CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
How can Edinburgh (ever) be a world class cycling city??
(64 posts)-
Posted 15 years ago #
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The worst roads I have ever ridden and driven on.
No wonder my stearing rack needs replacing.Does anyone know what the city council's budget is for road works etc? I can understand they have a huge undertaken on their hands to fix the streets but I honestly think they are taking the P*ss at times
Posted 15 years ago # -
@chdot, whats going on here then?
Posted 15 years ago # -
Posted 15 years ago #
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"whats going on here then?"
Not entirely clear.
This junction was bollarded shut (easy for bikes to get through) until 'tram work' on Leith Walk meant it was re-opened.
Then it was shut with fencing which at least could be kicked out of the way when it was too close to the kerb to cycle through.
NOW there seems to be something 'permanent' from kerb to kerb.
Posted 15 years ago # -
Are you trying to join Gayfield Square from Gayfield street?
At least if they took the fence away you could practice your mad bunny hopping skilz
Posted 15 years ago # -
Are there any plans online about which roads are to be affected, apart from listing a few junction names? This is going to make my cycle along Queensferry road/Street etc.. a pita.
Posted 15 years ago # -
It doesn't make a huge amount of sense, does it? It's similar to the OTT blockades they put up in Moray Place which meant unnecessary dismounting was required.
The only hint of "logic" I can guess at (and this is quite a stretch) is that if this was temporarily open to motor vehicles there may be some requirement to use an enormous barrier to demonstrate to hard of seeing/thinking drivers that the road is now closed. That would be crazy reasoning though.
Posted 15 years ago # -
On the other hand, I understand that the fence that divides Craiglockhart Road and requires you to mount the pavement (on foot, of course) to join route 74 on the canal towpath is to be replaced with bollards with a cycle gap in the kerb.
The path down to the canal is to be widened to two lanes (pedestrian/cyclist) too, although the bridge will remain a scrum, I suppose.
A worthwhile improvement, even though it wouldn't be my priority. The traffic department dieties move in myterious ways their wonders to perform.
Posted 15 years ago # -
Apparently this was put in by "the tram team" 3 weeks ago. They admitted that cyclists should be allowed through and agreed to fix it...
SO
One bit of CEC has to keep an eye on a CEC 'arms length company' after it's failed to adequately do what ought to be a simple part of its job.
Posted 15 years ago # -
keeps some jobsworths in employment I suppose. CCE do it for free...
Posted 15 years ago # -
...it can't, simple as that. It is not pleasurable in any way cycling in Edinburgh with the roads in the condition that they are in. You cannot possibly enjoy looking around because you have to pay attention to the potential bike eating holes everywhere and car drivers who have a problem with cyclists. I hate even more being a pedestrian because everything is so car orientated, as well as the shops being pretty crap.
Posted 15 years ago # -
t is not pleasurable in any way cycling in Edinburgh with the roads in the condition that they are in
I wouldn't go that far! I thoroughly enjoyed my cycle to work this morning, it was light, the sun was out (well, coming out) and I was early enough to be ahead of the worst of the traffic.
But you're right. It's not world class. But you can scrape some enjoyment out of it. Honest!
Posted 15 years ago # -
It has been known for me to enjoy cycling in and around Edinburgh... Well in truth I enjoy cycling in any case, and certainly prefer it to taking the bus or walking as stated earlier. However, the roads are currently the thing of nightmares though. There are times when cycling to work I have this urge to go straight on, not stopping, and bypassing the workplace, especially when the sun is shining.
Posted 15 years ago # -
I don't disagree. Roll on early sunrise spring mornings and pulling off the commute into a quiet place for a spot of breakfast and some contemplation.
Posted 15 years ago # -
'Work' is just a 7 or 8 hour annoying thing that gets in the way of cycling all day.
Have to agree with Liz here, though. I'm spending an amazing amount of time at the moment picking my line between the craters on every road. It's potholes from frost heave, it's subsided repairs, it's badly laid setts, it's badly repaired gas or water main works, it's tarmac scooped up and excavated by bus wheels, it's tar banding and absent cold pour, it's cracked manhole covers (like the double triangular I noted just yesterday), the list goes on.
