News from Police Scotland … local opportunities to improve your cycle’s security
Tag: cycling
Campaigners cross over road traffic issues
Groups unite to demand improved cycling and pedestrian crossings over Queensferry and Hillhouse Roads
Community Councils and Parent Council reps have joined forces to campaign for local road safety improvements. Craigleith Blackhall and Drumbrae Community Councils, Blackhall Primary and Royal High School Parent Councils are calling for action to make routes to schools safer and improved crossings on Queensferry and Hillhouse Roads.
Residents have reported particular problems when trying to cross those two busy roads: from having to walk too far to find a crossing, to avoiding dangerous speeding traffic or finding somewhere suitable for a bike to cross.
These and other related traffic issues are frequently raised at both Community Council and Parent Council meetings, so the community representatives have united to address residents’ concerns – they’re currently working together to look at specific problem areas and identify what practical improvements can be made.
Mary Duff is one resident who has expressed concerns over traffic and would like to see improvements to road safety. “”As a parent of a new S1 student who would like to cycle to the Royal High School, can I ask that a new, safe cycle crossing is created in Blackhall to link the residential area to the cycle paths?” she said.
“My son currently has to cross four lanes of traffic to get to the cycle path. Hence he doesn’t take his bike as I feel it is unsafe. The only other option he has is to cycle down the pavement along Hillhouse Road, cross at a busy junction with lots of parked cars (at the Blackhall dip) and cross at the pedestrian crossing … avoiding pedestrians some of the time!”
Craigleith and Blackhall community councillor Neil Watt has also had a nasty incident on busy local roads. He said: “I had a really scary experience crossing the road to Davidson’s Mains Park with my son Owen on the back of the bike – we nearly got hit by a transit turning right jumping the lights.
“I just can’t believe how dangerous and unpleasant it is to cross Hillhouse/Queensferry Road whether you’re on a bike or on foot, and the traffic’s only getting worse. I have a new job in the city centre and want to commute on the bike more, but it’s really tricky hooking up with the cycle network when you live in Blackhall or Clermiston.”
The campaigners aim to ensure their communities benefit from the safest routes to school, that it’s easy and pleasant to walk and cycle to get around, public amenities and businesses are well connected and that residents are helped to do what we they can to reduce pollution.
A spokesperson for the group said: “At the moment, we’re focussing on finding a suitable spot for a new cycle-friendly pedestrian crossing between the Blackhall dip and St Columba’s Church, and seeing what improvements we can make to the existing crossings at Blackhall Library, Craigcrook Road/Quality Street and Clermiston Road North/Queensferry Road. Beyond that, who knows!
“The next step is to ask the City of Edinburgh Council to look into the issues and work with us to improve these sub-standard cycling and walking links. If you want to help please come to one of our meetings or drop us an email via our websites to let us know what you think.”
You can let the group know your views by attending your local community council meeting (Craigleith Blackhall meets on Monday 15 September at 7.30 pm in Stewart’s Melville College on Queensferry Road, while Drumbrae also meets next on Monday 15 September at 7.30pm – in the Rannoch Centre.
If you can’t make a 15 September meeting, email your views to Craigleith Blackhall Community Councillor Neil Watt at wattmail@hotmail.co.uk
Is twenty plenty? Have your say!
The City of Edinburgh Council proposes to introduce 20mph speed limits for large parts of the city centre, main shopping streets and other residential streets.
You can find out more – and give your opinions – at an information session in North Local Office, West Pilton Gardens, on Wednesday 3 September from 10am – 1pm.
Alternatively, you can express your views online at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/20mph
Maps detailing the proposals will be on display in local libraries from 1 September, and if you need more info you can also email 20mph@edinburgh.gov.uk
All comments must be received by 17 October – so don’t put it off!
‘Anything is possible’: ‘crazy’ Georges to tackle Death Valley
Father and Son to cycle 500 miles through Death Valley for charity
An Edinburgh college employee and his 72-year-old dad plan to cycle from Las Vegas to Los Angeles via the Death Valley national park to raise money for Barnardo’s next Spring. George Stewart (38)j and his father, also called George, are keen cyclists and the pair hope to raise £6000 when they take on the gruelling challenge in March.
George senior is undertaking the challenge after surviving FIVE strokes and undergoing a triple heart bypass! Over a long period of recovery, George senior had to learn to speak, write and type again. His ordeal did not dampen his passion for cycling and he has undertaken many tours with his son, whom he is responsible for getting in to cycling and cycle racing. They recently completed a tour from Scotland to France together.
