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Leith Walk - next stage (still ongoing and going on…)

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "
    The Leith Programme - Email Update 8, 19 February 2013.

    Utilities work - update of 19 February

    Work has started as scheduled on the utilities element of the Leith Programme at two sites in the area.

    Constitution Street - North side from Baltic Street to Maritime Lane - 18 February to 5 March (estimate)

    Most of the work will involve replacing service connections to properties. Works in this section are being carried out in the footway with pedestrians being diverted onto a temporary walkway on the road. A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) has been advertised allowing a period of three weeks (17 February to 10 March 2013) and suspension of parking and loading bays. This will be managed so far as possible on a day to day basis to minimise disruption. Working hours 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday.
    Leith Walk - North side from Stead's Place to Balfour Street - 18 February to 10 March (estimate)

    Most of the work will involve the replacement of existing service connections to properties to the new main and are being carried out in the footway and the bus lane on the carriageway requiring its temporary suspension. An initial TTRO for this site has been advertised allowing a period of three weeks (17 February to 10 March) and suspension of parking and loading bays. This will be minimised so far as is possible on a day to day basis.
    Working hours 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. However there will be a requirement for some service disruptions to water supply but these will be carried out during night working hours in order to minimise any disruption. All affected properties will be notified.
    Work to abandon the old main will involve some more extensive traffic management as minor road closures at Stead's Place and Middlefield will be required. Small diversions will be in place at both locations and access to the timber yard at Stead's Place will be maintained. A further TTRO is expected and we will provide an update once this has been advertised.
    Give the nature of the work involved, some work might transpire to be more complicated than originally planned for and take longer while some may be less so and completed more quickly. We aim to provide information as it becomes available but please note that the timescales are indicative and any changes will be updated on our website and through stakeholder emails.

    Any enquiries can be fed into the City Centre and Leith Neighbourhood on 0131 529 7061, or direct to myself, Alan Dean 0131 529 7519 or 07739 188 348.

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. fimm
    Member

    Can one inspect these TTROs, I wonder? Look for provision for cyclists and pedestrians, that sort of thing? (See Argyll Place works thread...)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    Most of the work will involve the replacement of existing service connections to properties to the new main and are being carried out in the footway and the bus lane on the carriageway requiring its temporary suspension.

    So the tram-specific bit has already been done, essentially.

    Work to abandon the old main will involve some more extensive traffic management as minor road closures at Stead's Place and Middlefield will be required.

    More like a half-finished job, in fact.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Some TROs are advertised and objectable to:

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/1523/transport_and_streets/431/traffic_orders

    but that doesn't cover everything, Leith Walk for example. More info on the consultation findings here:

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20056/city_centre_and_leith_neighbourhood/1788/leith_improvement_programme_2012-2014/1

    including:

    Proposed safety measures for cyclists were seen by many as a positive contribution to cycling safety in the area, however there is a significant contrary view that some aspects of the proposals may have an adverse effect and reduce safety.

    A number of the respondents feel the preliminary designs don't go far enough with regards to provision for cyclists. These respondents generally want segregated cycleways, particularly in the uphill direction (towards the city centre).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC)
    25/02/2013 15:22
    #leithprogramme seeks funding to help make Leith Walk more cycle and pedestrian-friendly http://bit.ly/125TUBV

    "

    "

    The Council has been delighted with the quality of feedback received through consultation, which highlighted a range of design concepts that could improve the scheme.

    These included ideas for more significant enhancements between Pilrig Street and Picardy Place at the southern end of Leith Walk, making it easier for pedestrians to cross at key points and safer for cyclists using the route.

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. crowriver
    Member

    That's unexpectedly positive news. Very encouraging that the council are thinking things through in a bit more joined up and ambitious manner.

    "If funding is found, the enhancements would be the first step in delivering a longer term, more strategic vision for sustainable transport along the entire route from Leith to the city centre.
    Future priority would include dovetailing with developments such as the cycling route on George Street and the accessible entrance to Waverley train station which is being developed on Calton Road."