One day I will fit some accelerometers to my trike and damn well measure the shock loads that my spine is taking.
Posted 15 years ago # -
I'd rather cycle Edinburgh than Dublin or London, ok so it's not up there with some of the great cycle cities but I think it's better than a lot. Ok the roads are currently poor but the cycle network , canal, WOL, railway tracks etc albiet having their faults are still better than many a city, pentlands 40 mins from centre of town, good selection of LBS, home to this forum and Ants online mag, Lothain buses are def more bike aware in the last ten years, could be a lot worse I reckon
Posted 15 years ago # -
*goes to cycle the rest of the cities of Europe to make his mind up*
Posted 15 years ago # -
Can Edinburgh (ever) be a world class cycling city?? Only if CEC start taking it seriously... :-(
Posted 14 years ago # -
....... so no then.. ;-)
Posted 14 years ago # -
To judge but the plans for the super cycle route to KB, Edinburgh will never make the grade, CEC is far too timid. We need proper separated infrastructure, but they fall for the myth that the world would implode if they took the parking bays out, pathetic...
Posted 14 years ago # -
.... couldn't agree more!
Posted 14 years ago # -
We need proper separated infrastructure,
No, we really don't. The most positive move cyclists can make towards road safety is to make sure more of us are cycling on the roads.
Posted 14 years ago # -
I'd normally be with Druidh on this one but I've been thinking that there's an advantage in separated infrastructure in that it's not being constantly demolished by the weight of buses and HGVs thundering across it.
Of course CEC thinks the best place to put cycle lanes is the 2 foot strip out from the pavement where all the civers live, where bus and lorry wheels like to dig big holes and split apart the seams in the tarmac and where the movement of traffic throws all the gravel, grit, glass and detritus. I'll take primary position thankyou very much.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Yeah seperate cycle routes through the city centre would get more people cycling. Fear of traffic is one of the main reasons people cite as putting them off cycling in the city. It would also be great for cycling places with kids.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Yeah seperate cycle routes through the city centre would get more people cycling. Fear of traffic is one of the main reasons people cite as putting them off cycling in the city. It would also be great for cycling places with kids.
If you want your cycling to be ghetto-ised to laid-out routes, that's a good start.
I like the selection of routes we already have for cycling. They go almost everywhere, span the country and are actually reasonably well surfaced and drained as well as being gritted and ploughed when conditions are bad enough.
Posted 14 years ago # -
EEN today (not on the website, as far as I can see):
£100,000 windfall for cycle paths
"Cycling networks across the city will be revamped following a £100,000 windfall from the People's Postcode Trust Dream fund.Around 70 miles of off-street cycle ways stretching into the city centre will see improvements aimed at encouraging more people to cycle for commuting and recreation. Much of the work will be concentrated on the north of the city and the old railway network.
The successful bid, entitled Inflating the Inner Tube, was jointly launched by The Bike Station and Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust.
Liz Stwewart, ELGT fundraising manager said: 'The Inner Tube project is a very exciting project and we are absolutely thrilled to have been given this opportunity. We look forward to working with The Bike Station to help make Edinburgh a significantly greener, happier and healthier city!'"
So: the grassroots approach looks like it could succeed where CEC-led stuff has tended to hit the buffers. Has Spokes been involved in this yet?
Posted 14 years ago # -
I think this is the £98,000 bill for doing the tube map and associated signage / branding exercise on the existing path network?
Posted 14 years ago # -
Ooh, I think you're right. The article doesn't say anything about mapping and doesn't reference any foregoing stories either, but it's all North Edinburgh Path Network stuff.
Posted 14 years ago # -
OOH look -
They've taken the railings away and left a bump for 4x4s to practice bunny hops.Other motorists will fail to notice and end up in hospital with whiplash and/or sue the council for 'inadequate warning of hazard'.
Cyclist run the same risk, can practice bunny hops or skilfully mind the gap (skinny tyres only).
Posted 14 years ago #
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