Letter to the Editor – Haymarket Misery

1. As one of the “scaremongering.. pedal cycling minority” I would like to take the opportunity to assure Mr Douglas that what has been asked for by a large number of cyclists – myself included – is not for the removal of the taxi rank at Haymarket at all. What has been asked for are a number of key improvements to what is an extremely unsafe road layout for cyclists at Haymarket; but certainly not the removal of the rank. That the rank is being removed at all is not due to pandering to the wants of cyclists, it is as a direct result of the redevelopment of the station and the instatement of the tram tracks outside the station, which have constrained the available space to a point where Network Rail themselves have recognised that the rank is not a practical proposition in its current form. That the rank appeared in its current, malfunctioning form, was probably not intended by any responsible party but I would suggest it is more than likely to stem from the left hand of officialdom not knowing what the right hand was doing.

   One thing that certainly has been asked for by cyclists is that the taxi rank is not combined with a cyclists diversion lane (known semi-officially as “the jughandle”) in the current form where there is no physical segregation between taxis and cyclists. By necessity, taxis have to come and go as they pick up and drop off and this pattern of come-and-go vehicle flow is not compatible with dual use of the space also as the main route for cyclists passing through Haymarket. The design funnels cyclists into an “advanced stop” waiting box by the lights at the end of the rank and then acts as a reservoir while they wait at a red light for permission to continue. That these lights did not even detect a bicycle waiting in front of them meant that the whole design was rather self-defeating and ended up being ignored by most passing cyclists after their first shot in it.

   Secondly – and in very strong terms – it has been asked that there is strict enforcement of the double yellow lines on the main road approaching the rank. This is on the grounds that it is simply not acceptable for this area to be used as a feeder lane for taxis as is the practice of a significant number of the licensed trade. The road is regularly blocked here by a queue of taxis (on double yellow lines with double yellow bars on the kerbstones – strictly no waiting at any time),which forces cyclists around the taxis and across the tram lines at a crossing angle of 5 degree. The safe angle is said by Edinburgh Trams to be 90 degrees and no less than 60 degrees; such a shallow angle of traffic flow inevitably brings the bicycle wheel into the rail and more often than not, the bicycle and cyclist down on top. This is an unfortunate experience at the best of times, but in the dark and wet of winter and with a bus following behind, it would only be a matter of time before a serious injury (or worse) occurred outside the station. The practice of taxis queuing on the road is not just a danger to cyclists, it’s an inconvenience to general traffic which is reduced from 2 to 1 lanes westbound through Haymarket as a result, and if a tram were to try and pass it would be completely blocked. If there is any doubt about the ignorance of some taxi drivers to their actions I have personally remonstrated with one who was parked up and eating his lunch at this location.

   It can be difficult to appreciate just how difficult it is to cycle through the new Haymarket until one tries it. Clearly, with cyclists as a minority, most people probably haven’t given it a go. However I have created a short video of such a journey which points out the limitations of design and the designed-in conflict points of the route in the hope that it can open people’s eyes to the dangers and help them understand why Haymarket has caused such consternation; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5cTggTRK1o I can assure Mr Douglas if a safe alternative route had been provided for cyclists through or around Haymarket that certainly myself (and most other cyclists I have spoke to on the matter) would gladly avoid the place entirely.

   The design of the tram tracks through Haymarket was not the doing of the “cycling minority”, and the constructive expert advice offered by the cycling campaign Spokes, at their own expense was ignored entirely during the design process. The design of the road layout and taxi rank outside Haymarket was also not at the behest of cyclists and the confusing “jughandle” layout that directed cyclists into the taxi rank was as confusing and unexpected in its operation to cyclists as it probably was to taxis. I’m sure the latter were under the impression it was a taxi rank and not a cycle path. Lastly, the inability of the taxi trade to obey the clear road markings at this point and the directions of the Council, the Police and their own trade organisations is certainly not the doing of cyclists! I can assure Mr Douglas that most cyclists are as unhappy with the whole mess that is Haymarket as he is with the response of Network Rail and the Council, but its doing is no more as a result of the “pedal cycling minority” than it is the “mobility impared minority”, or any other figment of the Evening News journalist’s imagination. “We” should not be held accountable for highlighting to the council the dangerous flaws in their planning and design that they should have been able to see for themselves.

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