🚲 edi.bike | issue 23 | 15th Jan ‘24
more like 15-minute yaybourhoods
Welcome to your weekly roundup of cycle travel news, events and infrastructure progress in Edinburgh. Council policy foot-guns, Porty travel survey results, and a roundup of the recent TEC meeting all feature in today’s digest.
💡 Today I learned cycling is a luxury for people who can afford the time, whereas I thought that’s what sitting in congested traffic was. Beep beep! 🚗
📰 News this Week
🌆 Locally
🗨️ The City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) met this past week; our brave contributor Andrew gave it a good and thorough summary treatment down below.
But first, the local news rollercoaster:
🐦 An explosion of conversation on social media this week after the TEC Convenor, Cllr Scott Arthur, pointed to a previous cross-party decisionX suspending the council’s own policy of implementing pedestrian and active travel improvements when resurfacing significant stretches of carriageway - in reference to the recent reworkingX of an 📸 incredibly wide stretch of road in Portobello / Joppa including Seaview Terrace. Spokes linked to the committee decisionX from back in September, intended to aid the urgency with which the condition of roads in Edinburgh can be improved over a one year period - but to do so without active travel measures alongside only benefits car users, because of course don’t you know there’s a war on the motorist… *coughs in transport hierarchy*
⚡ Porty Community Energy have published the resultsFB of their recent travel survey this week, further underscoring what an own-goal Seaview Terrace and the surrounding area represents in this regard;
🤯 Spokes have pointed out on XX that the final decision on the permanence of the locally welcomedX Corstorphine Connections Low Traffic Neighbourhood / School Streets projects will weirdly be the responsibility of the council’s Licensing Committee, not the Transport and Environment Committee;
🚸 The Bike Station’s Sasha Taylor posted some lovely testimonials about kids getting cycles from their Wee bike library over on XX, which we’ve also ‘unrolled’ to be viewable without an account.
From last issue: Cycling Law Scotland tram safety blog post; Corstorphine Connections approval statsX
🔥 Nationally
👽 Ministers prioritised driving in England partly due to conspiracy theories
📰 Guardian exclusive - Documents show shift in transport policy influenced by unfounded fears about loss of freedom of movement in ‘15-minute cities’ - I have nothing constructive to say here, in theory this was supposed to be an apolitical publication :)
🛖 Cyclehoop showed off their first ever Cargo BikehangerX for residential usage;
🔴 Transport for London have introduced an illuminating Inequalities in Road Danger dashboard (via their post on XX)
From last issue: 💼 Scottish Cycling are hiring for a new Coaching Development Manager;
🫂 Help Needed
♿ Wheels for Wellbeing Survey
Are you a disabled person who cycles or would like to cycle? A research project by Active Travel Academy, the University of Westminster and Wheels for Wellbeing would love to hear your thoughts (password: cycling). Participants selected will receive a £40 voucher by way of thanks.
📋 Winter Cycling Survey
Edinburgh Festival of Cycling recently shared this cycling in cold climates survey run by Montreal-based Active Travel Youtubers “Oh The Urbanity!”
🙋 Sustrans Volunteering
Looking for a new challenge this year? Volunteer for Sustrans’ “I Bike” school programme! You could be:
🛴Teaching children how to cycle or scoot;
🚲Maintaining a fleet of bikes so they're ready for use;
🍃or helping to take a group of pupils on a bike ride;
Ongoing:
🗨️ Spokes are in need of new members for their Planning and Resources groups;
🤝 SW20 are now a Co-op Local Community Fund Cause - support them via this page;
🆘 Support Bikes for Refugees with an SMS donation 🐦or on EasyDonate;
🎭 Edinburgh Festival of Cycling are looking for new volunteers and additional directors
🛠Edinburgh Tool Library still seeking donations of unused bike tools – get in touch.
🤝 Transport & Environment Committee Meeting - 11th Jan ‘24
Many thanks to our intrepid contributor Andrew White for wading through the TEC webcast this month and extracting all the cycle-related goodness!
🎤 TEC-a-TEC-a-TEC-a-Check it out.
Thursday last week was the Council's first Transport And Environment Committee meeting of the year. Seeing everyone well-rested and on form during the 5.5-hour long session was good.
