CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Scotland's cycling routes to get £6m revamp

(36 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by minus six
  • Latest reply from Roibeard

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  1. minus six
    Member

    including Barnton Junction to FRB upgrade

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19813023

    what do you get for £6m these days ?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    MOST interesting -

    "
    Transport Minister Keith Brown confirmed details of the funding, which was announced two weeks ago in Finance Secretary John Swinney's Budget.

    He said the cash would also allow thousands of schoolchildren in Scotland to learn more about bike safety.

    "

    It's down to the detail(s) of course.

    Can't find an SG press release - presume there will be a formal announcement today(?)

    Posted 11 years ago #
  3. Dave
    Member

    Might push up house prices in South Queensferry?

    We've considered moving out there but the terrible path alongside the A90 is the main stumbling block (that and the loss of Roseburn path to the trams). If they could make it high speed in both directions it would add a lot to the attractiveness of the FRB-Edinburgh commute.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  4. minus six
    Member

    The A90 path / trench thing. I sometimes find myself asking "what would the dutch do?"

    I reckon they'd leave the existing walking path as it is, and build a brand spanking new cycleway just behind the hedgerow, in the field belonging to Dalmeny Estates.

    Could it happen here?

    What percentage of £6m would be allocated to this?

    Rhetorical questions, i fear...

    Posted 11 years ago #
  5. cb
    Member

    The labelling of it as being the Lands End to John O'Groats route is a bit bizarre.

    That might make people think it's some frivolous tourist route upgrade rather than (or as well as) a much needed commuter route.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  6. cb
    Member

    @bax, I tend to agree with the view that this will need Lord Rosebery's help to make this a truely decent route.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  7. PS
    Member

    Yes, unless a new cyclepath is built on stilts, there just isn't room to fit in a cyclepath of adequate width between the estate wall and the A90.

    Of course, that assumes that the cyclepath will be of adequate width, which for this stretch I would define as wide enough for three if not four bikes. However, I fear that that is not what is intended.

    @bax You're right, that's exactly what the Dutch would do. There were some interesting helicopter shots of the World Road Race Championships in Limburg a couple of weeks ago - alongside the road between two relatively small villages there was a nice, broad cyclepath in the adjacent field.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  8. Roibeard
    Member

    Sorry folks, much more cynical here - I read it as being a little money for new infrastructure and a lot of money to teach children on how to keep themselves safe on the existing infrastructure...

    Clearly it's a lack of skills and education on our part that causes motorists to drive at, or into, us.

    Nothing at all to do with infrastructure engineered for conflict...

    <grump>

    Robert

    Posted 11 years ago #
  9. Instography
    Member

    I fear Roibeard's cynicism (although it's really scepticism) is well placed. £6m would get you nowhere but the SNP have become very astute news managers and understand that once money moves into the millions, the public is largely incapable of differentiating amounts. Their paltry £6m sounds like a huge amount and including Lands End to John O Groats confirms this. In reality £6m won't go far in tarmac but it'll put a lot of hi viz on lots of little shoulders.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  10. kaputnik
    Moderator

    There was some mention of "other routes" in "other places", but they'll probably drop a few kerbs and stick up a few signs around the place proclaiming it the His Royal Hoyness the Sir Sir Chris Hoy Cycle SuperHoyway.

    Improvements to the A90 route are welcome, but why are the SG announcing this when it's a route that falls entirely within Edinburgh. Should it not be being dealt with at the cooncil level? Again I think the cynicism about calling this "improvements to the LEJOG route" is for news management purposes. LEJOG upgrades won't get people out of cars, but local upgrades to key commuter routes just might...

    Posted 11 years ago #
  11. minus six
    Member

    why are the SG announcing this

    I assume that SPOKES "Scotland's national disgrace" campaign has prompted this.

    And while that's some measure of progress, nothing much is going to happen.

    We've been here before.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  12. chdot
    Admin

    We know what Keith Brown really likes -

    "
    Edinburgh Napier Uni (@EdinburghNapier)
    25/09/2012 14:51
    There are now electric car charging points at each of our main campuses http://www.napier.ac.uk/media/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=331

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #
  13. Min
    Member

    From the link Bax posted.

    in places approximately one metre wide

    This seems rather generous. I expect it just seems even narrower than that because of the wall on one side and the trees on the other.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  14. DdF
    Member

    @bax Thanks from Spokes, I think you are correct re the Scot Govt embarrassment leading to this. The fact that 3 MSPs mentioned it in the SP cycling debate was major, plus the subsequent embarrassment generated in part by the spokes posting. We've also been following it up with the MSPs.

    And the only reason that the 3 MSPs mentioned it was because a lot of individual constituents had written to them about it (again encouraged by our efforts!) This really is totally vital in the long term even if the individuals don't see anything happening immediately (or for ages).

    Biggest disappointment is that the funding is cycling money, not from the massive Forth Bridge budgets (which are funding the road accesses) or from the trunk road budgets which we've been arguing for. So that will be money that won't instead be used for cycle infrastructure elsewhere.

    We don't have any details of how much of the £6m will go to this route, or what the plans will be, but do understand some work should happen this financial year.

    Incidentally the full press release is here. It doesn't say much more, but doubtless there will be further releases on individual projects to maximise publicity.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    To put it into context, this STV news article gives a figure that 2010-2012 the "the Scottish Government has spent £8m to allow the purchase of 270 greener vehicles". Or £29.6k per vehicle.

    I'm slightly eyebrow raising at WWF Scotland's heavy involvement in this scheme.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  16. chdot
    Admin

    As DdF says, press release now public.