George junior, who works as a facilities assistant at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus, said: “Though the main aim of completing this challenge is to raise as much money as possible for Barnardo’s, we also aim to show that if a 72-year-old man who has had five strokes and a triple heart bypass can cycle 500 miles through some of the harshest land in the planet, then anything is possible.”
Death Valley (pictured above) is the lowest, hottest and driest area in North America. On their journey, George and his father will face temperatures as high as 39 degrees celsius, a climb to 5,550 feet above sea level followed by a drop to 136 feet below sea level, as well as cycling on roads dominated by traffic on the busy streets of Los Angeles. The journey is expected to take six days.
George senior will be cycling attached to a small portable heart monitor to ensure his wellbeing throughout the challenge. The rest of the Stewart family are very supportive, despite calling the pair “crazy”!
George junior said: “My fiancé is very worried about the reputation of the route we’ve chosen as it’s not just a national park we’re going to; it is called the Death Valley after all. She is very supportive though; she kicks me out on my bike every weekend and tells me to get going!”
The Georges have been training relentlessly, averaging 120 miles every weekend from Edinburgh to Loch Lomond and back. George senior does find it difficult to maintain speed when riding uphill but has an excellent recovery time. The pair have always been very close as George junior lost his mother a number of years ago to motor neurone disease. George junior says: “I think we’ll have a cracking laugh together when we’re doing the challenge. We spend a lot of time together in training and doing other cycle tours and we’ve always had a great relationship.”
They plan to post video blogs whilst on their journey through Death Valley relying on the various remote hotels they are staying in to have internet connection. The blogs will include the number of miles covered, how much water they have gone through, any problems they have encountered and how their bodies are dealing with the physical aspect of the challenge. Any current developments and their training regime can be tracked on their Facebook page.
The father and son duo are also running a couple of other events prior to the cycle challenge to promote their participation and attract more donations. They are holding a charity dinner with guest comedian Chris Purchase on 14 November at 6:15pm at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus. Tickets are just £15 and can be bought via email at:
George.stewart@edinburghcollege.ac.uk or telephone 07718 229530.
There will also be a silent auction on 27 February at the Apex City Hotel in the Grassmarket. Tickets will be £10 and include a glass of wine and canapés. For tickets and more information on this event please e-mail George junior on the above address.
The Stewarts’ Death Valley Cycle Challenge is due to take place in March 2014. To donate go to their Virgin Money Giving page.
Respect! Road users urged to embrace the Nice Way Code
Transport Minister Keith Brown was joined by representatives from Cycling Scotland and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) yesterday to officially launch a ground-breaking new campaign aimed at all road users.
Starting on 5 August, the Nice Way Code campaign will target pedestrians, cyclists and motorists and ask them to respect one another while out on the road. It asks people to make small changes to their behaviour on the roads, in order to make them a safer and more pleasant place for everyone. The campaign asks drivers to give cyclists more space and overtake them with care, and to look carefully for pedestrians crossing, while cyclists are asked to obey red lights and not cycle on the pavement. Pedestrians are included too, with messages about not trying to cross the road while looking at your phone.
The campaign uses TV ads, accompanied by a poster campaign which uses a humourous take on everyday road signs to deliver the serious messages in an upbeat way which encourages road users to be more respectful of each other, with the key message of ‘Let’s All Get Along. Follow the Nice Way Code.’
Funded by Transport Scotland and initiated by Cycling Scotland, the Nice Way Code campaign has the backing of major organisations that represent road users, such as the IAM, Sustrans, Paths for All and the AA.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “The Nice Way Code campaign seeks to build a culture of tolerance and patience between cyclists, motorists, pedestrians and all other road users across Scotland.
“While the numbers of road casualties in Scotland are at their lowest ever level there is still simply no room for complacency. One death on Scotland’s roads is one too many and our focus is on working with key safety partners to reduce the numbers further. I believe this campaign will play its part in making Scotland’s roads safer for all users in the future and raise awareness that road safety really is everyone’s responsibility.
“I am also pleased to announce an additional £200,000 worth of funding for implementing the learning from the pilot partnership programme ‘Smarter Choices, Smarter Places’ which will be allocated to local authorities to introduce local mapping, branding and signage to increase local active travel journeys.”
Ian Aitken, chief executive of Cycling Scotland, said: “Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and it is important we move away from the ‘us and them’ mentality of some drivers, cyclists and pedestrians when in fact almost everybody falls into at least two of those categories.
” Road safety is most effectively achieved through a combination of the three E’s – engineering, education and enforcement, so we see this as being a key step towards educating people about the need for consideration of other road users. In conjunction with measures such as Police Scotland’s recent enforcement campaign to support vulnerable road users and a continued programme of infrastructure investment, this campaign will help everyone know how to respect each other in our shared road space.”
Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM, said: “The IAM supports the Nice Way Code campaign because we believe that sharing the road safely is the key to encouraging more cyclists on our roads.
“IAM research suggests that half of drivers already own a bike but only 19% of them actually use it regularly mainly due to safety concerns. If everyone on the roads can work together to reduce stress, give each other more room and stick to the rules then many more people will be encouraged to dig out their bikes and get back in the saddle.”
AA president Edmund King added: “We have been campaigning for years to break down the tribalism which exists on our roads between some drivers and some cyclists. Road users being individuals are all different, so sometimes they don’t conform, make mistakes or fail to show respect for others.
“When we’re on the roads we should be more at one with each other, sharing the space thoughtfully not provocatively. The Nice Way Code is a brilliant way to encourage all road users to get along in harmony, making our journeys calmer and safer.”
Ian Findlay, chief officer of Scottish charity Paths for All said: “We believe it’s important for all users of roads, paths and pavements to respect each other. It makes good sense, nobody wants to be responsible for an accident or be hurt themselves.
“Our goal is for more people to be active through walking and cycling in their everyday lives and we’ll only succeed if it’s safe and welcoming for all of us to do so. If drivers, cyclists and walkers unite in respect and consideration for one another, getting from A to B will be safer and more enjoyable for everyone.”
Superintendent Iain Murray, head of road policing for Police Scotland, said: “Mutual respect among road users can have a positive effect on road safety and I would encourage it at all times. Police Scotland recently held an initiative aimed at improving the safety of vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians and received positive feedback for our efforts in education and enforcement.
“We have seen in recent weeks the tragic consequences of cyclists and pedestrians being involved in road traffic crashes and incidents and there is a responsibility on all road users to be prepared, act responsibly and be aware of others around them at all times. Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe on Scotland’s roads and will continue to support campaigns and initiatives which help meet that commitment.”
The initiative goes live on 5 August.
Join Wednesday’s Breakfast Bike Ride
Once again rhis Wednesday (19 June) people will be meeting their MPs, MSPs and councillors across Edinburgh to cycle together to SPOKES’ bicycle breakfast.
Launched last year, the first Bike Breakfast saw Edinburgh residents and their political representatives bike along their cycling commuting routes to a central Edinburgh meeting at the City Chambers for the annual Spokes Bike breakfast.
This year’s organisers hope to double the number of councillors attending the rides and breakfast.
A group spokesperson said: “After a record turn out of more than 4,000 people at POP2 (Pedal on Parliament) this year it is clear our representatives have an obligation to engage with us, we are providing the perfect opportunity to have a meaningful conversation about cycling”.
For details about rides and times and how you can get involved please check our website and Facebook groups.
https://www.facebook.com/events/130759000446271/?fref=ts
This event is part of http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/
and the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling http://www.edfoc.org.uk/
For more details please contact Mike 07779527004, email breakfastbikeride@gmail.com
Breakfast Bike Ride Team
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Festival of Cycling gets underway today
The first ever Edinburgh Festival of Cycling – the UK’s biggest cycling festival – gets underway today. Running until 23 June, the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling boasts a packed calendar of events from exhibitions, films and talks, to rides and races, workshops and the world’s first cycling poetry slam, Bike Slam.
Heels on Wheels, a ‘Ladies day’ of cycling, will be held at The Meadows next Saturday (22 June) from 11am to 3pm and aims to be a fun and educational event for the whole family. This event is free and all are welcome.
Copenhagen’s bicycle ambassador, Mikael Colville-Andersen, will give a talk on “Bicycle Culture by Design” this evening in the Assembly Hall, Mound Place at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 (£13 concessions).
In ‘The Fastest Woman to Cycle Around the World’, Juliana Buhring will give a talk about setting the first women’s world record for fastest circumnavigation of the world by bicycle, which she achieved in just 152 days, finishing in December 2012. This talk will be at 7.30pm on Saturday 22 June at George Square Lecture Theatre – tickets are £12 (£10 concessions).
The city council has provided £8,000 in funding, as well as advice and support, to the organisers of the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling. Councillor Jim Orr, Vice Convener of Transport and Environment, said: “There is so much to do, see and hear in this exciting festival programme – I would encourage anyone with an interest in bikes to check it out, you never know what you’ll discover. It’s not just for cycling enthusiasts, either – there are plenty of events for families and for people who don’t already cycle but are keen to take it up.
