Remove chicanes
Making the Park-Glenallan Drive connection unnecessarily awkward for trailers, wheelchair users and others.
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:
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Remove gate
The gate at the top of the cycle path, at Lasswade road, is very difficult to open when you're on a bicycle, and it swings into to path.
It is not clear why a gate is needed here in the first place (the whole fence is quite pointless), it could be removed.
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Burdiehouse Burn connection
Some kind of connection across Lasswade Rd (40mph!!), either an underpass or a toucan crossing, to connect the Burdiehouse Burn paths.
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Connect Lidl car park to housing
There should be a walking/cycling connection between Lidl and the housing behind it (Craigmillar Castle Avenue area).
People living there are forced a long detour down to Niddrie Mains Rd then up to Lidl again. This encourages car use and discourages walking.
Niddrie Mains Rd is terrible for cycling so this connection would also benefit people cycling from Greendykes or Inch (through the park).
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Open gap in fence for walkers and cyclers
The fence around the car part at Inch House has no gap at the back (there is a gate to allow access to the waste bins but it's locked). This forces walkers and cyclists into a very narrow path along the wall and entrance of Inch House, too narrow to pass others and people leaving the house step right into your path.
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Toucan crossing
Important crossing point between Craigmillar Castle Park and Inch Park. Very dangerous because the bends in Old Dalkeith Road make cars from both directions difficult to see, and the width of the road encourages speeding well above 30mph (there is a speed display which is triggered by most cars).
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Remove chicanes
Chicanes too narrow for trailers. Also they are at the bottom of a slope, so when you turn into the path you can't use any momentum to get uphills.
They are at the end of the tarmac path through Craigmillar Park, an essential route connecting Inch and Craigmillar and the only way to avoid either the Cameron Toll mess or the Craigmillar Castle Road ratrun.
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Convert to cycle lane
Convert some of the pavement along Niddrie Mains Rd to a proper segregated cycle path. The pavement is already very wide, and east of Craigmillar Castle Av it already almost looks like a cycle path as there is an additional kerb in the middle of the pavement, dividing it into two 2m wide paths.
It would need a few dropped kerbs and repair of a few potholes, but other than that it could be easily converted into a cycle path. Many people cycle on there already (illegally).
It is important because Niddrie Mains Rd is very busy, often jammed, with many pinch points that lead to dangerously overtaking.
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Remove chicanes
Two sets of chicanes that are unnecessary and difficult to get through.
This is an important bike/pedestrian connection to avoid busy Niddrie Mains Rd.
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Segregate the feeder lane
The feeder lane between the bus stop and the ASL in Liberton Rd northbound should be segregated. Road and pavement are very wide here, so it would be easy to add a cycle lane segregated by a kerb to replace the curernt painted feeder lane.
The painted feeder lane is extremely dangerous as the road bends left, so that buses, HGVs and other vehicles regularly encroach on it. Just today I saw another cyclist almost pushed onto the kerb when a bus started to move.
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Extend bike lane to / through junction
The bike lane (end of the "quality" bike corridor) on Mayfield Rd southbound ends about a hundred metres before the junction with Liberton Rd. It should extend up to the junction, and ideally continue through to Kirk Brae and Liberton Road.
Extending the bike lane would allow cyclists to pass the queuing cars and get to the traffic lights. At the moment, cyclists are stuck at the bottom of the steep hill at the end of the cycle lane, and then can cycle up only very slowly, with lot of angry car driver behind them. It often takes two green phases to get from the end of the cycle lane to the actual lights, unless you overtake on the right against oncoming traffic speeding around the corner from Liberton Rd.
This is a key junction as there are no other routes between KB and Liberton/Gilmerton (except going around to Cameron Toll which is not much better).
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Footpath and dropped kerb needed
Need dropped kerb and a few metres of footpath to connect the existing footpath, so that people can cross at the existing traffic island to get to the road leading to the recycling centre.
