🚲 edi.bike | issue 61 | 7th Oct ‘24
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
🧒 The Kids are Alright
A wonderful sight shared this week by Helen Todd [x] — the racks outside Roseburn Primary School nearly saturated with kids’ bikes, no doubt buoyed by the school’s proximity to the City Centre West to East Link or ‘CCWEL’. The future’s bright!
↕️ New Protected Cycleway Completed at West Shore Road, Granton
New path works completed in Granton - part of a route from Pennywell roundabout down to Quiet Route 12 - have recently been finished as posted to X by John Robson, with some follow-up from Spokes about the wider context / background;
🎨 New Illustrations Published of Lindsay Rd and Bernard St Protected Cycleway in ‘Hawthornvale to Seafield’ Project
Fresh visuals spotted by Harry Williams — we’ve taken a look and covered a recent couple of updates to the ‘Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal’ and ‘Hawthornvale to Seafield’ projects in our 🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations near the end of this digest ⬇️
🏰 Local Bits
📺 In a short video around Leith Walk posted to X, Edward Tissiman provides some examples of ‘Why cyclists don’t use cycle lanes’, and also followed up with a separate clip of the transition from carriageway to cycleway [x] where the camera does a good job of showing just how much more juddery and uneven the surface of the cycleway is;
🛍️ At Biketrax, and their Towpath Cafe;
We’re running a promotion over this winter! [FB] As it gets colder, come grab a free coffee with your consultation and any service over £75 gets a free spot clean to dust off all that horrible salt and grit your bike with pick up off the roads! Book your repair at Biketrax.co.uk/servicing
From the inimitable Edinburgh Minute (subscribe for excellent, ad-free daily Edinburgh news!):
🎭 The revamp of the King's Theatre has risen above £40m and will not be ready until 2026 - three years later than originally envisaged. - Exclusive by Brian Ferguson, The Scotsman
It will be interesting to see in the coming months whether delays to this project - and assumedly the closure of adjacent Tarvit St - subsequently has a negative impact on delivery of the (already a decade in the making) ‘Meadows to Union Canal’ connection;
⛳ Cargo Bike Caddy - this ‘carry-sh*t-olympics’-worthy thread (unrolled) from Hart’s Cyclery features the first time I’ve seen golf clubs getting carted around in a bakfiets - great stuff!
➕ Nationally
Glasgow: The thorny issue of throttle-driven ‘electric bikes’ (that don’t meet the criteria to be an EAPC or ‘legal ebike’) came up this week in this short video piece by STV ⚠️ Some injury detail and blood are shown - featuring Thomas Mitchell of Cycle Law Scotland and Scott Davidson of Love E-bikes;
📹 “The Cyclist helping catch hundreds of bad drivers” at BBC UK - yet another article showing just how far behind the curve Police Scotland are as the only force in the UK without an online portal to submit footage (recent positive noises in this space notwithstanding until we can actually submit footage);
💰 “Making every pound count: Why new roads are not the route to prosperity” - at IPPR, who refuse to say what IPPR stands for on their homepage, Contact or Press pages - that’s my slow clap you’re hearing;
🤔 “Three single-decker buses are to be converted to create a fleet of ‘bike buses’ to transport cyclists through London’s new Silvertown tunnel.” — The Standard
That’s not a bike bus!
Sounds like a rubbish ‘new’ tunnel if it’s been built without cycle provision, no?
