So last night I thought I'd try riding along Princes Street again and see if my view of the tramlines had changed. Except the buses were chocka going west to east so after sitting through two traffic light sequences (there was a bus ahead of me, and there's no space for a bike to go up the side...) I diverted onto George Street, and it just makes you realise there's not really a nice, safe, easy cycling route right the way through the centre of town.
Princes Street
Bus gridlock + tramlines = eek.
Queen Street
Just. So. Many. Cars. (though at times I quite enjoy Queen Street, it's more because it's quite a challenge).
George Street
Now. This was my route last night, and it's nice that there's a filter to turn onto it. It's also nice that the road surface is remakably better these days. But really going either direction it's just not easy to get off. Charlotte Sq I had the choice of dropping down to Queen Street, or the end of Princes Street. Traffic is nose-to-tail, and (on Princes Street, the way I went cos there was a photo I was after) there are the tramlines of course (I had a taxi behind, but made it abundantly clear I was taking the entirety of the lane to cross the tracks at a good angle).
Which leaves... Rose Street? Kinda makes a mockery of the EEN comments on the Princes Street tramlines v. cyclists that you should 'just avoid Princes Street, there are plenty of other routes'. Multiply my misgivings by 100 for debut or novice cyclists...
In all honesty there are so many missing links in Edinburgh that it just isn't funny anymore.
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