This is a very important pedestrian and cycle connection between the Inch and Craigmillar Castle Park. You can see from the desire line that many people walk across there already.
The high kerb makes it impossible to use for people with bicycles, wheelchairs, buggies etc. They are forced to travel along the busy Old Dalkeith Road rather than cross it directly.
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Convert pelican to toucan
Convert the existing pelican crossing to toucan. Needs also a dropped kerb before the lights so that you can get there from the cycle lane.
The reason is that it is very difficult to turn left into Walter Scott Avenue from Dalkeith Road. It is uphills with a lot of traffic, making it very unpleasant and quite dangerous to leave the cycle lane and move into the centre of the road for turning left.
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Barrier too narrow for some bikes
Access barrier (presumably to stop motorbikes) is too narrow to permit access by some bikes, including mountain bikes with wide bars, plus all sorts of accessible bicycles, as well as pushchairs/wheelchairs/mobility scooters etc.
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Need more cycle parking at Haymarket station
The existing cycle parking outside Haymarket station has nowhere near enough capacity, and more spaces should be provided.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
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No dropped kerb
No dropped kerb to give easy access to/from the East Craigs Path Network.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
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Tandem carriage on Scotrail trains
We have a tandem which fits in all the spaces on trains in Scotland (as far as I know), but we are prohibited from taking it on any except the East Coast line trains. I've been writing to various officials - elected and otherwise - and contributed to the recent review of the Scotrail franchise, but am not getting much joy. No one seems to think it is a big deal. But, for my family, with 2 kids aged 5 and 1, and no car, if we don't go by tandem and train, we can't go anywhere much. The tandem is not a luxury but a practical transport solution. Does anyone else want to join in and make this more than a one-woman issue?
(another related issue: even once the kids can ride their own bikes, we won't be able to use trains much since most only allow 2 reservations).
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North Meadow Walk - NMW
Surface, drainage and width issues.
Planned for upgrade as part of CEC 'family network'
No details/dates.
Was an issue 5 years ago (and before)
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Flagship NCN1 crossing Clerk Street
Is this really the best that Edinburgh can do for the flagship national cycle network route 1 to get it to cross Clerk Street? You have to go through a pile of bins, on to the pavement to get round a barrier and then try and judge it right to cross the road, or use the nearby pedestrian crossing.
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Chicane on slope, creates unnecessary conflict
The chicane at the west end of the Magdalene Glen path interrupts the flow when going uphills, particularly unpleasant for people with weak knees. It also forces cyclists uphills often to stop and start when there are other people going through, as it's not wide enough to pass.
It doesn't serve any useful purpose at it is on the top of the slope where cyclists are very slow anyway. As it's uphills, there is little danger that e.g. kids run out onto the wide pavement of Duddingston Pk South. Cyclists from the West are slow at this point anyway as they turn into the path.
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MMW/Forrest Rd
Longstanding issue about 'optimum' design, particularly to reduce conflict caused by vehicles turning from Teviot Pl due to signal phases.
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Chicanes too close
Added to reduce confict with pedestrians at back of Leith Academy.
Will act as a barrier to long bikes, trailers and probably buggies and wheelchairs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/8116937797/sizes/l/in/photostream
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More bike parking at Cameron Toll
Need considerably more bicycle parking at the shopping centre. The few racks here are often overfull.
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Ramped access required
There needs to be a ramped access to the school grounds at this point to replace or bypass the 6 steps currently there.
This would not only improve access to the school but also improve connection between the East Craigs Path Network and North Gyle and the only toucan crossing on the A8 in Edinburgh on Dechmont Road. -
Bicycle parking
Need proper bicycle racks in front of Margiotta (there are a few wheelbenders in a corner)
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Include in 20mph
Kirk Brae and Lasswade Rd at least up to Margiotta should be included in 20mph. It's very narrow, residential, and with many shops in Lasswade Rd.
