🚲 edi.bike | issue 75 | 13th Jan ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
💚 Cargo Bike Movement; A Call for Volunteers, Chance to Try a Cargo Bike, and a Cycling Microbakery Video
At Cargo Bike Movement, we pick up and redistribute surplus food from supermarkets around Edinburgh and drop it off at Shrub's Zero Waste Hub. We prevent these items from being thrown away, helping both people and planet.
We ride as a group every evening, and need more volunteers to keep our daily pickups running!To get involved, you can attend one of our volunteer training sessions to get you comfortable riding a cargo bike. You can attend either training session, either on Wednesday 15th of January or 29th January from 1-4pm.
To sign up, please email jamie@cargobikemovement.org »
And, 11am - 1.30pm this Friday 17th, at the Meadows Compass:
We will be on the meadows next Friday to give people the chance to have a go on our cargo bikes! Come try out a bike, or just come for a chat and a cup of tea. See you there and cross your fingers for good weather 🤞🌞
Hearty Squirrel will be joining us, an Edinburgh-based food cooperative providing cheap, fair trade, locally sourced and organic veg - they use a cargo bike themselves around the city, and will be there to chat all things veg & active transport. 🫛🚴🥬🚴
Like us, Hearty Squirrel are passionate about food access and reducing food waste, and doing so sustainably using active transport where possible.
📺 Cargo Bike Movement also recently published this lovely video to their Instagram about Janiv from microbakery ‘Nine4’ and his cargo bike bread deliveries 🍞
⚙️ Detailed Spokes Briefings Calling for Demand Management on Our Roads, and an Open Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport
Tying in with the recent campaign event by Scotland United for Climate Action — on location at Holyrood as MSPs returned from their winter break on January 7th — Spokes published an excellent and thoroughly-cited ‘Briefing Note’ [PDF]:
”Transport is Scotland’s highest emitting sector, and the disparity with other sectors has been growing . This note lists two of the most effective actions which Scottish Government should now take on transport.”
A number of the same points are raised in their — also excellent — open letter to Fiona Hyslop MSP [PDF], Cabinet Secretary for Transport (which is a devolved matter) on the subject of strategy, budgeting and demand management heading into 2025.
As Spokes elicited in their Bluesky post about the letter - please consider contacting your MSPs and send them a copy of it; the more contact and pressure Ministers receive around issues like this, the more they become the subject of discussion and even real change.
🫱🏼 “Donated Bikes Help Refugees Feel Better Connected” - Bikes for Refugees Feature in BBC News Article
Bikes for Refugees - having recently handed out their 3,000th reconditioned bike to New Scots - are featured in this great BBC article about their work, raising awareness and seeking to elicit more bike donations.
Do you live in, or travel to, North Berwick, East Linton, Dundee or Coldstream?
If you can help transport a bike donation to Edinburgh or Glasgow please contact Becky at Bikes for Refugees on bikedonations@bikesforrefugees.scot
🏰 Local Bits
✊ Critical Mass Edinburgh rides again - 25th January, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk, headed down to Leith to learn about the successes of the recent Low Traffic Neighbourhood in the area;
📈 Edward Tissiman has published final Omni centre counter stats for 2024, rounding off a year of significant growth in the area’s cycle journeys:
- approx. 580,000 cycle journeys
- up around 40% compared with 2023
- busiest day was 30th May with 2,107 journeys
— @edtiss.bsky.social on Bluesky
💕 “How Allen Balfour achieved his childhood activity dream” - the Vie Velo tandem experience from one of their ‘stokers’, on what it’s been like to access cycling through the club’s outings in spite of living with visual impairment — at Every Body Moves »
⬆️ The statutory process for a handful of one-way street cycle exemptions have been published by the Council - available here as a list and more detailed plans - ‘TRO/24/27 - One-way street exemptions for cyclists - Various Roads - Ending on 31 January 2025’. A number of these are setted streets and not all are that useful, but hopefully mark the commencement of a the Council’s wider project to roll out such exemptions across the city in the next eighteen months;
☕️ A wee bit of coverage last week for ‘Coffee Outside’, an informal weekly Wednesday morning gathering of (mostly?) cyclists at the Lochrin Basin to get a brew on and have a chat;
🥐 A few more serving-hatch / roll-up food and drinkeries added to the Ride-Up venue map inspired by this thread this week — see the Community Map and the submission form if you want to add your own (requires a Google account, and won’t update the map right away);
☔️ National News
🙈 By any and all accounts, the BBC’s Panorama did a shan job of covering the nuances around electric bike legislation, tampering and illegal usage in their recent missive — (this link is not an endorsement to watch!) — which has been generating a healthy amount of tutting from people who actually know things.