The full agenda and meeting recording are on the Council’s website - but to summarise the cycling-specific items:
🚲 Cycle Hire Scheme: Three firms have approached the TEC Convener Cllr Scott Arthur (Labour), each keen to set up a new cycle hire scheme for the city. A report on how a concession model might work should come to TEC in April. Cllr Arthur stressed the importance of getting it right, saying "We've already had one system that failed, a second system that failed would mean we'd never do it again";
♿ Accessibility Commission: Spokes made a deputation to the TEC requesting to be added as a member organisation to the new commission, encouraged by the council, and folks closely linked to the commission don't see why they wouldn't be added. In our opinion, this highlights the dangers of seeing transport users in Edinburgh as strict single-category statistics, when there are of course a great number of disabled people who use a huge range of cycles as a key enabler in daily life and clearly overlap across the council’s favoured ‘wheeling’ and ‘cycling’ terminology columns. It was an omission not to have Spokes on board from the word ‘go’.
🛣️ Major Junctions Review: Huge disappointmentX within and outwith the city's cycling community in hearing that work to make Sir Harry Lauder x Portobello High Street x King's Rd junction safer has been delayed from summer this year until 2026. Two people died here, Stuart Elliott (2019) and Heather Stronach (2020), both killed by HGVs as they went to cross the junction by cycle. This decision also disappointed the committee and was not taken lightly by officers. An Addendum put forward by Cllr Danny Aston (SNP) was included in the report, ensuring that the Council regularly updates the community and relevant groups on progress. Cllr Aston hopes this would be at least quarterly. via EM
🚊 Incorrect Parking on the Tram Line: while not an issue caused by bikes, we noted in the relevant report, section 3, paragraph 2, part 7 point A (genuinely, it's impressive that Cllrs and Officers can keep track of this) agrees consideration of "Installation of physical barriers, such as bollards, correctly installed Sheffield cycle stands or planters at the worst-affected areas to prevent parking outside of a designated parking bay". We won't comment on the idea of cycle racks as defences (please don't reverse into our bikes); we're glad to see in writing that the installation should be correct, following most of the stands along the Newhaven tram extension being easily removed by unscrewing the bolts rather than cemented in as per street design guidance. Hopefully, the Council can correct the incorrectly installed ones, too!
📅 Next Month’s TEC: Should bring more Council Cycle news, with the outcome of the consultation on the Council’s Active Travel Action Plan report to be submitted. We’ll be sure to watch and share any exciting or relevant details.
📺 Convenor Cllr Scott Arthur shared his video recap of the sessionX, and the inimitable folks at Spokes had an information-rich threadX on the discussions as well.
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
⚠️ Deadline today! ⛵ Musselburgh Active Toun consultation closes today, 15th Jan - shared with us by Andrew Keba;
⚠️ Deadline today! 🏫 The Council “have received funding from Sustrans to implement a School Zone at Dalry Primary School that will help to make the area outside the school safer and more enjoyable for pupils, parents, carers and residents”. The consultation is open and closes today, 15th Jan.
🐄 Cycle safety improvements are planned for the junction of Dalry Rd and Haymarket - with works starting today (15th Jan) and details - including plans/visuals - posted by the Transport ConvenorX
📜 Open until 8th February, the City of Edinburgh Council are consulting on the second phase of the George Street & First New Town project, covering North Castle St, Frederick St and Hanover St (North) - you can review and respond to the consultation, but it’s also worth looking over some of the criticisms that campaign group SW20 have of the designsX.
📆 Events and Happenings
🗓️ The Bike Station have announced their AGMX :
The Bike Station's AGM will be taking place on the 23rd January 2024 from 2pm to 3:30pm at our Causewayside branch - 250 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1UU
⚠️ There’s a form to fill out if you plan on attending.
