The EEN have copy/pasted the same article every day for two weeks now, just with a different one line quote from someone with an opinion.
Real news after the meeting in three weeks time.
CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
The EEN have copy/pasted the same article every day for two weeks now, just with a different one line quote from someone with an opinion.
Real news after the meeting in three weeks time.
Apparently, trams have a horn as well as a bell, for when the decorative clonking is insufficient in persuading people to not dash across mere metres in front of it. I was pedestrinating across PS at the Mound on Saturday and a couple desperate to get to the foul smells from the festive vending-tents got a wee toot.
"
THE tram extension down Leith Walk to Newhaven is set to be put on hold when councillors vote on the proposal next week.
An updated report on the project to be put to the full council meeting is understood to recommend the £162 million scheme should not get the final go-ahead at this stage.
But the report is also expected to propose the council goes ahead with “enabling work” on Leith Walk and the purchase of land at Granton needed for a potential future extension of the line there.
"
"
city transport leader Lesley Hinds has dismissed Tory calls for a referendum on the controversial tram extension – saying parties will present their policies on the issue in their election manifestos.
"
"
City leaders yesterday voted to begin preparation works for the £162 million project – but delayed making a final decision on whether to actually go ahead with the scheme until after the next election in 2017.
During a stormy in parts council meeting – packed with Lothian Buses drivers in the public gallery – city leader Andrew Burns said the move was being made “with the future of the Capital in mind”.
"
"
Meanwhile, parking at Ingliston park and ride has increased by 60 per cent when compared with the same time last year.
"
I wonder if there has been much traffic displaced from Ferrytoll and now using Ingliston.
Surely more likely to be the other way around? Certainly some relatives of mine when dwelling in Fife used to drive over the Forth coming to town, park at Ingliston and get the tram or bus in using their concessionary passes. Currently parking at train station and paying Scotrail...
I've used the tram once only in a contrived way to go walking. In same time I've used bus around twenty times maybe.
Quite a few of my bus journeys were to Leith.
So if my experience is common and the trams actually went somewhere in the city they would be more than 12% ahead of forecast (maybe?).
I'm sure I've mentioned before that the numbers are skewed by their ticket selling policy. They wont sell you a single ticket unless you have cash; so if you are in a rush and only have a credit card you need to buy two tickets and are counted twice.
I'm sure it's a small number compared to the total but unless they change their policy the figures will never be accurate.
I think they have changed this now. CC still needs a minimum spend of £3.50 (I think), but the tickey app now allows you to buy single tickets
stiltskin: I just checked and the app still has a minimum spend of £10.
My (minor?) annoyance is the daft ticketing app. I bought some yesterday (day ticket for Wednesday) and a few single tickets. Why do I need to choose if these are bus or tram at the point of purchase? Surely a validation at point of use makes more sense.
You don't need to do this for day tickets on the app, only single use??
And why can't they follow the oyster model of never expiring?
acsimpson, I emailed and asked about the confusing ticketing - their answer was " that's how we can tell how many use the tram " - plainly guff !
And why can't they follow the oyster model of never expiring?
Contactless bank cards now function identically as oyster for cash wallet users without the annoying need to top up. Caps are *so good*, you just use the transport you need and you never pay more than the daily or weekly 'travelcard' price.
It's embarrassing Lothian/TFE have held out on this so long, and continue to do so, even introducing the 'citysmart' which is nothing but a book of pre paid singles with no capping off to daysaver prices.
Yeah - I just realised that some Tram tickets I bought on the app earlier in the year have expired. Most annoying, and it actually has pretty much meant that I won't use the tram/bus again unless I happen to have the right change.
As others have said, an Oyster card type contactless system would be a win, and the technology exists.
It must be an Edinburgh disease. My work it support has similar approach - lets design some new thing to do a job that could be done better by existing technology, argh,
I've had tickets dissapear into the ether when the app (or the mobile O/S) updates. Usually just when I want to get on the bus and am using the app because I don't have change, and on a weekend when the 24x7 bus service's app doesn't have support (office hours only, mon-fri).
I've also lost money when I activate the ticket as the bus approached to try and make it easier to get on board when I have a baby with me on my back and hands full of shopping, only to find it was too full to get on and had to wait for the next bus, by which time the ticket expired...
As a very infrequent bus user I was optimistic in the system, but it's crummy and I wouldn't use it again.
The minimum spend at the ticket machines also grates transaction fees for cash transactions are trivial and lets face it cash handling isn't free either especially when your cash stock doesn't drive it self back to the office for counting.
Transport for Edinburgh seems to have inherited Lothian Buses' worldview that its raison d'etre is protection of its farebox rather than providing a service to the public.
Its odd, as I've heard Cooncil chief execs pushing for the latter but, despite the CEC ownership, they don't appear to have much influence over the buses.
I'm sure I've mentioned before that the numbers are skewed by their ticket selling policy
The numbers may be under-counted in some respects. I've travelled on the tram loads of times using a day-ticket and not been checked because it's been so busy. As far as their passenger numbers go, I was never there.
steveo, The cash transactions might well end up costing them more. I wouldn't mind if they added a fee to a single ticket if using a card but to whammy you with a 100% fee (extra ticket) seems a bit steep.
"
TWO former military men are set to take over the top jobs in Edinburgh’s transport sector.
George Lowder MBE, a decorated army commander, will replace controversial Ian Craig as chief executive of Transport for Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, Lea Harrison, who started his career in the Royal Corps of Transport as a driver before progressing to the rank of corporal, will become the new general manager of Edinburgh Trams following the departure of Tom Norris.
"
Is it still the case that a dayticket purchased on the tram will also cover you for buses, but not the other way round?
Snowy - I'm pretty sure a bus ticket works in trams and vice-versa EXCEPT for the airport. That is a day ticket on the busses cannot get you to the airport, but a week pass on your card, will let you get to the airport on bus or tram (I think), will do,
Snowy, I am currently ON a tram with a day ticket. As SRD days, they are interchangeable - is about the only sensible thing on the ticketing app :-)
You must log in to post.
Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin