🚲 edi.bike | issue 36 | 15th Apr '24
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
🔬 'Essential Evidence 4 Scotland' - Digestible, peer-reviewed evidence for Transport Policy from Edinburgh Napier
Found this week:
"One-page, plain-English summaries on aspects of transport planning from robust peer reviewed studies, released fortnightly by Prof Adrian Davis of Edinburgh Napier University’s Transport Research Institute."
Great to see an accessible resource with a solid background and clear mission:
"Our aim is to improve public policy making and practice by making robust academic evidence freely accessible to local government transport authorities, advocacy groups, and public health practitioners working across Scotland and beyond. Our concise, de-jargonised summaries address a range of sustainable and health promoting aspects of transport, from behaviour change to infrastructure interventions."
An example - "No.78 Close passes: Drivers overtaking cyclists" [PDF].
🚲 edi.bike leaves Substack
As you'll hopefully have heard from us earlier in the week, we've left Substack over issues with their moderation of far-right content on their platform. We're now using Buttondown instead.
💜 Introducing the 'Supporters Club'
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🎁 Club Perks
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A bi-monthly (~6 times a year) behind-the-scenes update sharing subscriber numbers / growth, promotional efforts, and other stuff about the running of edi.bike;
A shiny 'Supporters Club' sticker, once we get them printed up (subject to collection in person!).
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🌆 Local Bits
📸 Great photos seen this week of The Bike Station's Free Wheel Gorgie facilities, shared by CEO Sasha Taylorx after collaboration with a local mural artist:
Their 'Free Wheel Gorgie' community programme is offering Gorgie folks free absolute beginner cycling lessons, and Introduction to Bike Maintenance Classes across various dates throughout April and May.
🍑 Urbanist, consultant and educator May East has an excellent blog post covering the potential equalities issues around cycle saddle design and how services like Porty Community Energy's new Bike Saddle Library can be part of the solution.
📘 East's book, What if Women Designed the City? 33 leverage points to make your city work better from women and girls can be ordered from Triarchy Press.
🏃🏽♀️ In a slight departure from our usual items - SW20 and Longstone Community Council are partnering up to try and establish a Junior Parkrun in Hailes Quarry Park similar to the events in the Meadows and other parks - but in the South West of the city, which would save car trips elsewhere in the city for kids to get to take part. Please Register Your Interest if this appeals.
From Last Week:
Council CCWEL launch event video;
The Edinburgh Reporter on The Bike Station's Wee Bike Library;
➕ Nationally
🚴🏼♀️ Roads.cc article: "Research suggests more than two thirds of Scots think not feeling safe is main barrier to cycling".
✊🏼 Over 1,000 riders took to the streets of London on Sunday marking 30 years of Critical Mass there;
🌍 Elsewhere
📽️ "Smart Pedal Pitch is calling for the most innovative and market-ready cycle tech solutions to shape the future of cycling in cities."
Winners of the pitch project can expect to run a pilot project in the city of Ghent.
📲 There's a new Open source bike bus appx to help organisers and attendees of these safe rides to school, now welcoming feedback and bug reports;
🫂 Help Needed
👩🏻⚖️ THE BIG 'Bikes for Refugees Scotland' FUNDRAISING AUCTION 2024
Bikes for Refugees are looking for the donation of experiences, cycling-themed items, artworks, event tickets, signed memorabilia, gift baskets, and other ideas to auction off in their fundraiser: get in touch with Tom-bfrscotland@gmail.com
🧑🏽🔧 Soul Cycles are hiring for a mechanic to join their team as seen on their Instagram;
🛠️ Porty-based Velow Bikeworks are also hiring for a mechanic positionIG:
We’re looking for an experienced mechanic to join the Velow team in our Portobello workshop. You will ideally be Cytec or Velotec qualified but most importantly have a passion for classic bicycles. Drop into the workshop for a chat or send your CV to walter@velow.cc.
🚲 Bikes for Refugees Scotland request on X:
New Scots refugees and asylum seekers need your bikes now. Providing essential mobility and freedom of movement. Please complete the bike donation form on our website, thank you https://www.bikesforrefugees.scot
🎭 The ninth Edinburgh Festival of Cycling will run from Friday 31st May to Sunday 9th 2024 — get in touch if you can offer help;
Ongoing:
🚌 Volunteer to help marshal a local school Bike Bus - see the Bike Bus Hub Directory;
🙋 Sustrans seek volunteers for their ‘I Bike’ school programme: teaching kids, maintaining a bike fleet or marshalling rides with pupils;
🗨️ Spokes are in need of new members for their Planning and Resources groups;
🤝 SW20 are 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
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
🏭 Lots of positive aspects of a new housing development project at Powderhall, including significant amounts of cycle parking and modern heating systems as outlined by The Spurtle in their article. Positive comments from Spokesx who also point out the planning application is still open for comment.
📋 Braid Estate Filters - can you 'Save Our Streets'?
Please consider sharing this ahead of the upcoming Transport & Environment Committee meeting on 25th April:
"With your help, we can send a strong message to Local Government to re-consider their proposals on future local travel and resident amenity in the Braid Estate:"
👁️🗨️ The new Dalry Living Well Locally consultation runs until 26th June:
✍🏽 Detailed Drawings [PDF]
There is also an in-person local engagement event at The St Brides Centre on Thursday 11th April, 3 – 7pm.
🍃 Comments welcome on the proposed Curriehill Active Travel link: "A formal, lit and surfaced active travel path linking Curriehill Station to Heriot-Watt is now at the detailed design stage";
⚡ The UK Government are consulting on making changes to speeds and regulations for ebikes until 25th April. Worth reading about - Cycling UK have safety concerns.
📆 Events and Happenings
✨ New This Week
🌿 20th April, 11:00 - 15:00; Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre's Future Friendly Fun Day includes Dr Bike servicing sessionsx and lots of family-friendly activities, with a chance to feed back on future plans for local green space;
🎙️ 26th April, 17:30 - 20:30; Biketrax' Towpath Cafe hosts their fourth 'Towpath Talk':
In the fourth talk of the series, we bring you three legendary cyclists: Jon Pavelin, Fraser Maxwell, and Gary Cameron. Jon has an amazing breadth of experience in long distance riding. He’ll give us the Big Cycling 101: How to ride long, longer, and longest … with a smile. Fraser and Gary are the creators of an iconic fixture on the Scottish cycling calendar – Ride to the Sun. This event simply entails riding 100 miles through the night from Carlisle to watch the sunrise at Edinburgh’s Cramond Beach for the summer solstice. Every year it attracts hundreds of participants, and this year marks a decade since its first edition.
✊ Edinburgh Critical Mass is coming up on Saturday 27th April, 2pm from Middle Meadow Walk; a friendly and welcoming mass protest ride, with the route typically published a few days before to their Facebook, Mastodon, X and email list. 📲 Ever want to join the ride late, but not sure where it is? You can use Critical Maps - an anonymous location-sharing app for cyclists in critical mass events, aiding coordination through real-time map visualisation. Only one or two people need to use it from the start, so that others can see where the ride is.
🔁 Weekly Events
🛠️ Edinburgh Tool Library host a weekly Bike Kitchen:
A Cycle Kitchen is a community-driven space where people can share their knowledge about bicycle maintenance, repair, and building. We provide tools, spare parts, and expertise to help members fix and maintain their bikes… The Cycle Kitchen is more than a workshop; it’s a place where you can learn, grow, and connect with others.
Open every Wednesday from 3pm.
Regular events on at The Wee Spoke Hub - follow their schedule here:
✴️ Thursday 18th April, 4pm - 8pm: The weekly Bike DIY Session, “£6 per hour for use of a stable 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.”
📆 Upcoming
👑 Queens of Pain are a cycling community based in Edinburgh that centres on the experience of women in cycling. You may spot them on one of their group cycles, through Edinburgh every Wednesday evening. On Thursday 25th April they will be hosting a screening of the film "Women Don't Cycle" at 50 George Square (University of Edinburgh). All funds raised from the sale of tickets will go to Medical Aid for Palestinians. All welcome! Follow on Instagram.
🏘️ In Restalrig, from community hub The Ripplex:
"Ripple Riders weekly cycle launches on Thur 25th Apr 9.30-11. Do you love cycling and want to do local quiet off road routes, easy paced, with trained leaders and friendly members? Come and join! Its free! Bike borrowing available. Call Cat 07510 521759 to join or find out more."
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
⚠️ A big yikes in Causewayside this week shared as a warningx when the guard rails for a new on-road bin store location were installed ahead of any bins, and without their usual reflective stickers - really fortunate that (as far as we know) nobody rode into these during our grey and rainy April showers;
🤯 The use of 'Orca' cycle lane defenders for a trial road diet / pedestrian space at Charlotte Square continues to confuse folks this weekx - Spokes provided some clarificationx and also pointed to a thread by Cllr Finlay McFarlane which includes an outline of phased changes to Charlotte Square and the surrounds over the coming year, including a dedicated cycle crossing phase.
⛰️ Holyrood Park Weekend Road Closure times changed on Saturday 6th April:
Please note that from Sat 6 Apr, our weekend road closure times are changing. Closures will commence from 8.15am (completed by 9am) and the roads will reopen from 5pm (reopened by 5.45pm) — Historic Scotlandx
↗️ Martin advised us last issue about 6 weeks remaining for the closure of Dublin St between Dublin Street Lane North and Albany Street. This is on National Cycle Route ('NCR') 75, just off York Place, and is particularly steep which - so potential issues getting rolling again when travelling southbound after walking around the closure, on such a steep hill. The council policy to have a space left for cycle passage around works has not been followed here, and that's being looked into.
💨 Ahead of the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) going live on 1st June, a new right-hand turn at Tollcross is now permitted (began Thursday 4th April onwards):
Allowing a right hand turn to all traffic from Home Street to Brougham Street, at Tollcross junction. This will go live to all traffic on 4 April 2024 at around 01:00 AM and will be communicated on street with new / temporary signage. — @CllrScottArthurx
Also part of this programme:
Morrison Street is now two-way to all traffic between the Morrison Link/Morrison St junction and the Dewar Place/Morrison St junction;
A right-hand turn is permitted from Morrison Link to Morrison St eastbound.
There's a Council information page about the changes there.
Ongoing…
- 🦩 Water of Leith: in Leith, 6 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.
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