Dear Historic Scotland/Edinburgh Council/L&B Police
Holyrood Park is, or at least should be, a gem in Edinburgh's crown. A respite from the city. A place for people to meander aimlessly, to relax. And then we plonk a couple of ruddy great busy roads through it.
I'm not sure I know of anywhere else (save maybe Richmond Park, but that's not a central location) that hands such a green space haven over to traffic so willingly. And with annoying consequences, such as this morning. Are you sitting compfortably?
I'm riding east to west, past St Margaret's Loch, and on to the first roundabout where it is my intention to turn right, and thereafter head in front of the Parliament Monstrosity. The speed limit, as I'm sure you are aware, is 20mph. I'm assuming that's what the signs and painted symbols on the road actually mean when they emblazon a large '20' for everyone to see, though I may be wrong and the limit might actually be 40, so I'm happy to be proven wrong on that.
Anyway, there is and off-road cyclepath there, which is lovely. But it is also reasonably narrow, and, being shared use, quite rightly has pedestrians and dog walkers taking advantage of it. Therefore, my ability to ride at 20mph perfectly comfortably, and also wishing to make a right hand turn within less than half a mile, means that, on the road I am within and at the legal maximum velocity of traffic on that section; and would be too much of a danger to those around me if I were to take the cyclepath (as well as creating a problem less than half a mile on when I have to rejoin the busy traffic flow at a pinch point of the roundabout in order to cross to the Parliament).
So, long story short. I was riding at 20mph in a 20mph zone. Following this? Good.
It was therefore slightly surprisingly ironic that while partaking in an activity that is both entirely legal (riding on the road), at the maximum speed anyone on that road should be attaining, and safer for absolutely everyone concerned, that a car should draw alongside me and, with about 6 inches space to spare, gesticulate at me (leaving only one hand in control of the vehicle) that I should be on the cyclepath, before rushing off in excess of the oft-repeated above maximum speed limit.
On catching him at the roundabout (as I knew I would, be of which he was seemingly oblivious) he carried on gesticulating, while I simply told him '20'. I don't think it sunk in to the pre-neolithic and slightly-geriatric mushy grey matter where once there was a brain.
To compound matters, coming off the said roundabout, making my right turn, I was then cut up by the driver of a white BMW (which should have been a clue) for the sake of getting to the queue of traffic outside the Parliament 2 seconds quicker.
So to my point (hurrah!). I understand various consultations are under way to drop the speed limit throughout the park to 20mph. Now while I would personally welcome a complete ban on traffic (and at the very least no cars on any of the roads on a Sunday) I realise that this view will come across as 'extremist' (even if it is is right) and therefore will be filed in the drawer marked 'bin'. But I would support a blanket 20mph limit, and at the same time some enforcement of the current 20mph limits.
Will someone please think of the swans???!?
Yours sincerely
Hugs and kisses
Anth
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