by Noa Hoffman
Plans for six new segregated cycle lanes in the capital have now been approved by The City of Edinburgh Council.
Temporary additions and improvements to cycle infrastructure will be made along Ferry Road, Orchard Brae Roundabout, Wester Hailes Road, Meadow Place Road, Comiston Road, Dundee Road and wider Fountainbridge.
The changes will be implemented under temporary traffic regulation orders, a legal process that enables the council to make changes to roads without having to undertake usual public consultation exercises.
Key stakeholders including councillors, community councils and business representatives were, in accordance with stated policy, given five days to review the plans and submit feedback prior to their confirmation.
The new cycle lanes, detailed below, are the latest development in the council’s Spaces for People Programme, a scheme designed to improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport during the coronavirus crisis, using temporary measures.
Plans are also in place to improve cycling provisions along Melville Drive, Gilmerton Road, Minto Street, Craigmillar Park, Mayfield Gardens, Duddingston Road.
Ferry Road
- Introduction of uni-directional segregated cycleways.
- Introduction of advisory cycle lanes.
- Improvements to junctions along the road to make them safer for cyclists.
Comiston Road
- Introduction of uni-directional segregated cycleways.
- Improvements to junctions along the road to make them safer for cyclists.
- Introduction of waiting and loading restrictions along parts of Comiston Road
- Removal of pedestrian guardrail.
Orchard Brae Roundabout
Tightening of junction radii and visual narrowing to reduce speeds and make the junction safer for cyclists and pedestrians using it.
Wester Hailes Road
- Introduction of uni-directional segregated cycleways.
- Improvements to junctions along the road to make them safer for cyclists.
Meadow Place Road
Introduction of uni-directional segregated cycleways.
Dundee Street / Fountainbridge
- Introduction of uni-directional segregated cycleways along Dundee Street and Fountainbridge.
- Introduction of advisory cycle lanes along Fountainbridge.
- Improvements to junctions along the road to make them safer for cyclists.
- Changes to bus stops on Dundee Street and Fountainbridge to improve cycle safety.
Plans for new cycle segregation lanes have received a mixed response from the public.
Some local residents and councillors have expressed concerns about the speed with changes to roads are being implemented, as well as the five day consultation process. Others have welcomed the measures which they say are long overdue, and which some believe are taking too long to implement under the emergency scheme.
Conservative Cllr and Transport Spokesperson, Susan Webber, said: “Over the past few days we have seen a vast number of the Spaces for People schemes being approved for implementation, wholly unchanged, despite the council under taking a consultation exercise.
“I continue to have serious concerns across a number of issues, but none more so than if you are to agree to have a community and stakeholder consultation then it would be wise to listen to those that have taken time and effort to contribute.
“There is no getting away from the fact that communities and businesses have been completely ignored in favour of one or two aligned contributors…
“We need to ensure we are getting value for money. These are after all temporary measures, so we also need to know who will bear the cost of the removal and reinstatement, the Scottish Government or the Council?”
Some cyclists and environmentalists have welcomed the new cycle lanes.
Chris Hill, co-founder of online cycling forum CityCyclingEdinburgh.Info, said:
“I welcome all attempts to improve conditions for walking and cycling in Edinburgh.
“Edinburgh has been notorious for decades for its caution and inertia. The upside is that it has avoided the ‘urban motorway’ craze of many other cities including Glasgow.
“Glasgow has had successful pedestrianised areas for years and is now pressing ahead with cycle infrastructure. Edinburgh spends too much time and money on consultations and responding to people fixated on the status quo and stuck with the believe that most shoppers use cars.
“A quick internet search will find that many places have been transformed commercially by restricting car access.”
Green Cllr Gavin Corbett, a long time champion of the cycle segregation lanes, and Canals Champion, said: “The dedicated cycle lanes on Dundee Street and Fountainbridge, to take one example, are very welcome.
“I hope they will become permanent as a safe route is needed to give an alternative to the overcrowded canal towpath.
“Of course, it is important to get some of the detail right as well and we need to make sure safety is improved in the way cars get onto the Western Approach Road, which is a throwback to 1960s planning when transport planners thought driving an urban motorway into the heart of Edinburgh was a good idea.
“So let’s get on with the work and let’s make sure that we change the balance of our city streets to put people, not vehicles, first.”
Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Lesley Macinnes, said: “We’re leading the way with our plans to create more space for everyone – pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, people with prams and families.
“Over the coming months we’ll be installing more than 30km of segregated cycle lanes across the city to support people to return to work, take leisurely trips or to visit one another on bike.
“These upcoming schemes were identified on key routes by officers as priority areas. As the number of cars using our roads gradually increases with people returning to work, changes like this will help people to continue choosing to cycle when we come out of lockdown.”
Noa Hoffman is the Local Democracy Reporter covering Edinburgh. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency : funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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