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Calum
    Member

    It's good that the council are willing to look at this again and potentially revise the designs. But I do wish they would speak plainly. "Funding bid to help improve Leith Walk for pedestrians and cyclists" and "safer for cyclists using the route" really doesn't mean very much, and I tire of "strategic visions". Why can't they say "We are seeking funding from Sustrans to effect Improvement X and Improvement Y on Leith Walk"? Then we could get a handle on what all this actually means.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. Klaxon
    Member

    I implored strongly at the consultation in McDonald Road library how utterly unsatisfactory the junctions at Picardy Place and London Road are for pedestrians. The staff who lived locally agreed.

    I'm glad the matter is being revisited

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. fimm
    Member

    "cycling route on George Street"?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. wingpig
    Member

    "cycling route on George Street"?

    NCN1 and 76? Routes without facilities as far as George Street is concerned. Presumably, somewhere in this "dovetailing" is the current North St. Andrew St screw-up.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    "Why can't they say "We are seeking funding from Sustrans to effect Improvement X and Improvement Y on Leith Walk"?"

    Probably because this is unlikely to be the 'funding conduit'.

    Sustrans gets most of its money (in Scotland) from Scottish Gov.

    This is from CEC link -

    "
    "We recognise the Scottish Government's commitment to sustainable and active travel and our aim is to work with the Government to deliver the best possible improvements that we can to Leith Walk while we have this unique opportunity to do so."

    "
    I think (hope) this is a bit more than kiteflying, but deputy transport person Jim Orr is in the SNP and will have had discussions with the SNP run SG.

    Though as CEC has had lots of money for a tram that was supposed to go down Leith Walk, negotiations will be interesting...

    Arguably SG needs to show it really 'cares' about "sustainable transport" after Forth Bridge, Aberdeen bypass etc.

    At this stage it's important that CEC has listened to arguments/representations. I'm not saying that CCE made it happen, but individuals posting here, going to consultations and responding online, contacting councillors etc. have made a difference.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Theo (@earthowned)
    10/03/2013 19:42
    @LAHinds @greenerleith It will be sad if Leith Walk is designed anything like the QBC.

    "

    "

    Lesley Hinds (@LAHinds)
    10/03/2013 20:18
    @earthowned agreed

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. earthowned
    Member

    Nice to see some tacit acknowledgement from CEC that the QBC could be better

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    I know there are more recent threads about LW lanes, but this seems to go here…

    “

    The cycle route repeatedly bends sharply as it weaves its way along Leith Walk changing direction to wind its way around what appear to be parking bays and other obstacles. Despite all the bends, there are still lampposts sitting in the bike lane.

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-residents-ridicule-leith-walk-bike-lane-as-council-is-accused-of-major-blunder-3647733

    Posted 2 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    Thread

    https://twitter.com/lmacinnessnp/status/1513846984737755139

    Posted 2 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    Additionally

    “

    You may be desperate to construct some negative theory about this but it's really simple to understand. There have been defects in construction which the tram team have now requested the contractor, at their cost, get rectified in time for the opening of the cycle path in July.

    “

    https://twitter.com/lmacinnessnp/status/1513857467175866371

    Posted 2 years ago #

  17. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "recognise that design we agreed has not been properly reflected in construction."

    The question remains why? Presumably it would be a BIG PROBLEM if the tram infra did not comply with the designs. An attitude of "Meh, it's only cyclists" has run through this project's executive stakeholders (council/TfE/contractors) like a stick of rock.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    “

    I understand that rectifying the issues should not come as a cost to the project but will be borne by the contractor.

    “

    https://twitter.com/lmacinnessnp/status/1513862655039008768

    Posted 2 years ago #

  19. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    As I understand it from the Spokes documents, at the time of the closure of the temporary LW cycle provision last year, it was intended to be closed and diversions in place until last autumn? Now it will be July this year (at the earliest, I imagine) before there is any non-traffic lane provision open? That point is rather glossed over in the twitter thread.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  20. boothym
    Member

    I noticed last week in response to a picture of Leith Walk, David Hunter (the LSE one) said "I really think the criticism of the cycleway is over the top. It was always intended as a segregated route to encourage less confident cyclists - not a fast, straight 'super-highway'?"

    https://twitter.com/dvrh9/status/1511753210427768833

    Yet Living Streets Edinburgh today was criticising the inadequate walking space. Surely the poor design of the cycleway - with its twists and turns for parking and bin bypasses - is the reason for the lack of pavement space in certain places?

