Cycle paths – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

‘Summer’s Here’: Looking out for each other on city’s shared paths

A new City of Edinburgh Council campaign has been launched encouraging people to be mindful of others when using Edinburgh’s shared paths.

With more people choosing to walk, cycle, jog or wheel, the city’s network of off-road paths is busier than ever, so we’re sharing top tips to help people exercise and travel safely.

Through social media, digital and citywide advertising, the ‘Summer’s Here’ campaign asks everyone to look out for one another and follow guidance for using the paths, such as:

give each other space
take it easy and slow right down when on your bike on a shared path
stay left and pass on the right
keep your dog on a lead in busy areas
stay alert, especially if using headphones or your phone
remember that not all disabilities are visible – slow down and give enough warning

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “Being able to get out and about and exercise on our fantastic network of off-road paths has been a saving grace of the pandemic, and we want to make sure people can continue to do that safely and comfortably.

“It’s no surprise these are busy, popular routes, where everyone can walk, jog, cycle or wheel, so we just need to be mindful of one another when we make use of them. Through the Summer’s Here campaign, we’re sharing handy tips and advice to help everyone to enjoy and benefit from these shared-use spaces.”

The city council is reminding residents and visitors to take extra care in areas where people walking, wheeling and cycling share the same space. Advice for different groups includes:

Cyclists

Use your bell to let people know you are there well in advance, especially at blind corners
Give others space
Don’t pass at speed
At night – avoid dazzling others with your lights: dip, dim, don’t strobe

Walkers and runners

Listen for cyclists’ bells
Allow cyclists to pass
At night, think about whether you are visible to others

Dog walkers

Keep dogs on a short lead or close to heel
Clean up after your dog
At night, use a reflective collar or coat on your dog

Find out more on the Paths for Everyone website.

You can also find guidance from Sustrans and from Scottish Cycling for walking and cycling safely as lockdown measures start to ease on their websites.

Council working ‘as fast as we can’ to grit roads, footpaths and cycleways

City council Environment Convener Cllr Lesley Macinnes comments on work to grit roads, footpaths and cycleways in the Capital as icy conditions continue:

She reported yesterday: “Like many other areas of Scotland, our staff have been working tirelessly and as quickly as possible to tackle the ice which set in after showers of freezing rain overnight.

“We gritted all priority routes last night (Sunday) which includes routes to hospitals, bus routes and other areas that most need it. We did this again today and we are gritting category two and three routes now that the easing in conditions has allowed us to do this.

“We have thousands of roads and footpaths/cycleways in Edinburgh and it also hasn’t helped that due to very low temperatures grit on footpaths and cycleways will take longer to be ground into ice than on roads so as low temperatures continue please take extra care if you need to be out and about.

“Our staff will continue to work round the clock to grit as much as we can while this cold snap continues. My thanks too to all the residents who’ve been out gritting local neighbourhood streets – we’re filling grit bins up again as quickly as we can and we’re deploying additional resource from other services to help us to do this over the course of the coming week.”

Cycle path to link east and west?

Plugging the gap: cycleway to connect Leith Walk and Roseburn

The Council is to begin consultation on proposals for a major cycle route linking the east to the west of the city. If approved by councillors next week, plans for a ‘family-friendly’ cycleway between Roseburn and Leith Walk will be put to the public for comment.

On Tuesday, the Transport and Environment Committee will consider proposals to consult on the suggested route, which runs through the city centre via George Street. The high quality cycleway, which includes sections of segregated lanes on main streets, would plug a gap in the cycle network and link to the city’s off-road paths.

Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “This route is key to our commitment to ensure safe and easy cycling across the city, and will provide an essential link to our extensive network of routes. I look forward to hearing what the public think of our proposals and would encourage anyone interested to submit their feedback.”

Proposals for the route follow a series of workshops with stakeholders, including community members, cycling groups and businesses, as well as engagement with the city’s Transport andActive Travel forums.

Aiming to provide safer, more direct access by bike to key destinations around Edinburgh, the project would also deliver improvements to the street environment for other users, particularly pedestrians.

Project consultants predict an increase of approximately 90% in cycle use in the corridor served by the route, amounting to a 16% increase in overall cycle use in the city if it was delivered.

Work is currently underway to investigate funding options for the scheme, which would tie into several other major projects including Leith Walk improvements, the ‘remodelling’ of Picardy Place and George Street public realm improvements.

It is now proposed to undertake a full public consultation on the plan, which would encompass a series of drop in sessions at venues along the route, briefings to various groups and an online survey.