It's also steep uphills and fast overtaking makes it very dangerous for cycling.
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Drop kerb required to allow cyclists to rejoin path
It would be good to have a dropped kerb near here to allow southeast-bound cyclists who have used the road/bus lane to rejoin the cycle path without having to go onto the A90 slip road to rejoin at Crammond Brig
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East End (Bridges, Leith W, St Andrews Sq)
The whole area is a barrier, there are no connections between North Bridge, St Andrews Sq/George St and top of Leith Walk without lot of bus/taxi/confused private car drivers and cyclist-blender junctions.
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Contraflow cycle lane
Contraflow bike lane in Salisbury Rd for easier access from Southside to Commonwealth Pool, Pollock Halls and Holyrood Park.
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Toucan crossing
Very difficult to cross here, coming from Brunstane Burn Walkway to turn right towards Musselburgh.
The timing of the traffic lights seems to be such that there is almost always traffic from one direction, so one often has to wait for very long here.
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Cycle lane Gilmerton Rd
Cycle lanes in both directions needs urgent improvment. It's painted on but
- it is far too narrow, encouraging dangerous overtaking
- road surface in the gutter (=cycle lane) extremely bad, with deep&wide cracks, most covers have sunken etc.
- paint has faded
- parking (near the schools)Many sections of Gilmerton Rd have hatching in the centre, wasting space; these sections would be wide enough for a segregated path (or wide lane protected by bollards/armadillos).
In the narrower sections, the existing bike lane should be removed completely because at the moment it increases the dangers (encouraging cyclists to be in the gutter between kerb and speeding cars).
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Braidwood Gate missing dropped kerb
There should be a dropped kerb at the foot of Braidwood Gate, leading to Dumbiedykes
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Bike lane extension on Ferniehill Drive
The bike lane here starts too close to the junction - drivers hug the kerb before the cycle lane starts, and this makes the lane useless.
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Dropped Kerb/DYL on NEPN Access
Better access to NEPN than through St Mark's Park which involves an uphill, narrowing road approaching a blind bridge. Requires stopping in traffic to negotiate parked cars and kerb.
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No Foot/Cycle Access to Fishwives Causeway
Opening a gap in the wall would give access through towards Portobello and Figgate Park
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No Foot/Cycle Access to Fishwives Causeway
Opening a gap in the wall would give access through towards Portobello and Figgate Park
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Narrow chicanes need removal
The path between Hyvot Loan and Guardwell Glen has two narrow chicanes at both ends, which are quite overgrown too.
This path is important as it allows people to leave the quiet route northwards towards Ellens Glen, so you can avoid parts of the busy Gilmerton Rd.
I contacted the Active Travel team about it and they are going to look at it. There is some uncertainty if this is owned by the Morrison supermarket or the council. The chicanes were put in after local complaints about motorbike, so the Active Travel team has to investigate if this is still a concern.
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Dropped kerb needed for NEPN access
See: https://goo.gl/maps/sZEe3AdMN8v - dropped kerb and step removal required for NEPN access from Bonnington Grove. The other side at Dalmeny Road has step-free access.
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Old Dalkeith Road/Ferniehill junction
The timing of the signals at the Ferniehill Road junction could also be changed. Currently, you need to use three separate pelican crossings to get from one side of the road to the other, and this can take several minutes.
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Road markings on ODR beside Little France Cottages
The road markings at the junction between Old Dalkeith Road and Little France Cottages should be repainted. Adding a bike lane would also be an improvement.
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Old Dalkeith Road bike lane
Just south of Little France Road, the southbound bike lane on Old Dalkeith Road is appalling. It's alongside a parking bay, but the parking bay isn't wide enough for cars to fit into it without them sticking into the bike lane. Even if it was, "dooring" would still be a significant hazard.
Even away from the parking bay, the bike lane is too narrow.
The bike lane really needs to be wider and further away from parked cars. If this isn't possible, I think it would be better to have no cycle lane at all.