from organisations such as Spokes.
We also suggest people say why it matters to them, and the local relevance to them - thus making their letters even more personal.
However, we also try to educate our members (and others) in how things work on the funding/ political side, or at least those who are interested in knowing the often gory and ever-changing detail!
Posted 13 years ago # -
PS - also quite true that parties don't always do what is in manifestos, but sometimes they do! Spokes has used this very successfully on more than one occasion in the past (as well as unsuccessfully on others!) Most successful example being (many years ago) when we kept badgering at Labour to implement their promise to set up a 4-person cycle team in Lothian Regional Council (as was) - eventually a 3-person team was set up and lasted till teh Tories abolished Lothian Regional Council. A huge legacy from that cycle team - including much of the impetus behind the North Edinburgh offroad network, and the later start of the onroad facilities.
Posted 13 years ago #
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