...the double yellows in the Mound been painted over (from about 1/3 of the way up) and preparations been made to turn it into a car park?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Since when have...
(42 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Almost looks 'guerrilla'.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Was it going to be closed for tram related non-happenings?
Posted 12 years ago # -
There are parking meters on the pavement also.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Er okay. Then isn't The Mound part of the new Quality Car Parking corridor to KB? Could be that. I'd have to look back at the plans.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Well, y'know, having yellow lines there is just criminalising those who would otherwise be parking legally...
Posted 12 years ago # -
CEC says -
"tram related. Once Princes Street is closed the Mound will become a
dead-end with parking permitted as per the previous closure."Presume this is north of Market Street?
Obviously it's an attempt to make up some of the cash 'lost' when parking is removed from George Street for the diversion.
No chance of reducing chaos/congestion and encouraging bike/bus use then.
This IS Edinburgh.
Posted 12 years ago # -
So are they going to have a bike diversion for those coming down/up the Mound? Surely there will be a pedestrian cut-through, and it would make sense to couple that with a bike cut-through no?
Oh.
This. Is. Edinburgh.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh great. It'll be like Leith Walk, only hillier, and narrower. Another cycle route turned into a car park then. Sigh.
Posted 12 years ago # -
So it's to be a dead-end parking hill. And how exactly are cars meant to get into it apart from Bank Street / Market Street. And how are they meant to get to Bank / Market Street exactly?
I think a lot of us would recognise the Meadows as being a focal point for E-W and N-S cycling routes around town. This effectively places a car park across the main route to the north of town from it - the other options are Lothian Road (dreadful for cyclists) or North/South Bridge (equally dreadful).
This is stupidity of the highest degree. Why is it that cyclists must suffer so that the council can entertain the selfishness and lazyness of those car drivers who can only conceive of getting into town if they park slap bang in the middle of it? (and there are no washing machine shops on Princes Street, so that argument just doesn't hold water)
I give up.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Email along following lines sent to various councillors on Transport & Infrastructure Committee;
Dear Elected Representative,
I write to you in your capacity as xxx of the Council's Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee, regarding the suspension of double-yellow lines in the cycle lanes on The Mound. I attach a photo for your reference. I also note that parking ticket machines have been installed on the pavement. From this I can only assume that the cycle lanes with double yellows in them (which were lobbied long and hard for) are to be turned into a car park. I wonder if you would be able to confirm if this is the Council's intention for the Mound.
Kerbside cycle lanes like this without double yellows are next to useless for cyclists as they simply fill up with parked cars. I attach 2 further photos that I have taken previously on the Mound cycle lanes to illustrate this point - even single yellows are not sufficient.
The Mound is a key north-south route for cyclists moving between the cycle network in the south of the city (e.g. from the Meadows, the Innocent Railway) and the north (e.g. the Water of Leith path, the North Edinburgh Path network.) You may also be aware that the Sustrans National Routes 1, 75 and 76 are all routed along the Mound. The alternative routes would be to divert via Lothian Road or the Bridges. If you have ever cycled either then will know that neither of these options offer a particularly cycle-friendly alternative. I wonder if you can confirm what arrangements are being made to maintain a reasonably parked car-free and safe journey for cyclists along this key route. I can see time and money has been spent on painting out yellow lines and installing ticket machines; I was not able to see any visible evidence that any time or thought has been given to the cyclists that this displaces.
If there are not enough car parking spaces in the centre of the city, perhaps we should encourage people to leave their cars at home. Removing cycling infrastructure is not the best start to achieving this. What sort of advertisement this is for the Council's stated intentions of improving cycling and cycling infrastructure in the city?
Yours sincerely,
John. Q. Counciltaxpayingcyclist
Posted 12 years ago # -
The number of parking spaces in Edinburgh has actually increased since the 1980s, some three or four thousand more. So, of course, has the number of cars on the roads...