    "
    Spokes CycleCampaign (@SpokesLothian)
    04/10/2012 10:22
    £6m #cycling money http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/Cycling-investment-funding better than last year's cuts thanks to campaigns but no hope for 2020 target

    http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012/09/cycling-up-very-slightly-in-budget

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #
  17. kaputnik
    Moderator

    STV news are also running the story.

    They finish it with;

    Ian Aitken, chief executive of the national promotion organisation Cycling Scotland, said: "We are working with local authorities across Scotland to increase the amount of training which is delivered on-road, as opposed to in the playground, as training is far more beneficial when delivered in a live road environment.

    "This funding will enable us to support the network of over 4000 amazing volunteers that are currently delivering cycle training, increase the number of children receiving training on-road and to continue to campaign for greater consideration for cyclists using the road network."

    This is all very honourable I'm sure, but unless something has been edited out of his quote, or I am missing something - why doesn't it say something along the lines of; national cycling promotion organisation Cycling Scotland is campaigning for greater infrastructure so that cyclists don't have to use the road network... ?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  18. Dave
    Member

    Paltry amounts, but there's no denying the SNP are excellent at spin.

    Fixing the A90 will require substantial rework (I think there is room, but it will require cash and balls, neither of which are in ready supply). The bit that's already been done from the estate down to the A90 encourages me though, as it could be so much worse.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  19. PS
    Member

    The SNP are excellent at spin, but they are abetted by a media that just seems to accept any press release/announcement into a news story without question.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  20. Instography
    Member

    I'm afraid to get more you'd have to convincingly show that spending on cycling would help, in some way, towards achieving independence. That's what the entire SNP Government project is about.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    In case anyone is looking for 'the figures' that were posted earlier, I have been asked to remove them on the basis that they were not supposed to have been made public yet.

    I have also removed a subsequent post by crowriver who quoted some of the figures.

    I'm sure Mr. Brown will be announcing the full details in the near future.

    The "official breakdown" will not change the fact that £6m is hardly a lot of money - and may or may not be 'new'.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  22. crowriver
    Member

    So subsidising the purchase of Renault electric cars somehow helps bring independence closer? I fail to see the logic.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  23. Roibeard
    Member

    @chdot - CCE, the new wikileaks, and hot bed of political intrigue...

    I'd suggest you don't model yourself on Assange though - although perhaps being in self inflicted house arrest in the Dutch consulate wouldn't be too bad - 127 George Street, so much more prestigious than my home!

    Robert

    Posted 11 years ago #
  24. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Sustrans (@sustrans)
    04/10/2012 11:23
    My view: extra funding welcome, but Scotland a long way from £20 a head needed to hit CAPS targets. tinyurl.com/6gqhlnz
    via @John_Lauder

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #
  25. Kim
    Member

    It is a shame we are not allowed to talk about how the newly announced money is to be spent, as it shows what a pitifully small amount of money it is.

    This additional spending, which Keith Brown claims is a result of "working closely with the cycling community in recent months to find out exactly what's needed to get more people in Scotland on their bikes," actually amounts to an extra 5p per head! Not the £20 per head which the "cycling community" is calling for.

    Given that it is such a small amount of money, questions should be asked as to why 20% of it is being wasted on an advertising campaign which will provide no long term benefit, unlike spending on infrastructure and training.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  26. fimm
    Member

    I was discussing this with my boyfriend last night. He was quite enthusiastic and wasn't very impressed with my somewhat lesser level of enthusiasm. He made a point that I could not really answer: that we should be pleased that any money is being spend on cycling and cycling facilities, rather than just grumbling and saying it isn't enough. What would others say to this?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  27. minus six
    Member

    What would others say to this?

    i'd call it a servile and submissive outlook.

    which is certainly the conditioning expected by the status quo of implied hierarchy of road use / provision.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  28. SRD
    Moderator

    the government has set a target to get 10% of journeys by bike. every single expert at parliament said that their current spending (<1%) will not et that target. Surely if they set targets then they need to implement policies and fund them? or else just admit they don't want to increase/support cycling. but they have other targets - environment and health - that are predicated on their cycling target, so one by one their policies fall.

    this is wy we MUST point out to them that these small amounts, which often need to be spent very quickly, and with little planning, are insuffiient. The expert evidence from sustrans, living streets and cycling scotland made this very clear - worth watching the videoif you have time.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  29. chdot
    Admin

    "we should be pleased that any money is being spend on cycling and cycling facilities, rather than just grumbling and saying it isn't enough"

    I think that may have been more of a valid point ten years. or more, ago.

    We are now in a situation where governments worry about health, obesity, value for money etc. etc.

    They even have TARGETS.

    There's plenty of evidence about the value of exercise.

    Plenty of evidence that other countries get more people to cycle - usually involves spending money.

    Meanwhile we have more of the same - extra bridges across the Forth, stray advertising campaigns and a vain hope that LOTS more people will want to deal with the existing infrastructure and schoolchildren given a bit of training by volunteers - where they can be found.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  30. Morningsider
    Member

    SRD - excellent points. I would go further and ask what kind of a city/country do we want to build for the future. One built on a human scale, with an emphasis on health, wellbeing and robust local communities - or one based on high speed car travel, out of town shopping centres and a focus on meeting the needs of individuals (particularly those with the means and ability to own one/two or more cars).

    Who should we look to for inspiration for the development of our towns and cities - USA (fine country though it is) or our Northern European counterparts. I know which I would prefer.

    Cycling is great - but investment in cycling can lead to so much more than just allowing people to cycle, e.g. improved health, reduced traffic accidents, reduction in air/noise pollution and so on.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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