They can't afford a person to sort this out, but they can afford adverts to tell us all to be nice to one another...
Says a lot about priorities, really...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
One-way streets
(55 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Then there's Lady Lawson Street. Contraflow proposed over 30 years ago.
Fire Service objected.
Of course that was before they moved to the 'new' fire station in Tollcross.
Much later it couldn't be done until they'd replaced the pub with student accommodation, built Evolution House, replaced the Postal HQ etc. etc.
But there IS a bit of contraflow -
Now they 'just' need to put all the parking on one side and sort the lights.
Simples.
When will Lady Lawson Street get a contraflow?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Saw LOTS of contraflow one-way streets in Leipzig last month.
Seems to be as simple as:
1. Make street one way
2. Install signs with bike logo and 'Frei' underneath.
3. Er.....that's it.Cost: tuppence ha'penny compared to (for example) bus lane cameras.
A big difference in Leipzig is very little on-street parking in the centre. Instead drivers have to use big underground car parks. Oh and central area largely pedestrianised too, no buses charging up and down main square. Somehow people seem able to walk a few hundred metres from bus/tram stop to the shops/cafes/restaurants...
Of course I realise that in Edinburgh TROs will need to be drafted, objections may be raised, etc. But really, it's pretty cheap to do and not difficult. So why the delay?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I just spotted this lunchtime that Sciennes House Place has a contraflow for cycles
Posted 11 years ago # -
"I just spotted this lunchtime that Sciennes House Place has a contraflow for cycles"
Fortunately not many cars come out that way, the ones that do don't seem to be expecting bikes!
Signage c/should be better.
Painted line and bicycle symbols would help.
You'd think that whoever designed the QBC might have noticed...
Posted 11 years ago # -
just spotted this lunchtime that Sciennes House Place has a contraflow for cycles
Yes had a number of differences of opinions when using this street with vehicles coming the other way who didn't see the sign warning of it being 2-way for bikes so thought the best course of action was to drive straight at me instead.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Have had the same thing on the bus lane contraflow on Bread Street - guy coming the other way thought I was riding the wrong way, so decided that to teach me a lesson he should swerve his car into my lane and drive straight at me. What on earth goes through people's heads?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I used to carry an old D lock clipped to by backpack. I could 'unholster' it in a few seconds whilst riding along.
It was occationally useful for neds and cars such as above. Never actually used it, I'd like to point out, just made it obvious I had it. - In a 'NICE' way, obviously.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I wish there was money available for a campaign to improve public awareness of cycle contraflows, ASLs and safe passing distances, understanding of complex issues such as VED and strict liability and to promote the many benefits to everyone of reducing car use and increasing cycle use*. Oh wait a minute...
*less pollution, less danger, improved amenity, greater permeability, improved health, less noise, less need for parking, improved outlook for non-renewables, less damage to roads and infrastructure, fewer nights sleep lost to car alarms or looked at through a windscreen: more parking freed-up, less congestion and fewer people ahead of you in the queue for treatment for health issues brought about by a sedentary lifestyle.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Regarding glacial rate of action - I attended an ATAP 'review meeting' in April. We received the record of the meeting yesterday.
One of the issues I raised was contraflows - partly coming frm the above discussion, partly because it seems a relatively cheap and easy to implement aspect of ATAP.
Like lionfishy, I was told 'now we've hired people, now something will happen'. But not given that specific a time frame. Sigh.
Posted 11 years ago # -
On the subject of one-way streets, I took the lovely contra flow on King's Stable Road yesterday on my way home from Princes St Gardens with the kids.
It was well marked and wide enough for my tandem. Great, I thought...
However, when I got to Lothian road it just stopped. In the middle of the busy pavement with no obvious route to continue my journey -I was wanting to go North towards Princes St and Rutland Square.
I tried to way up my options - I couldn't use the pedestrian crossing to get across as it was in two parts with a narrow central reservation which wouldn't fit any bike was it was busy with pedestrians (I doubted the tandem would fit and didn't want to get get stuck half on the road).
There was a curb running up the centre of Lothian rd to the North of the crossing (to stop Northbound traffic turning down KSR) so I couldn't just cross the road - a loaded tandem doesn't do bouncing up curbs without considerable time & effort)
Added to confusion were the cars & buses being controlled by the traffic lights which I could only see the southbound ones.
I spent a couple of minutes scratching my head as to how best to proceed, (in any direction) with the least risk.
In the end (and with suitable gap in the traffic) I cycled the wrong way up the southbound carriageway of Lothian Rd and then waited in the middle of the road to cross the northbound carriageway (while a white van u-turned to go down KSR!) before getting to the safety of the northbound bus lane.
I really don't understand what else I was meant to do. Anyone got any ideas?
We're all used to the infrastructure only being in place where it is easy to implement, but this one seems to be at a whole different level as it puts you in a really awkward position at the end of it.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"Anyone got any ideas?"
Not ones that will help (unless you want to put in the amount of effort you did for Gogar Station Road...)
That contraflow has been there for years. I have hardly ever used it as it really doesn't go anywhere useful.
