CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Quiet Route George Sq KB

(16 posts)

  1. cc
    Member

    This lunchtime I noticed some big posters up in George Square advertising the Quiet Route between George Square and King's Buildings. (Sorry, no picture: no camera.)

    The Quiet Route appears to be the same one that's called "Route 6" on blue signs; it takes you across the Meadows, up Lauder Road and along Relugas Road to join the Quality Bike Corridor in time to climb up Mayfield Road to the crossroads at the top. (How's the crossroads rebuilding coming on by the way? It should be finished by now but I haven't been up to see it.)
    The posters give the URL http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling though that doesn't yet seem to have any specific information on the route.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Min
    Member

    Ah yes, the famous Avoid Cycling on the "Quality" Bike Corridor route!

    Says it all.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Dave
    Member

    Compared with the rest of the route the rebuilt junction at KB is quite startling. It's a four way box junction but cyclists and pedestrians get a green light simultaneously. Talk about ambition.

    I'm not sure legally how it works. Presumably if you arrive at a red light on 'your' road then the bike lights go green the idea is to ride across, although superficially that seems identical to red light jumping (crossing a white line with controlling signal at red).

    I now wonder if the pavements have been redesignated mainly to provide a nominal excuse (i.e. you can legally mount the pavement, dodge the peds and cross on the green bike, but not just ride the straight line).

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. cc
    Member

    Thanks! I'll have to go up there and experience this. It's only a few hundred yards metres from home.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Dave that sounds insane!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Roibeard
    Member

    It is intended that cyclists enter KB from the north by mounting the pavement, then crossing diagonally NE to SW, which should minimise pedestrian conflict (as pedestrians always cross rectilinearly...).

    As for jumping the red light, it's more of a bypass (see BicycleDutch for Dutch examples of this). Although in Holland the cycle track wouldn't be onroad at all!

    It's a bit confusing as bicycles are permitted to make a right turn in the carriageway (dual network design at work, I suspect), so if you arrive whilst the lights are green, you can turn right into KB or West Mains Road if clear. On red, you could bypass the lights and cycle into KB, but I don't know if you can bypass the lights and cycle up West Mains Road. Even if legal, it may have you coming into conflict with a stream of pedestrians.

    It was amusing that this spot illustrated Keith Brown's talk at the conference, but was immediately met with the next Dutch speaker, who politely described it as inadequate, without realising that Keith (or the film maker) had intended it as an exemplary, inspiring image!

    Robert

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    ".... but was immediately met with the next Dutch speaker, who politely described it as inadequate, without realising that Keith (or the film maker) had intended it as an exemplary, inspiring image!"

    Mwuhahahahaha!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. cb
    Member

    That is quite funny! Did he look crestfallen?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. twinspark
    Member

    The Crossroads?

    I've only experienced it from West Mains Road turning right into Mayfield road and the reverse. Struck me as I sat at the lights (in the car - sorry!) on West Mains Road that there was plenty of road used up for the filter lane to the ASL and the 2 traffic lanes meaning that single lane going up West Mains Road was overly narrow. This being the point where a cyclist is likely to be travelling slowly up the hill and is likely to suffer the ire of any impatient motorists.

    Also I've noticed that the traffic doing the said right turn is often unaware that the filter comes on from Mayfield Road to go up West Mains Road at the same time and seems to cut the corner much more than previously. Have seen a few near misses and had somebody driving at me as I went round the corner in the car. In that respect I found going round the same on the bike less worrying as I was further to the left!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Roibeard
    Member

    @cb That is quite funny! Did he look crestfallen?

    He didn't notice, being in Glasgow rather than at the conference - he was only present in pre-recorded form.

    Poor Jim Orr did look harassed though, particularly when the Dutch delegation went on to say that the best time to build cycle infrastructure cheaply was tagging it on to other major works, like when installing trams. The chair then had the temerity to ask if Edinburgh had done that...

    Robert

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. Kim
    Member

    The opening of the Cycling Scotland ‘Go Dutch’ conference was a classic, there was a video presentation showing lots of picture of the QBC. This was followed by the Dutch Ambassador who made comments about how these pictures showed exactly the sort of narrow painted-on lanes that they don’t even bother with as they create the illusion of safety without providing any actual safety...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    And Rik Grashoff (former member of Dutch Parliament and alderman of Delft) said -

    "Bicycle lanes at least 1.2m" - or don't bother to put them in

    Also

    "

    Most don't wear helmets

    Modal share 34%

    Stick to vision 10-20 years

    Cars drive slower due to design

    Cycle parking - never enough

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. Claggy Cog
    Member

    Ah yes, Relugas Road, now there is a quality road, so NOT. Tooth, brain rattling, and bike bearing shattering, is what is is. Shockingly bad, the sleeping policemen have holes on holes, as has the road and best of all the bit that joins Mayfield Road to get onto the QBC - it is steep and cobbled, the setts being quite wide apart, and is to be taken very cautiously going up onto Relugas Road from Mayfield Rd and vice versa particularly in wet road conditions. Appalling. Plus cars are parked almost abutting the end of the road meaning that cars turning into Relugas Road invariably cut the corner and if you are positioned on your side of the road you get very angry stares from drivers as you are impeding their progress onto what is the wrong side of the road for them!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. Claggy Cog
    Member

    I do enjoy cycling, really I do. However, it was much better three to five years ago, before the tram fiasco and before the roads in Edinburgh really were left to go to hell in a basket. Co-incidentally the roads have deteriorated with the vast sums being spent on the tram and therefore one concludes that is where the money for upkeep of the infrastructure has gone. The parless state of the roads cannot be entirely blamed on a couple of crap winters, the fact is that they were deteriorating before. The roads do seem to be more congested and volumes of traffic have risen, I am almost sure of that, with many new drivers who really should not have passed their tests, as well as the older ones who were rubbish, causing mayhem with their poor if not downright dangerous driving, lack of experience, manners, and knowledge of the highway code.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. Claggy Cog
    Member

    I have just had another thought as to why cycling does not seem as pleasurable and it is the advent of the SUV and massive 4x4's and the sheer number of huge cars there are. I was passed by what was a Mini the other day, and by Mini standards it was not mini at all, in fact it was more maxi (not that there are many if any of them on the roads these days)!!

    Posted 12 years ago #

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