CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Strathearn Road

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    There was a 'bet' on here about taking a photo of the cycle lane without cars parked.

    (I'm still trying to win - not much chance.)

    I hadn't realised that it's actually an official parking zone - I should have spotted the ticket machine!

    Therefore there really is no chance that the lane will be 'saved' by the addition of yellow lines. SO the 'solution' is to remove the two spaces on the other side of the road, move the centre line over and put the cycle lane on the outside of the parking bay.

    (Yes I know there are people who don't like cycle lanes next to parked cars.)

    No doubt there will be objections from residents/traders, but it would be a sign of the Council's commitment. It's not just bikes that are inconvenienced by the present arrangement - it's a bus route too.

    (The Council should be embarrassed by having an unusable bike lane on its list of cycle lane mileage, but...)

    Posted 14 years ago #

  2. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Official Parking? Y'mean like this one?

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Flash Video

    Posted 14 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    "Official Parking? Y'mean like this one?"

    Nope - every day!

    'Perhaps' some of these 'anomalies' are being dealt with under the forthcoming parking changes. But as all the details have been taken off-line after the end of the consultation period, it's hard to tell...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  4. SRD
    Moderator

    Sorry if I wasn't clear in previous posts - I _had_ mentioned the 'parking bays'. But yes, they are specifically posted and ticket machined. This was why i asked the council guy if his list of x miles of cycle lanes included the ones with parking bays on them'.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "Sorry if I wasn't clear in previous posts - I _had_ mentioned the 'parking bays'"

    No need to apologise - I hadn't picked up on what you said, never mind the evidence of my own eyes.

    Did you get a reply from Mr. Mackenzie?

    Posted 14 years ago #

  6. SRD
    Moderator

    NOPE

    Posted 14 years ago #

  7. SRD
    Moderator

    Moving the spots on the other side would certainly make going to other direction easier as well - it is often quite a rat run as cars accelerate past to beat you across the (potholed) intersection. Also one of those places where you just wait for the car doors to open....

    But the garage and post-office there would doubtless complain.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  8. SRD
    Moderator

    The cycle lanes on Gilmore place (kings theatre end) also have metered parking bays, but the parking ends well before the intersection, so it causes fewer problems, even if it makes a mockery of the cycle lanes.

    There could be a fun project to measure all the cycle lanes that have metered parking and then deduct from over-all total whenever the council claims 'xx miles'!

    Posted 14 years ago #

  9. SRD
    Moderator

    "Did you get a reply from Mr. Mackenzie?"

    Update:

    Dear S.

    Thank you for your email to Councillor Mackenzie regarding the above.

    Councillor Mackenzie has noted your comments and asked me to forward them to the department.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    Councillor Mackenzie is on paternity leave.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  11. SRD
    Moderator

    "Councillor Mackenzie is on paternity leave."

    Good for him.

    BUT, that's what auto-replies are for.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  12. SRD
    Moderator

    Update:

    "Thank you for your email of 6 April 2010 sent to Councillor Mackenzie on the above subject [cycle lanes and parking].

    The Council recognises the issue you have raised regarding vehicles parked in cycle lanes and tackling this is an action that has been identified during the development of the Active Travel Action Plan. The South of Edinburgh has also been identified during this work as having significant potential for increasing cycle use and we expect to propose further route improvements in this area. In that context we are grateful for your suggestion regarding the route between Polwarth and Dalkeith Road and in particular on the approach to the Marchmont Road/Strathearn Road junction."

    Posted 14 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    "The South of Edinburgh has also been identified during this work as having significant potential for increasing cycle use"

    Yes.

    They are taking things seriously. The ATAP (Active Travel Action Plan) document will be very good. The consequences will depend on a) resources (re-allocatiing rather than 'new') b) the co-operation of sections of the Council that determine the allocations and do the work on the ground...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  14. SRD
    Moderator

    I'm glad you're so positive about this. It certainly suggests that policies of consultation and inclusion can work, but your point (b) always seems to be the stumbling block.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    "I'm glad you're so positive about this."

    I choose my words carefully (in print...) I think I can safely say that the report (no I'm not writing it) will be full of great potential/possible things - and not just in 'wish list' format.

    "It certainly suggests that policies of consultation and inclusion can work". I was part of the consultation and there was a degree of 'looking for support and better ideas' such that some people (one or two) were complaining that there hadn't been enough consultation. This was deftly dealt with by an official who said 'this is about policy, there will be consultation on the details of the proposals'.

    "but your point (b) always seems to be the stumbling block."

    Yes. There have been meetings. I'm sure there will be more...

    Posted 14 years ago #

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