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.
sticky@Meepmeep I clocked that this morning too, the surface has been breaking down on the road there for a while, now with all the water a large pothole has formed and flooded, washing lots of graven across the path when the buses go through.
Will report this evening once I get picture off of headcam.
NEWSFLASH
Confirmation just in from the trams project that this has been instated as a pedestrian-only crossing and they will be putting up "del monte" signs which were previously removed many years back when they started the works to create the tram bridge.
Because it never used to be a Toucan, apparently it has to go back as a pedestrian crossing, because that's the absolute minimum they are obliged to do.
They've dodged my questions entirely about it being too narrow for pedestrians, about it being in a different place than it used to be (claim to have put it back in exactly the same place, that's wrong for a start), about the fact the approach lines are completely different now given re-alignment of the path. Also completely ignored my request as to why they feel guardrail is neccessary.
So basically they've decided that they're doing OK because they've done the absolute bare minimum which they have been required to.
Time to write another letter to a higher power than trams@edinburgh.gov.uk. I'll also include in this one about the utility cabinets slap-bang in the middle of the path since it's been realigned.
Given that they've gone to so much effort to install the rumble strips (wrongly) and the central bollards (twice), the "we're only obliged to put back what was there before" argument is a load of cobblers. I'll be sure to include in my follow-up that these should be removed as they never used to be there and the tram project was only obliged to restore the path to its original condition. I'll also ask that they also remove the useless dropped kerb at the Stenhouse Cross end as that never used to be there either.
Of course CEC will say 'we can't do anything until the tramworks is completely finished and we are responsible for it all'.
Pathetic.
Update on the pothole MeepMeep mentioned - coned and taped off. Path still covered in gravel and chippings.
Almost entirley blocked this morning at 9AM by Transit Van parked on it, with retaining wall for the tram bridge to one side and newly-installed railings to the other. Good pictures on the headcam I hope to fire off in a rant to them.
Hello [Trams],
thanks for your reply, tomorrow it will be 2 weeks and nothing has been done. Yet nearly every day there are vehicles parked at the tramstop, each of which is churning up the verge, brining mud and debris across the path, then repeating the process in the opposite direction.
Here's a picture (capture.jpg) taken on yesterday's icy morning. The mess is plain to see. Mud, water, gravel and who knows what else lurking inside. On Tuesday there was a transit van, a lorry and an estate car parked up at the tramstop. And there was no space for a broom in any of them so that someone could clean up your mess?
I refer also to the picture (Tactile.jpg), which illustrates the (frankly unnecessary) tactile paving slabs installed on either side here. Note the lateral slabs are of the sort intended to warn the hard-of-sight about hazards. They are not the sort prescribed for the cycling surface. The closely-packed, rounded and proud ridges on these slabs are a hazard to bike wheels (have you ever tried cycling on these in the rain or the ice?). These slabs make negotiating this part of the path hard enough of a morning without all the mess the contractors have left. The best solution is to go around them on the wrong side - clearly not what was intended.
These slabs, and the bollard in the image, were laid as part of the tram works and so should be sorted as part of the snagging works. This is not the only location on the path where the wrong sort are used (if you'd like I can list them all). But the priority is to fix the verge and clean the path. And if vehicles need long-term access to the tram platform then either concrete/pave/tarmac the verge and drop the kerb or provide running boards.
Yours in frustration,
[Me].
Is this the 'access path' from Broomhouse Drive to the Saughton tram stop? I passed by there the other day to have a look, and was dismayed to see that about six of the eight panes of plate glass had been completely smashed. The grass verge was just a mini quagmire thanks to the vehicles.
So they're obviously having to visit even more often than normal just to mend all the damage that ned-type people seem to have forgotten they're helping pay to repair via their taxes.
<daily mail fascist comment> ”via their taxes????"</daily mail fascist comment>
@Arellcat yes it's there, opposite Saughton House or thereabouts. Tramstop is fairly hidden behind bunds on one side and railway embankment on other, so probably an easy target for vandals
NEWFLASH:
Incorrect tactile flags appear now to have been replaced with correct sort. Only been there 2 years, not bad going...
Path appears to have been cleaned in offending section.