🌍 Elsewhere
🚸 ”Children are often overlooked in transportation decision-making processes, which typically prioritize adult needs and capacities. Adult-exclusive modes (motor vehicles) limit children’s independent accessibility as they create traffic danger… The results find that due to traffic danger, children’s walking accessibility is estimated to be reduced by at least 75 %” — new Child Safety study from Canada
🇫🇷 “Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to massive investment and it’s not stopping” — Momentum Mag
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
- If you cross Bruntsfield Links at Whitehouse Loan be aware that the on-again, off-again relationship with having a functional toucan crossing there is… off again [x];
- Ongoing: The questionable Network Rail ban on ebike parking at Waverley Station - best to make alternative parking plans if travelling from this station at present;
- Part of Quiet Route 8 - Roseburn to Edinburgh Park is currently blocked as reported on X by John Robson;
- Lawnmarket and Upper Bow: Road improvements are ongoing; be sure to read the Council’s page about the closures, which managed to completely omit arrangements for a certain human-powered transport mode so mind how you go;
- Reader Robbie kindly got in touch to share an upcoming closure of Holyrood Park: 4 - 11pm October 31st for Samhuinn. Potential Cycle access until 6pm on Croft-An-Righ is being considered - some of the information on HES’ Events page is still to be confirmed;
- Melville St at Walker St has some partial closures of the CCWEL segregated lanes for major works as part of the public realm improvements that runs until December this year;
- Spokes shared the upcoming partial closure of NCN 196, on the Auchendinny-Rosewell railway path for resurfacing with ‘flexipave’ - an ongoing 6-8 week closure from mid-September, so around 5 weeks remaining. Details from Midlothian Council »
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📆 Events and Happenings
📆 Upcoming / Ongoing
⚡ Porty Community Energy are leading another of their friendly, communal rides out from Portobello, this week (9th) to the Meadows - more details on their Facebook post and you can book into the rides here »
ℹ️ The team are also pausing hires from their Bike Library during the October break:
Just a quick note to let you know that our Bike Library will be closed for the autumn school holidays from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20. 🎉🍂
But here's the great news: we would absolutely love for you to hire one of our bikes during this time! 🍁
More info on their Instagram post »
🧰 The Council are holding a Dr Bike maintenance stall [x] for safety checks and minor repairs this Saturday 12th October at Four Points by Sheraton, Haymarket Terrace (on the City Centre West to East Link), 10am to 2pm.
⚡ Porty Community Energy have a fundraising ceilidh this Saturday 12th October, 17:00 - 22:00:
“Cosmic Ceilidh Band will be our band for a heady evening of live music, dance, local bar and delicious food. Run by the ceilidh collective, this event is supporting, fundraising, and fun raising for Portobello Community Energy (PCE). PCE's wonderful projects including: Porty Bike Library, Cosy Homes, Porty Car Share, Porty Action Travel Hub, and the all new embryonic Porty Community Solar... Find out more, lots more in between dances!_
_Ceilidh tickets range from £10 - £25, depending on what you can afford. In addition you can buy a meal ticket for a hearty plate of vegan stew with rice and sides to power you through the night.”
👥 Facebook Event page »
🎟️ Get Tickets »
✊ ‘Bring back our streets’ Webinar, Thursday 24th October, 8-9pm:
Hosted by Parents for Future Scotland and Bearsden Safe Streets, this webinar will explore the challenges we face in creating safe, liveable streets. We'll look at what we mean by a 'safe street' and how we can challenge the status quo to bring about cleaner, happier streets for everyone. The webinar will refer to both global and local challenges and is relevant to anyone who wants better streets!
🛠️ A Wee Pedal are hosting a Basic Bike Maintenance class at Bridgend Farmhouse on Friday 25th October, 10am-12pm - with all-inclusive, friendly small groups - book by email to admin@bridgendfarmhouse.org.uk;
🔁 Weekly Events
🍃 Mon, 12-2.30pm: Free, fun group ride on paths from Bridgend Farmhouse;
☕️Tues, 5pm: [National] Active Travel Cafe on Zoom
🛠️ Weds, 3pm: Bike Kitchen at Edinburgh Tool Library
✴️ Thurs, 5-8pm: Bike DIY Session at The Wee Spoke Hub
👪 Fri, 2-4pm: All-inclusive social guided bike rides from Bridgend Farmhouse (until 25th Oct);
⚙️ Sat, 2-4pm: ‘Bike Cleaning and Oiling’ drop-in session at The Wee Spoke Hub
🫂 Help Needed
✴️ The Wee Spoke Hub are looking for an Administration Volunteer:
“For a charity like ours to succeed, a lot of behind-the-scenes work needs done. If you are a super-organised person with a bit of time on a regular basis, please get in touch!