I'm minded to write to the Council too, it's ridiculous they are doing this really.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
Reducing parking is a key way to increase road space for all but there is rarely any appetite from either local or central government to “wage war on the motorist.” In fact, the current Government is rolling back many restrictions on cars.
"Posted 12 years ago # -
They are just gaining far to much money from the car's!
So while money's tight, they want to make sure, plenty of folk use their cars to fill their pockets and waste the money on something useless-it sure does NOT go towards safe cycle paths.It's disgraceful !
Posted 12 years ago # -
Councillor McInnes has forwarded my email on to Marshall Poulton (Head of Transport, City of Edinburgh Council) for comment (I'm cc'ed in).
Posted 12 years ago # -
Well metered and informed response 'nik, and although I think it will get nowhere since they've wired up the machines it's good to have it noted that they've managed to chop a national cycle path in half.
Well done CEC, another great plan comes to fruition.
I remember 'Absolutely Positively Wellington' (that was the council's brand name, I kid you not) had a great solution to the parking problem, parking buildings that were slightly cheaper than the street parks $1.5/h vs $4/h, and free on the weekends. Stopped people heading out to the big boxes in 'the hutt' and provided relief on the street.
Mind you, they did sell their parks to a singaporean operator in a wonderfully short sighted move, who then removed the free weekends and upped the prices, is $6/h vs $4 for street. Humph.
And as the snazzy new signs attest, there is no shortage of parking places in Edinburgh, just a shortage of cheap street parks and a plethora of expensive NCP ones.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Councillor McKenzie replied to me today, acknowledging that indeed double yellows are out and parking is in and it's the fault of the trams. It's "temporary" (well yes, but temporary for 9 months is a long time!)
Did not take the bait about my points on closing off the NCN, not maintaining an important route for cyclists, not putting in place any alternatives etc.
I'll reply thanking for prompt response and put my point more directly about closing off the NCN and cycle routes without any alternative or so much as a sign to tell you (I assume they would be happy to let you get to the bottom and realise it's a dead end!). Will ask what alternatives if any have been considered.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Tramworks back in days despite pleas by retailers"
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Tramworks-back-in-days-despite.6833703.jp
Posted 12 years ago # -
As a purely practical question, do we know what the 'plan' is, should people reach the bottom of the mound on a bike ?
I only ask as (has been noted previously) this is a busy route, and we cant expect all cyclists to be as aware of this problem as us.
i.e. Are they to nip onto the pavement (perhaps between the galleries) and use the pedestrian crossings on princes street ?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Maybe we're to ride down the Steps instead?
Posted 12 years ago # -
"City chiefs have announced that road diversions will be introduced gradually from 5am next Saturday, with the full diversions to be in place by the following Monday morning, when work will begin."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Return-of-the-tramworks.6833947.jp
Posted 12 years ago # -
"FREE parking promotions or complimentary bus tickets should be provided during tram work to encourage people into the city centre, councillors said today."
Posted 12 years ago # -
Nose to tail cars parked on it this afternoon.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
edintravel:Princes St closure - diversions commence Sat 17th. Bus & general traffic maps now available to download http://t.co/tVBp4N9 #edintravel
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/edintravel/status/113961043641901056
"Posted 12 years ago # -
No point getting on a bus then, unless you enjoy sitting on George Street going nowhere fast. Thank goodness we all have bicycles!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Presume already legal to park??
Posted 12 years ago # -
Both councillors Gordon Mckenzie and Mark McInnes replied to me pretty quickly with similar answers (from different sources - one from council transport section, the other from Trams project office.
