Largely up to the LibDems, with/without help/hindrance of Cllr/Prof -
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Maybury Drive ‘new cycle lane’ - but for how long??…
(27 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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I don't understand. Surely any liberal politician would support state action that increases personal choice in how to travel, especially where it is effectively delivered for free and has no impact on the travel choices made by others.
Posted 2 years ago # -
‘
But
It’s not about travelling
Not even about CYCLING
No, really
It’s about ME
not being told something about MY ward - that will upset a few people
‘
Apparently (part of) the problem is that, for some people, there’s a long standing desire for a PAVEMENT - quite reasonably.
So maybe, to some people, the new white lines were seen as trolling.
Incidentally, are these the longest continuous solid lined cycle lanes in the whole of Edinburgh??
Posted 2 years ago # -
Incidentally, are these the longest continuous solid lined cycle lanes in the whole of Edinburgh??
They can't be far away, but I suspect there's longer stretches on some of the Spaces for People streets and Gilmerton Road.
Posted 2 years ago # -
“
Whether or not the cycle lane is removed is mute. The lack of forewarning and consultation with local councillors and community is the error here. Knowing your local community matters & a quick chat with locals tells you we need pavements & better lit path networks (priority).
“
https://mobile.twitter.com/melclements91/status/1578843868455632896
Posted 2 years ago # -
mute?
moot?
Coot.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I wonder how much time East Craigs residents have spent on campaigning against active travel measures, as opposed to campaigning for new pavements and improved street lighting.
Posted 2 years ago # -
"I'm out checking rush hour traffic on Maybury Drive this morning. More later."
https://twitter.com/CllrScottArthur/status/1579372429239291904
Posted 2 years ago # -
Transport policy determined by anecdotal surveys with a sample of one...
Posted 2 years ago # -
That photo shows the absurdity of just adding cycle lanes as part of resurfacing.
The rest of the road needs painting ASAP.
How much actually needed resurfacing?
Compared with…
Who decides these things?!
Anyone know how long the tarmaccing took?
Presume paint only a day - unless it was done with a paint brush??
Posted 2 years ago # -
Resurfacing was earlier in the Summer over 7 weeks...
https://twitter.com/CorstorphineCC/status/1536677760722141185?t=zZE2_SqeAOovHykXdaSQaQ&s=19
Posted 2 years ago # -
And here are complaints about the state of it pre - resurfacing...
https://twitter.com/agcolehamilton/status/1340045763276120065?t=p2c7kMwC5aUEXc082_pGTA&s=19
Posted 2 years ago # -
https://twitter.com/CllrScottArthur/status/1579439314714648577?t=nJiJeQQh5cwP52m_6pJ-TQ&s=19
"This is Maybury Drive at rush hour (8:22am-8:37am) today. Observations based on one visit:
1. Traffic volume is low.
2. I could not conclude that the painted bike lane is impacting on traffic.
3. I could see there is a need for footpaths(!) & better crossing points.
4. The limit is 30mph, but the community could call for that to be reduced via the forthcoming consultation.
5. There was no parking on the road other than 2 vans linked to building work.I hope to meet the three local Councillors soon to better understand community needs".
Posted 2 years ago # -
Looks like things could go in a positive direction!
Also
“
Given the cycle lane has gone in, I’d love to have some infrastructure to securely store bikes (bike sheds). We can’t store them in our stair (deed rules) & no space in the flat - so don’t own bikes. Lots of flats in the estate & will be in the same scenario. Need investment.
“
https://mobile.twitter.com/melclements91/status/1579440296395706368
Posted 2 years ago # -
Credit where credit is due to Cllr Arthur:
https://twitter.com/hank_chief/status/1579448593609805827?t=9Cy8FZ2Fg4J_NQStyHJobg&s=19
"Transport Convenor @CllrScottArthur visits Maybury Drive & in less than 30mins can nail the local issues / concerns and provides forward looking comments
This follows the local LibDem Councillors focusing purely backwards and wanting the paint removed until a consultation"
Posted 2 years ago # -
As welcome as that may be, I feel like this whole situation isn’t actually worth any of his time in the first place. CEC officers surely need to be empowered to implement their own policies and guidance without this attempted Cllr micromanagement or expectation of constant consultation.
Hopefully some wands are planned, but I can certainly forgive a slightly delayed installation to let things blow over…
Posted 2 years ago # -
CEC officers surely need to be empowered to implement their own policies and guidance without this attempted Cllr micromanagement or expectation of constant consultation.