Random observations over the years (more often going the other way), I have seen more pedestrians than bikes!
At a time when cycling on the pavement is about to be the subject of a Nice campaign and CEC is rolling out its family network it shouldn't take much to get this sorted...
How would it be designed in Copenhagen??
Posted 11 years ago # -
Oh aye, I'd forgotten about that contraflow. I used to use it years ago, but yes there is the issue of what to do at the end. Pretty sure if going north you're supposed to dismount, cross on green man and rejoin carriageway. Southbound less of a hassle.
All it needs is a single phase toucan crossing instead of two phase pelican. Alas there is the deity Traffic Flow to consider. No doubt as this a major bus corridor cyclists are on a hiding to nothing trying to get single phase there.
Streetview shows the position nicely: http://goo.gl/maps/eLq9i
Posted 11 years ago # -
12 years ago this thread was started...
How many cyclist contraflows have been created in that time? Valleyfield St. There must be some others?
I usually just contrive a way to avoid it but now I'm thinking that the north end of Leamington Road could be my prefered commute route. Today I followed another cyclist against the one-way.
On the other hand the short section of shared use pavement by the WAR to Drysdale Road would avoid the horrendous zig-zags up to McEwan Square.
Incidentally, another commute option takes me Lothian Road <--> Queensferry St. Northbound I tend to find that the traffic light sequence makes hopping the pavement and then catching the green light right hand turn into QS fairly seemless.
Southbound I end up dismounting and walking across.Not sure what
this is supposed to represent (OSM). Is it just showing the 'safe' angle to cross the tram tracks? It joins to a mapped section of footpath so not really sure.Terrible infrastructure is turning me into a law breaker.
Posted 1 week ago # -
This is one of the things the council appears to be likely to makeprogress on in the next year or two, possibly just because it's cheaper than most of the things they'd previously planned. A TRO for half a dozen streets was recently published.
I think there are a few new contraflows in Leith, as part of the Leith Connections project, as well.
That cycle path on OSM is just showing that you can can rejoin the road here. Cycling on the pavement here is completely legal, by the way. For reasons I may once have known, the explicit markings were never put down (unlike further East), but both Princes Street and Lothian Road are core paths, so (responsible) cycling on the pavement is allowed.
Posted 1 week ago # -
Quite a few in the last year or two, mostly from CCWEL and Leith Connections. Valleyfield St, Glengyle Terrace, Thistle St, Stafford St, Alva St, Charlotte Ln, William St and several in Leith. More if you’re counting new one-ways with contraflows like Grosvenor St, Roseberry Cres, Roseburn Gdns, Tantallon Pl and near the Coillesdenes.
Posted 1 week ago # -
We should get some T Shirts made up
This is two way for Bikes - One way for cars
This is a core path so Pavement Cycling is OKI did once meet the Infamous @Hankchief using the infamous two way on Bread st? Very early one morning. Never anyone else before or since. But entirely legit.
Posted 1 week ago # -
“two way on Bread st“
Not sure it still there(?)
If so, I didn’t notice any markings a couple of weeks ago.
Posted 1 week ago # -
Agreed
Was generally parked in anyway except at 630 am when I met the chief
Posted 1 week ago # -
One local to me is the Harbour Rd contraflow next to the Shell garage in Musselburgh.
In practice it's rarely used due to the lack of an ASL box on North High St which sort of defeats the purpose of directing bikes up that way.I reckon we would need to make the aborted attempt at a contraflow on Lady Lawson Street a site of international ridicule like the Leith Walk cycleway for anything to be done there.
Posted 1 week ago # -
“contraflow on Lady Lawson Street a site of international ridicule”
Yes a historic saga!
Top bit was done decades ago.
Seem to remember there was an objection because of the Fire Station.
But that moved to West Tollcross in 1986…
Posted 1 week ago # -
"Cycling on the pavement here is completely legal, by the way. For reasons I may once have known, the explicit markings were never put down (unlike further East), but both Princes Street and Lothian Road are core paths, so (responsible) cycling on the pavement is allowed."
That is good to know. Would definitely be nice if it was marked in some way.
Posted 1 week ago # -
Bread St was historic bus lane used way back when the 1 bus used to go up High Street and down Johnstone Terrace. Used to wait in Lawnmarket to get bus to Saughton (not prison!). Probably around 1998. (We lived in LM for 30 years).
Journey with wife and daughter often sitting on top deck of bus at front while SA was still at primary school. McEwan's clock and Fountainbridge brewery bridge was a highlight- these were the days. ;-)
Laterly I cycled that contraflow on way to shop although parked on a lot meant it was a bit head to head with traffic.Recent top contra is Valleyfield. Agree Leamington should be too as obvious direct route and part of John Muir way.
Posted 1 week ago # -
The 'old fire station' was a museum for a while and is now owned by the University. It's currently being renovated and the car park at the front appears to have turned into an unofficial taxi rank.
Posted 1 week ago # -
Can confirm the Bread St contra still exists, is usually parked in, and is frequently used by the Cargo Bike Movement
Posted 1 week ago #
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