Only 2 Head Teachers over the last 18 years and both very supportive of cycling and in particular delivering cycle training to all P6 children in curriculum time. chdot also involved with school cycling activities so perhaps that's why Sciennes mentioned more than others?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
WARNING - cones, bottom of Argyle Place
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Posted 11 years ago #
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"chdot also involved with school cycling activities so perhaps that's why Sciennes mentioned more than others?"
I think I have to admit to that.
I was first involved because some parents had set up a Safe Routes group. A small (as usual) number of people (mostly parents) did a lot of work which was embraced by the head teacher and became a whole school project with lots of input from children.
One of those parents now works at the school which means there is a very valuable element of continuity.
The school's decision, some years ago, to make sure that all children could cycle was important. It is still one of the few schools that does this.
The school has a bunch of bikes for children without their own - again not common.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds a million miles away from the horrible car-infested Gylemuir Primary that I cycle past most mornings just before the school bell.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"Sounds a million miles away from the horrible car-infested Gylemuir Primary"
Actually that school has also done a lot of work encouraging cycling (and trying to reduce the number of driving parents).
One key person was the deputy head who is now a head at a different school.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The school's decision, some years ago, to make sure that all children could cycle was important.
When I was that age, we weren't allowed to ride our bikes to school, except on those magical cycling proficiency days. It was probably less about (health and) safety* and more about there being nowhere to lock them up. The school now has a handful of Sheffield stands and a high proportion of children being driven to school.
At one time Sciennes was holding proficiency classes for children whose own schools had stopped doing them.
* Some of us had plenty of practice after school at doing unsafe things on our bikes. :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
"Only 2 Head Teachers over the last 18 years"
OT but it's 4 including a long temporary promotion.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Was told the other day that CEC was 'reviewing the signage'.
This seems to be the result -
Posted 11 years ago # -
Posted 11 years ago #
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Unduly complex. Ped crossing and a yellow box junction is all that's required. Works for A7.
Simple way to solve Argyle Place by LaidBackBikes, on FlickrPosted 11 years ago # -
At least this time the sign maker knows that "alternate" does not mean the same thing as "alternative"...
Posted 11 years ago # -
It actually does look like a significant improvement in terms of being able to ride from Argyle Place into the maze at high speed (previously difficult because of the tight radius and narrow entry).
I've always just ridden straight from Argyle Place onto MMW if I don't need to hit the button for said reason.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@LaidBack the Argyle Place junction is a bit more complex than the one you picture. At Argyle Place you have a large number of routes all meeting together - going clockwise from north you have Middle Meadow Walk, Melville Drive, South Meadow Walk, Fingal Place, Argyle Place, Argyle Park Terrace, South Meadow Walk, Melville Drive. In that lot you have at least five cycle paths meeting, five roads and goodness knows how many possible pedestrian routes, thirteen I think?
Perhaps you could simplify it if you closed off a lot of those roads - but which ones?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Start with the 'slip road'?
The world has not ended since the whole street was closed... Edinburgh has lots of other roads and life goes on with the shops on Argyle Place just as busy as ever from what I can see.
Once there is no 'fast track' to enter (and leave illegally) Melville Drive this will encourage the 20mph limit on Argyle Place. May also cut down on traffic using Lauder and Sciennes area as shortcut to get half way up Melville.
Both cyclists and drivers are guilty of racing down to this crossing when lights are green. I've lost count of the number of times people have tried to force past me on their way down Argyle Place just to turn left across my path onto Melville Drive.
Coming along to the crossing from Bruntsfield, cyclists are also aware of the green phase that they could get to if they hurried.
This actually engineers in two conflicting streams of traffic with poor sight lines. Both bikes and cars benefit from the same light signal - never a good thing when one has to cross the other's path.
Yes people should be careful, but in world of double parked cars and boy racers do we really need to make the Meadows more functional for drivers at the expense of weaker road users?