✊ The next Edinburgh Critical Mass group protest / community ride will be on Saturday 27th January, 2pm from Middle Meadow Walk; the route is sent out via their newsletter or social media channels a couple of days ahead;
🗨️ The Transport Studies Unit of Oxford University will host “Urban Futures - the proximity revolution. An introduction to the 15 minute city concept by its founder” which caught our attention; as it turns out, they’re hosting a number of other really interesting talks throughout February that are worth a look too;
🔧 The Wee Spoke Hub always has sessions running - see their schedule (currently offline) for details and times:
✴️ Weekly Bike DIY session on Thursdays, 4pm – 8pm: “£6/hour for use of a bike stand, in a warm, dry, well-lit space. Wee Spoke Hub tools are available for your use. Also spare parts, and mechanical assistance by competent volunteers, backed up by a workshop mechanic.”
🛣 Road Closures and Route Issues
🥬 Lawnmarket is closed 5 - 10pm between George IV Bridge and Castlehill for Council ground surveys, today (15th Jan) and each evening until Weds 17th inclusive;
💛 The city-bound lane of Dalry Rd at Haymarket junction is closed for three weeks starting today (15th Jan) for the aforementioned cycle safety improvementsX
⛏️ Lanark Rd West between Bridge Road and Ravelrig bends - beginning today (15th Jan), carriageway resurfacing road closure between 19:30 and 06:00 on weeknights, with a diversion signed via A70 - B7031 - Kirknewton - A71 - Curriehill Road, running for 4-5 weeks;
📞 Howe St at Heriot Row - southbound inside lane closed for BT works, today (15th Jan) until Thurs 18th;
🧑🌾 Gardner’s Cres is closed from today (15th Jan) with temporary lights on Morrison St at Dewar Pl for Council works associated with the implementation of the Low Emissions Zone. Hopefully this is still passable by cycle, as the work is slated to go on until March/April;
💡 Scottish Power close Murrayfield Rd Between Ellersly Rd and Stair Pk today (15th Jan) for four weeks;
Ongoing…
🔍 Southbound lane closure on North Charlotte St for gas leak repairs until 17th Jan (2-way traffic retained);
😮💨 On Corstorphine Rd, between Ormidale Ter and Murrayfield Rd - section of citybound inside lane closed until around the 24th Jan for a gas main disconnection;
🚌 Willowbrae Rd – from the bottom of Northfield Cres to Abercorn Ave – has the citybound bus lane closed for around 3 more weeks for carriageway repairs;
🚰 Colinton Rd between Craiglockhart Rd and Craiglockhart Pk has a lane closure / contraflow commencing for Scottish Water works lasting around another 7 weeks;
🔧 Continuing road closure in Morningside on Tipperlinn Rd at South Morningside Pl for gas leak repairs;
⛔ Closure of King Stables Rd between Lothian Rd and Barrace Steps, passable via the pavement depending on your cycle, until Friday 19th;
🦩 Water of Leith: in Leith, 19 remaining weeks of closure at a section of the shared walkway - Spokes have worked with the Water of Leith Conservation Trust on suggested diversions [PDF] during the Coalie Park closure.
🧑🎄It’s beginning to look a lot like… Castle St has reopened, but we still have Christmas closures of Waverley Br closed 9.30am - 10.30pm daily except for taxis accessing the rank via Market St); George St closed except for cycles (at all times) and loading (6.30am - 9.30am daily), running until Friday 19th, which as we all know is the official end of the festive season because the council finally collects your wilting tree from its roadside resting place 🎄
⛏️ CCWEL-adjacent works on Charlotte Sq and North / South Charlotte St running until March 2024:
Phase 1 and 2 are completed;
Phase 3 is underway - daytime lane closures on Charlotte Sq (east side), North and South Charlotte Street, daytime closures of Charlotte Sq (south and west sides).
💡 Footway works and street lighting renewal on Polwarth Gdns, involving lane closures and parking restrictions. Polwarth Pl, Polwarth Pk, Harden Pl and Mertoun Pl will be closed as work progresses, running until March ‘24;
💧A significant programme of Scottish Water drainage improvement work on Longstone Rd until mid summer ‘24;
🧰 Braidburn Ter closed (dismount to pass via pavement) at the end of the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route while the new pedestrian and cycle realm enhancement worksX are underway. There’a a comprehensive update from Council Officers on the works in this post from Cllr Scott Arthur.
Ongoing updates on the Council’s Road reports page as the week unfolds and via @edintravelX on X.
Thanks for reading - ride safe! 🚲
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