Issues

This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.

Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.

You can create a new issue using the button on the right.

Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of City Cycling Edinburgh:

  • Melvin Walk

    Created by FrenchyF // 1 thread

    Melvin Walk is a useful shared-use path between Fountainbridge and Morrison Crescent. It should have dropped kerbs to make it even better.

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  • Dangerous right turn onto cycle route

    Created by Donald Noble // 1 thread

    It can be dangerous to make the right turn from Russel Road northbound onto cycle route 1/76, because drivers often cut this corner.
    Problem exacerbated by parking on the northeast side of the corner.

    Would be good if a traffic island or bollards could be installed here

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  • Root Infested Path Surface

    Created by acsimpson // 0 threads

    The surface of the path here has been badly broken up by roots from the adjacent trees. This makes any use by wheels (Bike, pram, wheelchair) tricky.

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  • Root Infested Path Surface

    Created by acsimpson // 0 threads

    The surface of the path here has been badly broken up by roots from the adjacent trees. This makes any use by wheels (Bike, pram, wheelchair) tricky.

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  • Facilities on Groathill Avenue to improve QuietRoute 20

    Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads

    What?
    Consider facilities on Groathill Avenue to improve connectivity between Craigleith Hill Avenue (quiet road part of QR20) and the junction with NCN1 / North Edinburgh Path Network and the Craigleith Retail Park.

    Why?
    Groathill Avenue has no cycling facilities on it whatsoever, even though it is a link the council's QuietRoutes network. It is an important link in QR20 that connects Craigleith, Inverleith, and Stockbridge with the main offroad cycle network and additionally a busy retail park. Groathill Avenue is certainly not quiet, especially at the weekend when retail park traffic combined with parked cars makes it really hazardous and not at all cycle or pedestrian friendly. Improving this would encourage cyclists and help reduce traffic pressures in the long term.

    How?
    Groathill Avenue has reasonable width and so there does seem to be space for either a shared use footpath or a dedicated cycleway, particularly if parking restrictions are implemented to allow free movement of traffic along the remaining carrigageway. Given that the street has houses on it I believe a dedicated cycleway is best to avoid conflict between cyclists and homeowners. In either case, the east side of the street makes most sense as this means that cyclists can use the existing toucan crossing at the offroad path access and continue north to Craigleith Hill Avenue. As part of this it would make sense to improve the connection at Craigleith Avenue with better signage/markings and dropped kerbs to access the new path.

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  • East to west cycle route along Bread Street / Morrison Street

    Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads

    What?
    Provide a reasonable cycle route linking the West Port and Lady Lawson Street with Morrison Street.

    Why?
    The West Port is a key route out of the Grassmarket and Old Town and Lady Lawson Street additionally provides connection with the Meadows and St. Thomas of Aquins High School as well as the Quartermile development and other locations. Providing a reasonable route west would link these areas better with Haymarket and the West End (via Ladyfield) and thus provide not just a local link but onward connecting routes as well. At the moment cyclists are forced to take an indirect route via East Fountainbridge along two-lane one-way streets (i.e. which have fast traffic). There is also an existing link between the Meadows and the Union Canal (and plans to upgrade this) but it is too far south to be of use to those coming from Lauriston Place or the Grassmarket, and doesn't provide connection to Haymarket.

    How?
    Bread Street and Morrison Street are the clear desire line and have space to afford better provision for cyclists. Bread Street is already buses only westbound and so a small connecting cycle lane at the junction with East Fountainbridge would allow cyclists to use the bus lane. The existing junction at Lothian Road is left turn only, but small remodelling could allow cyclists into Morrison Street and still retain the existing light timings (with cyclists getting a green when pedestrians do). Of course, this requires that a contraflow cycle lane is provided on the section of Morrison Street between Semple Street and Lothian Road. This may be possible by relocating some space from the large pavement next to the Sainsbury's, though this maybe required for fire evacuation from the offices and cinema. Another approach would be to have only one right turn lane into Lothian Road rather than one. Finally, upgrading the pedestrian crossings at Semple Street to toucan crossings would complete the link with the two way section of Morrison Street and onward travel.

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  • Improve toucan crossing across Morrison Street at Ladyfield

    Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads

    What?
    Move the toucan crossing across Morrison Street a few metres to properly align with Ladyfield and provide improved signage.

    Why?
    There is already a crossing at this location but it's awkwardly positioned making it unclear that there is in fact a through route between the NCN at the Union Canal and Ladyfield, ultimately forming a traffic free link to the West End. Small improvements here would help provide a clearer through route that is both quiet and safe, avoiding the need for cyclists to go along Morrison Street or Lothian Road.

    How?
    A small realignment of the crossing with Ladyfield to follow the desire line would make the through route much clearer. Adding blue signage with destinations would also raise awareness of the route with both pedestrians and cyclists alike.

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  • Improved connection between Raeburn Place and St Bernard's Row

    Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads

    What?
    Improve the connection between Raeburn Place and St Bernard's Row.

    Why?
    St Bernard's Row is already a quiet street thanks to the ban on vehicle traffic at Raeburn Place. Northbound, St Bernard's Row is a key link towards family attractions like Inverleith Park and the Botanic Gardens and also provides access to family route 20. Conversely, it provides an effective southbound route into Stockbridge and the city centre from Arboretum, Inverleith, and even Wardie and Granton. The present connection between the St Bernard's Row and Raeburn Place has some cycling provision but a small amount of additional investment could encourage greater use and turn this into a key through route. This would avoid the need for cyclists to use the Water of Leith via Haugh Street which is an indirect and cumbersome route and clashes with pedestrians.