Still much evidence of vehicles driving on the verges and muddy sections across the path.
Any one notice the CCTV package chained to a lamp post on the Broomhouse section of the path this morning?
Also any idea why they're digging up a bit of the path where it joins with South Gyle Access?
@Steveo, no, but spotted similar on the Pinkhill path this morning. Maybe they're trying to do some before/after usage monitoring to see if their "improvements" do result in increased uptake.
"Also any idea why they're digging up a bit of the path where it joins with South Gyle Access?"
Looks like a rather odd path widening - or more likely they are putting a bus stop in the stupidest location imaginable.
Would be better if they sent a mini sweeper along the length - too much glass on the path at the moment.
Regarding the Broomhouse Path, and path etiquette - I tend to ride on the left hand side of the part of the path that is marked for bikes. This gives anyone coming in the opposite direction space to pass on the right side of that lane (assuming pedestrians are on 'their' side.
On a few recent occasions - heading east - I've come up against - almost literally - cyclists coming in the opposite direction who are hugging the (their) right-side of the path, so are directly in my line of travel.
Sometimes it's clearly been a moment's inattention, rectified by a change in direction, but the last couple of times - with one particular serial offender - he sees me and just keeps on heading straight for me until we both have to stop.
I've now pointed out to him twice that we're supposed to be on the respective left sides of our lane, but he just looks at me blankly. I can't get any further over to the left without actually being on the grass, and I don't re-position as we approach as I think it is him that is getting this wrong.
Am I correct in assuming that I should be riding to the left of this lane, or is it a case of anything goes?
Etiquette & common sense says keep left, but there is no law to follow about it.
"Am I correct in assuming that I should be riding to the left of this lane, or is it a case of anything goes?"
I think "should" isn't 'correct' - as in I presume there is no legislation.
However continuing the on-road legal requirement to off-road paths seem sensible!
I had exactly the same problem a few weeks ago on the Meggetland to Slateford path.
I moved to the left edge and the guy coming at me grudgingly deviated around me at the last moment.
He then said something rude in a Scottish accent - so presumably not someone used to cycling on the right!
Exactly what Stiltskin said. I'd always try keep left where possible, but if someone point blank refuses to move I'm not averse to going round them on the other side and making a comment / loud sigh / stern frown at them as applicable.
I think it's most important to follow convention when going round blind corners.
"when going round blind corners"
Blind corners on a cycle path?!
Thanks. OK, so there is no 'rule' on this but to avoid the inevitable descent into anarchy and chaos I'll probably just carry on doing what I do and hope for the best.
@chdot, I did wonder about whether this one particular guy (no helmet, glasses, longish hair, probably late 20's if anyone else has had this issue with him) isn't from around these parts. He certainly stares pretty uncomprehendingly at me when I suggest he needs to re-position.
Anyway, no big deal in the grand scheme of things ...
"when going round blind corners"
yup. Like the one at the South Gyle Access tram bridge, where you only know there's a bollard right around the corner because you've been that way before, and have to assume the oncoming cyclists isn't over on the right...
Or any of the canal bridges!
"when going round blind corners"
Slightly "older" chap almost hit me at Edinburgh park underpass yesterday, he was belting down the path......looking at the trams.
He did hear my squeal though !
"looking at the trams"
Those trams are dangerous...
"Those trams are dangerous.."
Seeing loads now, I have almost rid myself of the pavlovian conditioning due to 6 (???) years of construction - ie the mindset that I can simply cross to edin park as "nowt is coming along here anytime soon"
I have almost rid myself of the pavlovian conditioning
You hear the bell and begin to salivate? :)
Looks like nelly was closest...
WOW -
a missing words competition.
CCE has never had one of those before!!
"then remount and pedal through"?
Needs some more black tape to remove the "DIS"
I wondered if they are going to build a structure to one side which will block half of the previous path, and then re-route the path round it, thus needing the extra surface.
Well they've finally worked out how to make the cycle path worse.
Dismount signs added on the approach to South Gyle access where the segregation abruptly stops and everyone is forced round a blind corner engineered by the Trambles...
Those two chaps walking away in the orange just finished putting the damm thing up.
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