    Posted 2 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    LSS & LSE not always on the same page…

    One gives the appearance of being more anti-bike than the other.

    In parts, the pedestrian infrastructure is worse than the cycle!

    As has been said often ‘LW is NOT narrow’.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  22. Yodhrin
    Member

    One thing I don't get - several of the mini-chicanes are said to be down to them wanting to preserve access to utility service covers without having to dig the pavement back up in future...but what's stopping them from using "temporary" material for those sections? By which I mean the kind of stuff that's used to rapidly provide light kerb segregation to cycle lanes, that molded plastic-rubber pseudopavement stuff. It's not like bikes will cause significant wear by riding over it, and if they need access to the covers you only need to undo a couple of bolts to lift the whole section away.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  23. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "the kind of stuff that's used to rapidly provide light kerb segregation to cycle lanes, that molded plastic-rubber pseudopavement stuff."

    Because a pavement parking juggernaut will drive on it and fall into the bowels of the earth

    Or something like that, probably

    Posted 2 years ago #

  24. boothym
    Member

    Indeed, the utility covers look like they would be in between the carriageway and cycletrack - if it continued straight - so they wouldn't even get ridden over.

    @chdot should've said it was LS Edinburgh tweeting today not the main LS.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  25. Rob
    Member

    "Surely the poor design of the cycleway - with its twists and turns for parking and bin bypasses - is the reason for the lack of pavement space in certain places?"

    The worst part for pavement width is at the layby bus stop, where the cycleway also has to take an extreme angle to bypass it (typically bus stop bypasses only have to deflect around the shelter/island). Both issues are being caused by the same thing, i.e. the decision to put the bus stop out of the main carriageway.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  26. boothym
    Member

    Two videos of a continuous footway at the junction with Brunswick Street.

    https://twitter.com/116McD/status/1556726888047038466

    https://twitter.com/116McD/status/1556728250285625352

    Am I missing something in the designs, or have they basically created a rat run here by by making Brunswick Road one way? Traffic from McDonald Road that wants to go to Easter Road etc will cut through here instead of going up to London Road.

    7 of the 10 cars in the second video do so, and it also includes a fire engine which presumably would've gone straight ahead to Brunswick Road previously?

    Posted 2 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    Quite shocking

    We’ll see if this gets any responses

    https://twitter.com/cyclingedin/status/1556904051660701696

    Posted 2 years ago #

  28. boothym
    Member

    According to the TRO there's also no left turn from Leith Walk to London Road, so you'd need to go up to Picardy Place and double back on yourself to go east. Or you just take the Brunswick Street rat run...

    https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s36345/Item%207.9%20-%20Trams%20to%20Newhaven.pdf

    Posted 2 years ago #

  29. pringlis
    Member

    Does seem like someone's dropped the ball here - created a rat run and added a continuous pavement resulting in increased conflict. It's a shame as the Brunswick Street/Montgomery Street crossroads would be an ideal spot for some modal filters and placemaking. Large pavements, big central area at the crossroads. A couple of filters, planters and benches and it could be a lovely little spot for residents to congregate. Traffic doesn't need to go along either street really, London Road/Leith Walk should be the route of choice.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  30. boothym
    Member

    The TRO has an objection to the Brunswick Road one way on the grounds of displacement to Albert/Brunswick Street, the response said it was "installed to increase safety outside of the Primary School and increase safety for cyclists".

    Fair enough, but the one way westbound means the only eastbound road between Albert Street and Picardy Place is Brunswick Street (not great for pedestrian safety!). If the direction of Brunswick Road was swapped that would surely improve things?

    Posted 2 years ago #

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