CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

‘Council line on cycle route raises questions over safety of LTNs’

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  1. chdot
    Admin

  2. Frenchy
    Member

    Risks are location-dependent, time-dependent and user-dependent. Providing choices is an obviously good thing.

    Posted 1 week ago #
  3. bakky
    Member

    I had sort of dismissed that article out of hand;

    They conflate a 'safe route' in an LTN - which is safe because of being lower traffic and therefore free-er of car danger, with a 'safe route' at night time which is ideally on main, arterial roads with lots of passive/social surveillance, lighting, lack of nooks and crannies and dark corners.

    It just seemed - to me at least - likely a completely thick-headed argument to pick out the word 'safe' and sneer at LTNs because they're not as desirable at night as a main road route. Especially because if they were tasked with walking home at 2am they'd be choosing the main road every time.

    Posted 1 week ago #
  4. neddie
    Member

    Sadly, Leith Links CC have been infiltrated by the Tories, with Cllr Iain White's partner sitting on the committee

    Given the very low level of car ownership in the area, their objection to the cycle lane cannot be representative of the community. Worse still, Cllr White amplified these non-representative views "as fact" at the last Transport and Environment Committee meeting. Cronyism at its worst.

    Where is the evidence that the community does not support the Hawthornvale to Seafield cycleway? How were the community contacted (by Leith Links CC), engaged in a non-biased manner, and any results ensured to be demographically representative? Were any other community groups, such as Leith LTN, invited to contribute?

    The whole thing smacks of a handful of NIMBY drivers in the committee of Leith Links CC inflicting their own opinions on the community

    And worse worse still, Leith Links CC have managed to convince a formerly neutral Leith Harbour and Newhaven CC to oppose the cycleway as well

    http://www.leithlinkscc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LLCC-Response-to-Hawthornevale-Seafield-route-1.docx

    Posted 1 week ago #
  5. neddie
    Member

    How do LTNs reduce crime?

    Street crime is reduced in LTNs. Academics and police experts believe that this is due to a combination of more ‘eyes on the street’, which have a high deterrence effect, and a reduction in car-enabled crime including drugs crime and ‘car-enabled anti-social behaviour’

    A study of Waltham Forest LTN over several years found a long-term reduction in crime. The introduction of a low traffic neighbourhood was associated with a 10% decrease in total street crime (95% confidence interval 7% to 13%), and this effect increased with a longer duration since implementation (18% decrease after 3 years). https://ideas.repec.org/p/osf/socarx/ftm8d.html

    An even larger reduction was observed for violence and sexual offences, the most serious subcategory of crime. The only subcategory of crime that increased significantly was bicycle theft, probably reflecting increased cycling levels. There was no indication of displacement of any crime subcategory into adjacent areas.

    https://cohsat.org.uk/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-evidence/

    Let's hope our council follow the evidence, rather than motorists' rants, dressed up via Community Councils

    Posted 1 week ago #
  6. Morningsider
    Member

    A totally disingenuous argument. The cycle route isn't "unsafe" due to the presence of an LTN. It is potentially unsafe at night as it is routed through a large park with limited natural surveillance and huge dark areas.

    Posted 1 week ago #
  7. bakky
    Member

    If I substitute in the idea of driving a tank for the idea of travelling at night?

    'Can't believe the council themselves are saying it's not safe to drive a tank through the LTN when they said LTNs are safe, but that it would be somehow safer to drive the tank on a main road'

    Posted 1 week ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    Safer cities for women

    People Fixing The World

    How can you stop women being harassed in the street?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct3j2d

    Posted 1 week ago #
  9. acsimpson
    Member

    Given that a councillor's wife is a politically exposed person can they still be considered politically neutral? All CC members must declare their neutrality so if White's wife is a member of the blue Tories then she is presumably in breach of her office.

    Posted 1 week ago #
  10. Frenchy
    Member

    Yes, community councillors can be married to politicians and be members of political parties themselves.

    Posted 1 week ago #
  11. neddie
    Member

    The main issue is that the deputation and written response by Leith Links CC, against the Hawthornvale to Seafield cycleway, is highly unlikely to truly represent community views

    And the whole point of Community Councils is to represent the community. If that isn't maintained, then CCs cease to be relevant and should be ignored

    Posted 1 week ago #

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