An excellent read by way of counterpoints is this complaint to the BBC from the Bicycle Association about the programme;
🏴 City Transport & Traffic Innovation Magazine: “Insufficient funding and timeframes undermine England’s active travel schemes, says evaluation” — Article at CiTTi »
🌍 Elsewhere
🥷🏻 “Apple Airtags lead to large-scale bike theft recovery: Police in Vail, CO, charge suspect after seizing a van load of stolen machines thanks to the clever little disc” — Cycling Weekly »
Editor’s Note: An Airtag is better than nothing, but always worth considering that anyone with an iPhone travelling alongside your stolen steed will get an alert that someone else’s AirTag is moving with them - a welcome anti-stalking feature that can limit its usefulness for tracking stolen goods
📺 Video: Electric cargo bike delivery goodness from Toronto with FedEx; shared by the excellent Dutch Cycling Embassy but rather than publishing to their Youtube channel, for some reason our options to link to it are either Zuckerberg’s Eternal Fact Void (formerly known as Facebook) or LinkedIn, so I’ve chosen the latter to link to with our apologies for any high-value business synergies that may accidentally occur during your visit;
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
- 🧭 CCWEL at Roseberry Cres - thanks to Antonia for keeping us up to date - new tarmac has been laid, fencing and gear has been cleared and the street swept clear of debris; and the street / cycleway are open again until workers return some time in January / Early Feb at the top half of the street;
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📪 More road closure info thanks to Robbie:
- 🚦 National Cycle Route #1 at Duddingston Park South is having its Toucan crossing upgraded from the 20th, expected to take 2 weeks. Dismounting to cross may be required;
- 🚧 Slatefood Rd/Dundee St segregated cycle lanes closures from the 19th for BT manhole repairs: Angle Park Ter closed westbound - may be possible to go around by Henderson Ter / Ardmillan Pl. Shandon Pl at junction with Slateford Rd closed southbound - may be possible to go around by Ivy Ter;
- 🐎 King's Stables Rd - remains closed until this Friday, Jan 17th (warning signage at the entry from Haymarket, but diversion is not signed);
- 💧 Union Canal: Towpath improvement works are ongoing from Leamington Lift Bridge to Edinburgh Quay until May 2025. A section of towpath is closed with diversion across the lift bridge and along the southern side of the canal - more info at Scottish Canals;
- 🛤️ Thanks to Martin for passing on an update from Midlothian Council on the partial closure of NCN 196, on the Auchendinny-Rosewell railway path for resurfacing with ‘flexipave’: “The expected completion time is now by the middle of February 2025, weather dependent. As a result, the council has made the decision to open the section for the pathway, allowing users the opportunity to utilise the section over this period. The pathway from Auchendinny to Rosewel … will remain open until the contractors return to resurface …on February 3rd 2025, at which point the last of the resurfacing works will begin. It is estimated the remaining works will require approximately 2 weeks to complete resurfacing.”
- ⚡ 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;
- 🏹 Lawnmarket and Upper Bow: Road improvements are ongoing until July ‘25; 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;
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🎉 Events and Happenings
📆 Upcoming / Ongoing
💃🏽 Friends of the Earth Scotland and Porty Community Energy are hosting a fundraising Ceilidh in February:
“There are a limited number of early bird 🐦 tickets 🎟️ available for our Ceilidh 💃 on the 22nd Feb with Friends of the Earth Scotland and Ceilidh Collective (the first 50 people to book before the end of January can access a £10 ticket).
See you Portobello Town Hall for a dance? It’s going to be a belter! Fantastic band, yummy food, raffle and a bar - go on and bring all yer pals.”
⚡ Also from the team at Porty Community Energy;
Saturday 1st Feb, 17:30: Join us for a winter parade through Fishwives Causeway to help raise awareness and to call for better signage for this important alternative path between Restalrig/Mountcastle and Portobello.
Our lanterns will light up this safer back route for cyclists and pedestrians and especially highlight the little-known shortcut from Mountcastle. There will be a winter choir to lift our spirits up and hot food and drink to keep us warm. Come and meet others who enjoy walking, scooting, wheelchair wheeling, cycling, pushing a pram and riding around Edinburgh. Celebrate our traffic-free routes with a child and family-friendly parade.We'll meet outside Amber Hair and Beauty opposite Royal High on the crossroads between Mountcastle Drive and Northfield Broadway at 5.30pm. We'll work down Mountcastle Crescent into Mountcastle Park and at the end of the cul de sac we'll begin the parade that takes us into Fishwives Causeway. The parade ends at the other side of the causeway on the railway bridge next to Baileyfield Road traffic lights in Portobello. Here's the route on Google Maps.