My reply (which summarises their responses) is as follows;
[pleasantries]Thank you for your prompt reply... [/pleasantries]
My primary reason in contacting you was about the loss of the cycling lanes and the key, relatively safe and largely car-free route that the Mound provides for north-south cycling in the city centre. In particular I refer to the following paragraph in the original email;
"Sustrans National Routes 1, 75 and 76 are all routed along the Mound. The alternative routes would be to divert via Lothian Road or the Bridges. If you have ever cycled either then will know that neither of these options offer a particularly cycle-friendly alternative. I wonder if you can confirm what arrangements are being made to maintain a reasonably parked car-free and safe journey for cyclists along this key route. I can see time and money has been spent on painting out yellow lines and installing ticket machines; I was not able to see any visible evidence that any time or thought has been given to the cyclists that this displaces."
From your reply, and that of Mr Conway from Edinburgh Trams, I draw the following conclusions;
* The signed cycle routes, with cycle lanes and double yellow lines, as used by Sustrans routes 1, 75 and 76 are being effectively severed by the closure of the Mound.
* Mr Conway suggests that South St Andrew Street / Waverley bridge is the alternative. As I assume this diversion does not involve suspension of parking on Market Street and provision of temporary cycle lanes along the route, I think it is fair to say that efforts are not being made to "maintain a reasonably parked car-free" route for cyclists. I think this is particularly pertinent as Market Street will become a main route for cars to access the new Mound car park and will also be the diversion route. It will therefore probably be carrying a lot more traffic than usual (in addition to also being a car park).
* It remains to be seen if any aspect of the diversions will make concessions for / be made with consideration to cyclists.
* It would seem that one of the reasons for the closure of the Mound and the cycle lanes it to provide a works compound for the contractor.If I am perfectly honest, my experience of contractors' works compounds associated with the tram project is that these are largely white van parks. The compound on North St Andrew Street is a prime example of this. It is also an example of where cycling facilities (a dedicated cycle lane was and a segregated cycle crossing) were removed / suspended to allow for a tram works and the associated van compound. The stalling of the trams project left this particular (and literal) barrier to cycling in limbo and years later it remains to be reinstated.
I do wonder how truly essential it is for the Mound to be closed for around 9 months. I assume the contractor will ensure access is maintained for their white vans; it would not be outwith the bounds of reason for an access corridor to be maintained for cyclists. I'm sure that Edinburgh Trams position would be that they require to close the entirety of Princes Street for the entire 9 month period. In reality I think that the actual amount of time that they need to be doing remedial works between the foot of the Mound and Hanover Street (a small portion of the entire route to be fixed) would be a fraction of this.
I have to say that I am disappointed but not altogether surprised by this latest - and in my opinion wholly unnecessary - inconvenience and barrier to cyclists and cycling courtesy of the Trams project. This is the latest in a long list of examples of the Trams project ripping up (often quite literally) the cycling infrastructure with little or no thought given to adequate alternatives or replacing it. To my mind, no piece of cycling infrastructure that the Trams project has so far claimed as its own or removed has been replaced or reinstated. I could list these and provide photographs of the current sorry state of affairs, but that would be a long list of an email whose contents I am sure you are already familiar with anyway.
Like everyone else affected by the Trams project, I guess we'll just have to "live with it". It would be nice however if a project that is meant to be delivering Edinburgh an environmentally friendly alternative to the car didn't seem to be going out of its way to impact an existing environmentally friendly (and far cheaper) alternative to the car. Once again, thank you for taking the time to look into this and reply to me.
Regards, et cetera...
Yeah it sort of degenerated into a bit of a rant...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"As I assume this diversion does not involve suspension of parking on Market Street and provision of temporary cycle lanes along the route"
Good points!
"The compound on North St Andrew Street is a prime example of this. It is also an example of where cycling facilities (a dedicated cycle lane was and a segregated cycle crossing) were removed / suspended to allow for a tram works and the associated van compound."
Was there today. I can't remember why the PROPER cycle lane was made into general car parking.
I assume that's normal metered parking.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Ah yes you can just see the red and white fencing creeping into the distance of the shot. IF you look past all the cars (and obligatory white van).
I think it's time to buy a helmet cam and make a point of trying to cycle this route...
Posted 12 years ago #
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