    How?
    The simplest improvement would be blue signage (there is currently just a no vehicles sign which doesn't encourage cyclists to use the facility) to make clear that cyclists can actually cross the pavement from Raeburn Place into St Bernard's Row. A proper dropped kerb would also be a big improvement along with appropriate markings (and preferably lead-up bike lanes) to show the route cyclists should take.
    Ideally though, the nearby pedestrian crossing would additionally be upgraded to a toucan crossing so that less confident cyclists can safely turn right from Raeburn Place into St Bernard's Row (northbound) and turn right from St Bernard's Row into Raeburn Place (westbound). The best solution would involve relocating the crossing a few metres so that there is a clear alignment with the end of St Bernard's Row, though this may be tricky due to the junction with the opposite Dean Street.

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  • Joining NCN1 to the West End

    Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads

    City of Edinburgh council have done good work trialling a segregated path for NCN1 on George Street. Although the trial is coming to an end it's clear from their documents and consultations that George Street will remain the primary east-west route for cyclists travelling through the city centre and more investment is planned.

    The problem is that there is very poor access to this route from the West End for any cyclists who have come along Shandwick Place or Rutland Square (including cyclists from the big offices nearby). Heading east, cyclists have to go through the busy West End road junction and then brave cars sweeping into South Charlotte Street as they turn left while simultaneously needing to find a way across two lanes of traffic to the middle of the road to turn right onto George Street -- scary stuff even for a competent cyclist.

    Space is always at a premium but there do seem to be options for improving this with minimal loss of road space. A two-way cycle path could be constructed across the paving to link Hope Street with Rutland Place. With careful design this could be done to minimise impact to the pedestrian space and with reconfigured light timings cyclists could emerge from Hope Street to turn left or right, and likewise cyclists from Shandwick Place and Princes Street could turn into the new path. In addition, a left turn strip at Lothian Road onto Rutland Place would provide access to this new path for cyclists from Rutland Square and Lothian Road.

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  • Dropped curb

    Created by SRF // 0 threads

    A dropped kerb where the path meets the pavement at the Glebe would be very handy here for people heading to the school on bike via the path. It's the only off-road route for cycling to the school.

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  • Barrier very tight for bikes

    Created by Donald Noble // 0 threads

    This barrier is quite a tight squeeze for a normal bike without panniers, and would be very difficult/impossible to get though with an accessible bike/panniers/trailer etc.

    Presume bollards could be used here to stop vehicles entering the path without causing an obstruction for bikes/wheelchairs etc.

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  • Poor reinstatement left trench across path

    Created by Donald Noble // 1 thread

    A trench has been dug across the cycle path close to the substation, and has not been properly reinstated, leaving a 0.5m wide 5cm deep rut right across the tarmac path,

    This should have been reinstated properly at the time, but would be good if it could be fixed soon

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  • Shared path and toucan

    Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads

    The hill from the Braidburn Inn across Liberton Road up Kirk Brae is very difficult (steep and much traffic).

    Cyclists should be allowed to use the pavement from opposite the Braidburn Inn (at the end of the cycle lane), then cross Liberton Rd at the pedestrian lights (to be converted into toucan) and then continue on the pavement up Kirk Brae, at least to the Fire Station.

    Dropped kerbs are needed:
    - at the end of the cycle lane in Mayfield Road
    - at the end of Mayfield Rd, before the lights
    - at the bottom of Kirk Brae
    - at Double Hedges Row

    Many cyclists already use the pavement in this way, but lack of dropped kerbs makes it difficult (and of course it would be better if it's made legal).

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  • New path in Inch Park

    Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 2 threads

    Have a new shared path on the Est side of Inch Park, connecting Glenallan Drive, Old Dalkeith Road and Cameron Toll.

    This would be a very useful connection that allows cyclists (and pedestrians) to avoid parts of busy Old Dalkeith Road.

    There is no real reason why a proper path can't be built there; dog walkers walk along the suggested route all the time (on the grass).

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  • Path connection

    Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 2 threads

    There is a strange muddy puddle where the path from Burdiehouse Burn meets the footpath along Burdiehouse Rd., and the right-angle corner is very narrow anyway.

    The paths should be connected in a more gentle curve - there is a desire line on top of the wall in the left half of the image.

    This is an important point as the footpath does not continue along Burdiehouse Rd northwards, so all cyclists and pedestrians have to walk through the puddle.

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  • Segregated cycle path/shared use

    Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 3 threads

    Create a cycle path on the pavement or make it shared use, from after the bus stop in Liberton Road around the corner to the junction Gordon Terrace/Esslemont Rd.
    This would allow cyclists who want to turn left from Liberton Rd towards KB to bypass the traffic lights, then continue onto Gordon terrace or rejoin the other traffic in Esslemont Rd.

    Currently it's dangerous because:
    (1) this route is uphills and cyclists are going slow, but cars turning left can't see ahead if there are cyclists.
    (2) cyclists have to wait at the light and then are in front of cars, so drivers get quite annoyed having to trundle along until safe overtaking is possible in Esslemont Rd, many attempt dangerous overtakes earlier. If cyclists can bypass the red lights they have a chance to go up the difficult bit during quieter phases
    (3) cyclists who are not in the ASL (but also those in the ASL) are in danger of being left-hooked (see also http://edinburgh.cyclescape.org/issues/1532-segregate-the-feeder-lane)

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  • Sign this route

    Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads

    This route should be signed. It's a very nice quiet bicycle-walking connection between Liberton and Gilmerton, but very difficult to find, especially the footpaths between all the curved bits of Malbet Park/Wynd.

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