Bonus points if you have a passion for active travel or for the climate 🌱”
More on their website listing »
ℹ️ They’re also advertising office / studio space to sublet in their building;
🛠️ Scottish Cargo Bike maker Ariel Bikes are looking to get 1,000 responses to their e-cargo bike market survey, and if they do they’ll give away a bike:
“Win an Ariel e-cargo bike worth £5600, with ZF 112Nm motor system, plus Magura, Shimano, Halo, Schwalbe, Suntour and Spinner parts and components. All on a hand built 4130 chromoly steel frame fabricated in our Scottish workshop. Finished in glorious orange metallic fleck powder coat.
We want to understand the UK e-cargo bike market better. So we’ve created a short survey. Fill in the survey and if we can get to over 1000 responses, we will give away the bike.”
🛠️ SW20 and Edinburgh Tool Library are looking for project volunteers:
”We are looking to expand our team of amazing volunteers and offer additional services -- if you are interested, please complete this form and we'll get back to you”;
Ongoing: 🚴🏼 Help Funding the Skelf bike park | 🚌 Marshal for School Bike Buses | 🙋 Help with school programme ‘I Bike’ | 🗨️ Join Spokes’ Planning or Resources group | 🤝 Support SW20 via Co-op shopping | 🆘 Donate money or bikes to Bikes for Refugees
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
🚢 Leith Connections - Updated Construction Dates and New Renders
🐾 Foot of the Walk to ‘Ocean Terminal’ (actually Commercial St)
⚓️ As spotted by Harry Williams [x], 'Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal' - construction start date has been updated to ‘start of November 2024’ (for ten months) - protected cycle route as part of Leith Connections, which promises to be a great continuation of the segregated routes slowly taking root in the city centre. Confusingly, a closer look at the project reveals that it doesn’t go to Ocean Terminal (shades of Roseburn to Union Canal here) and instead gives up at Commercial St, with the Commercial St to Ocean Terminal leg covered by the third phase of Leith Connections (below).
🛥️ Leith Connections Phase 3 - Hawthornvale to Seafield
“We are planning public realm improvements and an active travel route between the Hawthornvale Path in the west and Seafield shared use path in the east.”
‘Hawthornvale to Seafield’ has had an update also - at least in visual terms. The text about this outcome of the Leith Connections project page hasn’t changed, but there’s a couple of new renders that have been added:
Above: ‘Visualisation of Lindsay Road and entrance to Hawthornvale path’
Above: ‘Visualisation of Bernard Street’
As Harry points out in a further thread (unrolled), there are a number of aspects of these routes and proposed implementation that will hopefully be subject to some revision through the consultation process.
🛣️ Powderhall Junction Update
The Council have published a fairly thorough documentation of the consultation and design iteration process - showing the preferred design for the junction and its cycling affordances before and after consultation. More context on the project - including next steps predicated on funding and developer contributions - can be found over at The Spurtle.
🌈 Lindsay Rd Pride Bridge Reaches Planning Permission Stage
”We've reached another milestone in the process of building the new Pride Bridge.
A Planning Permission Application has now been submitted to Edinburgh Council. Thank you to the entire team for the huge amount of work that has gone into this.” — Tweet / X
View and comment on the planning application at City of Edinburgh Council »
See a gallery of imagery from the plans posted to Instagram »
📋 Travelling Safely Schemes
ETROs for these schemes have various end dates (barring ‘South’, which is not yet published) and can be found for comment at the Council’s Travelling Safely Commonplace microsite;
⚒️ Work ongoing, August to November - Lasswade Rd Cycleways
Spokes shared [x] the project page for a partial resurfacing of Lasswade Rd that includes a stretch of segregated cycle lane at each side, close to Gracemount High School. Spokes’ response makes mention of various interesting aspects and suggests changes.
✍🏽 ‘Spaces for People’ Lanes in East of Edinburgh - ETRO
This ‘East Area’ Experimental Traffic Order (ETRO/21/28A) covers a number of Covid-era parking suspensions used to facilitate bollarded cycle lanes around London Rd, Willowbrae and Duddingston, including cycle routes used by school pupils, teachers and parents to and from multiple primary and secondary schools. It is currently open for comments until 28th October by emailing TRO.Consultations@edinburgh.gov.uk quoting ETRO/21/28A.
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
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