“Having just been on an inspirational visit to Amsterdam, where cycling is such an intrinsic part of urban life (half of all journeys in the city centre are by bike), I’m very keen to build on Edinburgh’s already-established reputation as a cycling city. Events like this terrific Festival of Cycling are exactly the kind of collaborative, forward-looking initiatives which will help us do just that.”
Kim Harding, Festival Director, said: “We set out with the aim of creating a real Edinburgh-style festival, something that would act as a showcase for all aspects of bicycle culture and the host city. From rides (sporty and otherwise) to family activities to a range of cultural events, we hope that the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling will truly have something for everyone. Let the fun begin!”
The Council has committed 6% of its Transport budget to cycling, with current projects including the A90 cycle route from Haymarket to Forth Bridge and the resurfacing and widening of North Meadow Walk.
MYadventure: Cyclone update
New taster video of Bike Track at Gypsy Brae http://youtu.be/S8gMmqz6Yng worth a watch (better with sound)
Volunteer Days coming up at Gypsy Brae:
Monday 10 June – 9am – 5pm – TOMORROW !!!
Monday 17 June – 9am – 5pm
Launch Saturday 22 June 1-4pm
Races, refreshments, side stalls
Jonny Kinross
Social Enterprise Manager www.myadventure.org.uk
Office: 0131 332 7132 Direct: 0131 208 3321
M: 07794 467 351 F: 0871 528 4830
‘Many hundreds’ take the Postcode Challenge
Despite distinctly changeable weather ‘many hundreds’ of local cyclists and walkers of all ages and abilities took part in the annual Postcode Challenge on Sunday, embracing the opportunity to explore some of Edinburgh’s 75km of off-road paths and cycleways and pick up some prizes too!
Building on the success of the Postcode Challenge, Edinburgh and Lothians Greeenspace Trust (ELGT) now plans to deliver a programme of activities along the route, designed to raise awareness of this fantastic resource and to help improve the network for all users, including walkers and cyclists, as well as the local wildlife.
Activities will include conservation opportunities, environmental education, and guided walks to explore the local habitats and biodiversity along the routes.
To find out more about the programme and get regular updates, contact the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust:
Telephone 0131 445 4025
Email info@elgt.org.uk and sign up for email updates
Or follow ELGT on Twitter @greenspacetrust or @innertubemap
Get on your bike for The Postcode Challenge
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Explore the North Edinburgh Cycleways with Edinburgh’s favourite treasure hunt on wheels!
What: The Postcode Challenge, organised by The Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust and The Bike Station. This is a fun, free ‘treasure hunt’ event for cyclists and walkers on the North Edinburgh Path Network, part of the Innertube project and funded by People’s Postcode Trust
Where: The North Edinburgh Cycleways (various entrances to the cycleway including at: Trinity Rd/Lower Granton Road; Ferry Road; Clark Road; Wardie Road; Hawthornvale; Pilton Drive; Scotland St)
When: Sunday 28th April 2013, 11am – 4pm
This coming Sunday is the third Postcode Challenge on the north Edinburgh paths, a fun, free event for cyclists and walkers, a ‘treasure hunt on wheels’ (and foot), with the chance to explore around 27km of continuous off-road routes and to enter into the prize draw at the same time.
Dotted around the network will be ten stands, run by local organisations. Find your first one (you can start anywhere on the route) and they will give you a card. Get the card stamped at all ten locations (five if you are on foot) and bring it back to the event HQ at Fiveways Junction by 4pm to be entered into the free prize draw. As well as the main prizes, many of the stands may have freebies and presents to give away too and you’ll be able to get your bike fixed and have cycling advice from Hart’s Cyclery, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op and The Bike Station stands.
The event is totally traffic free and great for all ages and everyone is welcome – you can take part on your own, as a family or as part of a team.
Participants can download further information here and a cyclist route map and stamp card here or if you are on foot, download the walkers’ version. Or just collect one at the first stand you find.
Look out for the following stalls on the route:
- The Bike Station – for bike repairs with Dr Bike
- Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust
- The Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop – check out their gorgeous new building!
- Pedal on Parliament
- Spokes
- Sustrans
- Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
- Harts Cyclery – Bike repairs and advice
- My Edinburgh (MYDG)
- Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op – Bike repairs and advice
We can’t tell you where each stand will be – but once you’ve found the first one, you’re away. If in doubt, head to Fiveways Junction, where people will point you in the right direction.
And thank you to the following for donating prizes: Spokes, the Bike Station, Harts Cyclery Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op and Green Yonder Tours
This event is part of the Innertube project, funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and via the People’s Postcode Trust.
For further information, please contact Liz on 0771 265 1102 or email liz@elgt.org.uk
Download a printable version of the poster to help promote the Challenge.