Solution in meantime I hope is to make it clear in new layout that the slip is in fact a minor road off and as such people have to give way to bikes and pedestrians crossing. A raised surface for the bike and pedestrian crossing should help.Posted 11 years ago # -
You've convinced me, I'd love to see that junction closed to motor traffic. I'm looking forwards to seeing how the current rearrangement turns out, too.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"The world has not ended since the whole street was closed... "
"I'm looking forwards to seeing how the current rearrangement turns out, too"
I think 'we' should be particularly critical (bad and good) after it re-opens.
There are several places that are currently blocked off with no obvious 'disastrous' consequences.
(Hope they are planning to fix that bit of road in the foreground too!)
Posted 11 years ago # -
It always amuses me when roads are completely closed (that's fine) but any slight disadvantage to traffic during normal operation is a huge no-no.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yesterday I cycled through that closure on Grange Loan (you can go right through, there's no complete blockage) and it was blissful. Peaceful. Unthreatening. No impatient drivers wanting to squash me. Just lovely. I'd be very pleased to see that road closed to motor vehicles permanently.
It looked as if they were rebuilding pavements, possibly making them less narrow, so at least we're going in the right direction with active travel, even if far more slowly than I would like.
Posted 11 years ago # -
NEW WARNING
Trench, c. 1 foot broad, has been put across the access between South Meadow Walk and Argyle Park Terrace, just outside the old folks home. It has been temporarily filled with a much too shallow layer of very soft sand.
Your wheel WILL fall into this and it will probably do something you aren't expecting it to.
Do take care.
P.S. the contractors have put their banner up on the fencing. It's no co-incidence that it's the same mob who have been destroying the Broomhouse Path for the last 18 months.
Petition to have them barred from any works within 50m of cycling infrastructure anyone?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Lots going on today. Much nice new tarmac laid and steamrolled. And for those concerned about the cars zooming down Argyle place on to Melville drive? The whole roadway going to the left has been lifted up into one big tarmac speedbump ( like the bottom of Leamington terrace etc, but 'nicer') This also looks like one of the routes cyclists/peds can enter the island from Bruntsfield direction.
Posted 11 years ago # -
That's good news about speed bump. Might discourage the race for the green brigade... not 4x4s though which view such items as a challenge to flatten!
Posted 11 years ago # -
LB - indeed, its probably as close as most 4x4 get to offroad conditions!
Although I hope it will be painted and signposted - wont change the road properties, but useful 'slow down' messages nonetheless.
I should say that I wasnt close enough to see if the bump was brutal enough to slow cars to single figures.
Posted 11 years ago # -
So who's organising the drinks & canapes for our next opening?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Bizarrely the temporary crossing is indeed switched off just now! Witnessed quite a few peds 'running for it' this morning.
Anyone (chdot?) with access to Twitter at the mo send messages out to the council teams to find out what's going on?
Posted 11 years ago # -
So who's organising the drinks & canapes for our next opening?
I was about to say, "will there be bubbly?". I guess it can be brought out from my flat seeing as it's closest and all that!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Have tweeted & emailed. Trying to get Uni to recognize that they need to be proactive concerning students safe access to george square too
Posted 11 years ago # -
"So who's organising the drinks & canapes for our next opening?"
I assume there will be an official event...
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
South Team (@south_team)
04/03/2013 10:12
@SRDEdinburgh thanks for reporting. Engineers are on their way."
Posted 11 years ago # -
I assume there will be an official event
there might well be, but we can have a better one, without "people" posing for positive press coverage.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Not sure it's an engineering fault, the lights on both sides were turned to face away from the road. Looked more 'turned off deliberately'...
Posted 11 years ago # -
@LaidBack, the Nicolson Sq solution doesn't actually work for the Square, as the taxis ignore the double yellow by the park railings and park up anyway, then the delivery lorries to the shops park at the building sides, so the Lothian single decker service then can't get through so the Square snarls up completely eventually. Trust me I've been there and seen this occur many times when partaking at the Mosque! I must admit the flow along the main road is fine though! Can't see it working for Argyle Place/MMW ! ;o]
Posted 11 years ago #
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