We are hoping that people will arrive on bicycle and on foot. If you are coming with a bike, you’ll need to dismount and wheel it along the route. We will parade right through the Fishwives Causeway to its end, and back again and then enjoy some hot drinks and snacks, and some music. And we'll be finished by 7pm.
Bring lanterns, lights, torches, and sport your high-vis winter fashion looks, to brighten this route on our parade.
We’re also hoping to run some family friendly workshops to make some lovely lanterns in the run up to this event, so that we can light up the night.
More on the Facebook Event »
🖼️ The Spokes, Infrasisters, Bike Buses and Edinburgh Critical Mass co-curated campaigning exhibition ‘Pedal Power’ has opened at its new venue [IG] of Duncan Place in Leith - well worth a visit;
🔁 Weekly Events
- 🍃 Mon, 12-2.30pm: Free, fun group ride on paths from Bridgend Farmhouse;
- 🌅 Tues, ⏰ 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol - Meet St. Andrew Square, same route each time - contact Markus [x];
- ☕️Tues, 5pm: [National] Active Travel Cafe on Zoom
- 🛠️ Weds, 3pm: Bike Kitchen at Edinburgh Tool Library
- 🌅 Thurs, ⏰ 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol (same as Tues, details above);
- ✴️ Thurs, 5-8pm: Bike DIY Session at The Wee Spoke Hub
- ⚙️ Sat, 2-4pm: ‘Bike Cleaning and Oiling’ drop-in session at The Wee Spoke Hub
🔁 Monthly Events
- 🚲 First Friday of the month: Inclusive social bike rides with A Wee Pedal, 1-3pm, from Bridgend Farmhouse;
- ✊ Last Saturday of the month: Critical Mass Edinburgh, Family-friendly mass protest / group ride, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk;
🫂 Help Needed
🌆 Thanks to SFan who got in touch to let us know that distance ride ‘London Edinburgh London’ are looking for 2025 volunteers;
🚲 Investigating cycling as a mode of active transport in ethnic minority groups in Edinburgh - take part in an ongoing cycling study by Edinburgh University student Keping Li
🚸 From Parents for Future Scotland:
”We are recruiting enthusiastic speakers to join our Schools Air Pollution Programme as workshop facilitators. Our programme empowers children and their parents to take meaningful action against air pollution in Edinburgh. Workshop facilitators help deliver an engaging and informative talk to parents in the city, raising awareness about air pollution and the steps we can all take to help tackle it. This is a paid role and no previous experience in speaking to groups or expertise in air pollution is needed - we provide free training and a buddy system to help build your confidence as you grow into this important role. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to positive change in your community, meet other like-minded parents, and develop new skills.”
More info at Vacancies — Parents for Future Scotland »
✏️ Jobs and Voluntary Roles
- 🛠️ SW20 & Edinburgh Tool Library — Project Volunteers
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✴️ The Wee Spoke Hub — Administration Volunteer😀
- ℹ️ Also: office / studio space to sublet;
🛠️ With over 500 responses, halfway there! 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.”
Ongoing: 🚌 Marshal for School Bike Buses | 🙋 Help with school programme ‘I Bike’ | 🗨️Join Spokes’ Planning or Resources group | 🆘 Donate money or bikes to Bikes for Refugees | 📦⚡️ Hire Community Cargobikes, E-bikes or Trailers from SW20, Porty Community Energy or Banzai | ♻️ Donate old bikes to The Bike Station or ‘Brake the Cycle’.
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
🚢 Leith Connections: Foot of the Walk to Dock St Construction Underway, Schedule Shared
🦶Foot of the Walk to ‘Ocean Terminal’ (actually Commercial St)
⚓️ 'Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal' - construction is underway on the Great Junction St cycleway, with work on Henderson St recently started too, for around ten months - a 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.
This Leith Connections works leaflet [PDF] outlines the rough timeline for construction of the route.
Confusingly, the project 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
View the:
Consultation Hub Page (now closed to responses);
Detailed Design drawings (PDF) »
🌳 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route
Some recent movement on the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route, in an update from Blackford Safe Routes and this update from Cllr Ben Parker;
📋 Travelling Safely Schemes (Various)
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; also by emailing TRO.Consultations@edinburgh.gov.uk quoting the relevant scheme.
🌊 Musselburgh Active Toun Consultation
Updated plans over on Musselburgh Active Toun with further consultation ongoing: these may be of particular interest to Edinburgh residents as they cover the East Lothian section of Edinburgh Road that would eventually facilitate the long-held ambition of a tie-in to Joppa and Portobello prom, as well as the rest of the North Edinburgh network.
Comments on the consultation can be emailed to musselburgh.uki@aecom.com
⚒️ Lasswade Rd Cycleways
Update: Looking like this project has now been completed.
Spokes previously 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.
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
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