CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

"Queensferry Crossing project ‘months behind schedule’ "

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  1. paddyirish
    Member

    Pretty sure the new M74 extension was opened to Cyclists and Pedestrians, so there is a precedent...

    Posted 7 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Police will be rounding up all members of Young Wester Hailes young team for waterboarding in the canal until one of them croaks whodunnit.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  4. Stickman
    Member

    If it's the little ******* "Tel" then water boarding is too lenient.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  5. chdot
    Admin

  6. acsimpson
    Member

    Interesting question in the comments:

    "Buses, cyclists, motorcycles, pedestrians. And no doubt if there is an accident on the Queensferry Crossing the Forth Road Bridge may be opened up to all traffic too. As the Queensferry Crossing is just an extension on the M90 motorway, and thus covered by motorway rules too, should that not mean that Learner drivers must also be still allowed to cross using the FRB too?"

    Posted 7 years ago #
  7. LivM
    Member

    When I tweeted the Queensferry crossing to ask what happens to learner drivers, they said that the qualified driver needs to take over driving to get across the new bridge on the motorway bit.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  8. HankChief
    Member

    Somebody asked that on twitter recently.

    The answer was that as you'll have a qualified driver with you, you'll need to swap over if you want to cross the firth.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  9. crowriver
    Member

    “We’re all witnessing engineering on a truly epic scale on this project, with over 30,000 tonnes of concrete and steel used just to build this part of the bridge."

    30,000 tonnes! £1.3 billion.

    What a gigantic waste of materials and cash. Really I despair at this country and the government's priorities for investment.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  10. crowriver
    Member

    "as you'll have a qualified driver with you, you'll need to swap over if you want to cross the firth"

    Aye right. I'm sure they'll all be doing that.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  11. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    "as you'll have a qualified driver with you"

    Not if you're riding a motorcycle on L-plates you won't. You'll be heading for the Kincardine bridge through the Skinflats wind-tunnel.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  12. Arellcat
    Moderator

    IWRATS, I can vouch for the wind tunnel. Some of the most unpleasant riding I've done was around there.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  13. Blueth
    Member

    Stopping on a motorway to change drivers? No chance.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  14. acsimpson
    Member

    Blurry, stopping before you get to the motorway surely.Don't

    Dforget to remove the L plates.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  15. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Arellcat

    Knee down in a straight line through Skinflats in a February hurricane should be part of the test really.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  16. ih
    Member

    Can't believe nobody thought of the learner driver question. Is it going to be motorway south of the crossing too? Surely best thing would be to re-classify the section of road between junctions north and south as non-motorway.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  17. Frenchy
    Member

    Not if you're riding a motorcycle on L-plates you won't

    Motorbikes will be allowed on the "old" road bridge, no?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  18. LaidBack
    Member

    Queensferry Crossing progress by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

    Posted 7 years ago #
  19. cb
    Member

    I don't see a problem with the L plate thing. if you're on L plates you're learning to drive not getting from A to B.

    If you can get from A to B whilst learning that's a bonus.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  20. PS
    Member

    ^What cb said. Pass your test, then you can drive across the bridge.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  21. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    PS, cb

    Lots of people spend time on motorcycle L-plates gaining experience before taking the various tests and progressing to larger capacity machines.

    The testing regime and culture are quite different to those relating to automobiles. If L-plate motorcyclists are forbidden from crossing the Forth this will be a major inconvenience.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  22. chdot
    Admin

    There's also this (my bold) which contains the classic HC 'MUST, should'...

    "

    Vehicles. Any vehicle driven by a learner MUST display red L plates. In Wales, either red D plates, red L plates, or both, can be used. Plates MUST conform to legal specifications and MUST be clearly visible to others from in front of the vehicle and from behind. Plates should be removed or covered when not being driven by a learner (except on driving school vehicles).

    "

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-3-motor-vehicle-documentation-and-learner-driver-requirements

    Posted 7 years ago #
  23. Morningsider
    Member

    Learner motorcyclists will be able to cross the existing Forth Road Bridge, once the new bridge opens. They can't travel on the new bridge, as it is a motorway.

    There was an oversight by the Scottish Government, which would have left learners having to go via Kincardine. However, a bit of effective lobbying by motorcyclists sorted this out. A quick Traffic Regulation Order is all it takes to regulate what traffic can cross the Bridge.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  24. chdot
    Admin

    So that's motorbikes with L plates...

    (Not legal presumably but how often would anyone be stopped?)

    Posted 7 years ago #
  25. To further muddy the waters.... My driving licence, being before a certain date, allowes me to ride a motorbike (up to a certain cc?) without passing any test, but displaying L plates. Is that a 'learner' in the motorway sense, or an administrative requirement that would still allow me to use a motorway with the L plates on?

    (I'm actually thinking about getting my CBT and getting a hipster Lambretta or the like for days when the legs just really aren't going to work).

    Posted 7 years ago #
  26. Morningsider
    Member

    Motorbikes (mopeds?) under 50cc will use the existing bridge. Learners on motorbikes up to 125cc will also use the existing bridge.

    I suppose you could use ANPR cameras to identify naughty motorcyclists using the existing bridge who didn't qualify, but I imagine most would choose to blast over the new bridge - with its lovely wind shielding - rather than use the existing bridge.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  27. chdot
    Admin

    "I imagine most would choose to blast over the new bridge - with its lovely wind shielding - rather than use the existing bridge"

    Yes, but there must be some local journeys where the new bridge would mean some inconvenience(?)

    Obvious answer is to cycle!

    Posted 7 years ago #
  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Morningsider

    Wind shielding? So no more being violently propelled towards lane 2 as you emerge from the wind shadow of the towers when heading north? We're breeding a generation of softies, truly.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  29. cb
    Member

    "Lots of people spend time on motorcycle L-plates gaining experience before taking the various tests and progressing to larger capacity machines."

    On the other hand, lots of people just stick L plates on a 125cc bike with no intention of ever passing or even taking their test.
    Although that "loophole" has been closed I think.

    I wasn't aware of the should/must distinction regarding removing/covering L-plates.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  30. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @cb

    Loophole not closed - you have to resit your CBT after two years on L-plates. That's an indignity but not really an inconvenience.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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