I totally agree.
I would also encourage the engagement between cllrs & officers not to be as hostile as was used in this example.
From my dealing with the Council over the years, there always seems to be a reason why something is done that particular way and it is useful to find out what that is before going off on one...
Posted 2 years ago # -
Red paint now going down on the cycle path over the junction entrances...
https://twitter.com/hank_chief/status/1579487366770982912?t=ribgtWxWY9CpUm0BTINWxA&s=19
Posted 2 years ago # -
“From my dealing with the Council over the years, there always seems to be a reason why something is done that particular way and it is useful to find out what that is before going off on one...”
Well yes.
Sometimes there’s an element of ‘that’s what we’ve always done’
Some officials need ‘convincing’ and then can be quite keen.
Some such people seem to move on away from CEC…
However that’s just us punters.
Cllrs ought to know a LOT better - both about ‘how things work’ BUT ALSO how to treat officers.
That all said, some LDs seem to be on a different planet.
Posted 2 years ago # -
“Red paint now going down on the cycle path over the junction entrances...”
So, not been keeping up, has CEC abandoned the policy of chucking red chips into the ‘bike bits’ when resurfacing?
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm not sure if the policy has been "abandoned",or if it is just not always followed, but there're plenty of recent examples of it not being done.
Posted 2 years ago # -
In other news -
“
Mr Lawrence, who oversees planning, housing and transport for the council, also apologised for not keeping councillors better briefed about the fiasco, adding that it was a "very challenging" time for officers as they attempted to rescue the deal.
“
Posted 2 years ago # -
@chdot: Apparently (part of) the problem is that, for some people, there’s a long standing desire for a PAVEMENT - quite reasonably.
I don't know that area particularly well but the impression I have is that it was designed to encourage travel on foot within and between the "neighbourhoods" using the fairly extensive network of ginnels and snickets provided - including subways under Maybury Drive - with little or no actual need to pedestrianate along Maybury Drive itself. I think is is exemplified by the fact that the only actual footways along much of Maybury Drive are there to give access from the "neighbourhoods" to bus stops on the main road.
However, just because it was designed to be used that way doesn't necessarily mean that people will use it that way - especially if the walking route using the "permeable" infrastructure isn't as obvious as just following the big wide road. (Though if that's the case then maybe all it needs is adequate signage?)
I think this is/was quite a common approach in the 'new towns' era. I remember when I lived (for a mercifully brief spell) in Bracknell, that a lot of the town was laid out in that way. It actually worked quite well once you got to know your way around all the walking routes, but could seem a bit alien to someone coming from a perhaps more typical suburban environment which had grown rather more 'organically' over a longer period of time, involving multiple phases of development and with no over-arching vision of how it should all work.
More recently the trend seems to be away from permeability for pedestrians (and casual cyclists), for all sorts of fairly spurious reasons which seem mostly to do with not wanting "randoms" strolling around your nice neat development of executive residensettes. (This was actually stated fairly explicitly in some of the objections to the original design for the Waterfield development.)
Push comes to shove, it looks at first glance as if there should be room for footways along Maybury Drive without needing to take much if any space from the carriageway. But providing surfaced footways is always going to be more expensive than just whacking down some paint on existing tarmac, so it does seem extraordinarily dog-in-the-manger to demand the removal of a cheap if minor enhancement for one class of road user simply because another class appears not to be well catered for.
Posted 2 years ago # -
“However, just because it was designed to be used that way doesn't necessarily mean that people will use it that way”
Quite.
Think I’ve only been in the area about 3 times
First time I discovered MD, I was just amazed, more so when I realised it wasn’t a through route!
I explored some of the path network, but clearly you have to know it!
The current mystery (for me) is why some people are jumping up and down as though the world is coming to an end.
Maybe it is but it won’t be because of new paint or ‘cyclists’
Perhaps because of obsessed politicians…
Posted 2 years ago # -
The path network vs Maybury Drive looks to be a similar conversation to NEPN vs main road routes. The path/NEPN option may be quieter and completely away from cars, but they're also more isolated, darker, and less direct.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yes but there’s an *opportunity* to improve road AND path network.
Cllrs now more aware of issues/possibilities…
Posted 2 years ago # -
And per a previous thread on here the paths are adopted and cycling banned on them. (Not that it really matters)
Posted 2 years ago #
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