You can find out more about the Roseburn to Leith Walk cycle route on the Council website. Plans for the consultation will follow approval of the suggested route by Transport and Environment Committee.

CYCLING: Survey shows Ministers are out of step, says Johnstone

Alison Johnstone MSP, health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, says new research by transport charity Sustrans shows how out of step Scottish ministers are with the public desire for investment in cycling and walking infrastructure. The Green MSP (above) is calling for ‘a transformation’.

The survey of 11,000 people across UK cities including Edinburgh shows 75 per cent want more money invested.

Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian and co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on cycling, said: “Public demand for investment in cycling and walking infrastructure in Scotland is clear, with massive events such as Pedal on Parliament. Actions speak louder than words and despite plentiful evidence of the huge benefits for our health, Scottish ministers still spend less than 2 per cent of their £2billion transport budget on cycling and walking.

“The Scottish Government clearly doesn’t see transport as a social justice issue and simply isn’t investing meaningfully to support those who either can’t afford to drive or prefer not to. By giving priority to cycling and walking we can improve our health, our air quality, boost local businesses and support tourism.

“I led Holyrood’s first debate on this issue, with the parliament agreeing that every child in Scotland should have the opportunity of on-road cycle training by 2015, yet to date only a third of schools have delivered such training. Parliament also reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s target of 10 per cent of journeys by bike by 2020, yet we’re still at only 1 per cent. We need a transformation.”

Fiveways to have a wheely good weekend!

It’s all happening on our local cycle paths on Sunday

Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust is running an event on the cycle paths in North Edinburgh this coming Sunday (writes ELGT’s Mark Sydenham).

Over the past few months we have been working at Fiveways Junction on some landscaping improvements to make Fiveways a landmark on the cycle paths.

Volunteers from Pilton Equalities Project and MYDG have been hard at work carrying out some woodland management and undergrowth clearance in the surrounding woodlands, opening the area up and cutting back overhanging ivy and branches to make the paths brighter and safer.

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre have been working on a six week project on the cycle paths with one of their groups, which has included learning about the paths and their history, and planting some fruit bushes.

This coming Sunday, we are inviting everyone to come along and take part. We have fruit and other bushes to plant, as well as other activities. We will have prizes and goodies to give away too!.

To win one of the prizes, we have a little quiz/treasure hunt – to get the questions, turn up to either the Crewe Toll bridge (over Ferry Road) or King George V Park (Canonmills) between 1pm and 1.30pm and then search out the answers on your way to Fiveways (make sure you get there by 1.30!).

Or just come along to Fiveways and join in the activities between 1pm and 4pm.

There is more information here:

http://www.innertubemap.com/2015/04/26-april-fiveways-junction-makeover-day/

and we will be putting more things up on our Facebook page too

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Edinburgh-Lothians-Greenspace-Trust/192106231309?ref=hl)

We hope to see some of you on Sunday!

Mark Sydenham, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust

Telephone 445 4025

www.elgt.org.uk

Lend a hand to clean up your local cycle path

Sustrans is organising a clean up of Edinburgh’s cycle paths on Sunday (14 April) and they could use as many volunteers as possible – there’s an awful lot of cycle paths in Edinburgh, and a lot of litter too!

If you’d like to help in any way, email sustranscleanup@live.co.uk or check out the Facebook page at Clean Up Edinburgh Cycle Paths.

Art project planned for Granton tunnel

A project initiated by the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust will see the tunnel at Granton (behind Morrisons) transformed from bare walls to an Innertube map art extravaganza.

The project which is being managed locally by the Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre will see a design which is featured around the Innertube Map painted onto the walls in the tunnel.

Local youngsters get practising for taking part in the project. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Leith-based artist Chris Young has been commissioned to come up with the design, work with local young people to develop the design and implement it. Chris has been involved a variety of community lead projects and is looking forward to starting at the Granton site next week.

The design that Chris proposed at the site was then taken to local young people at Fet Lor Youth Centre and they had a chance to make comments and even have their own artwork included in the plans.

Last night Chris attended their youth club and they had the opportunity to prepare a design and painting their design. Around 13 young people took part and these young people will all be involved in the implementation of the project on the tunnel.

Don’t worry, if you would like to have the chance to get involved or fancy doing some painting at the tunnel with Chris then please contact Thomas Brown at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on 0131 315 4989 or email thomas@drylawnc.org.uk Over the coming weeks we will be updating on the progress at the tunnel and keeping you informed how you can get involved.

You can see a short video below of what the young people made at Fet Lor and also see their finished product.