It doesn’t matter whether the rate of global warming is increasing. It’ll never cease to amaze me that people don’t care that it’s happening at all. It should be the most alarming thing ever.
I cycle that full CCWEL route every time I commute... "is it too much to ask that we get a protected cycleway down the length of George St to facilitate safer journeys?"
A stone path slopes away upwards under bare trees and a grey winter sky; the ground is wet and there is drizzling rain. To the right of the path, a well-fed braid burn tumbles by, flanked by foliage.
🚲 edi.bike | issue 132 | 16th Feb '26
Visitor Levy funds - ‘Compromised’ George St plans dropped; Cycling Scottish Election Hustings in March; plus events, infrastructure, route closures & more:
https://buttondown.com/edi.bike/archive/edibike-issue-132-16th-feb-26/
Picture of ghost bike at West End, memorial to Zhi Min Soh, killed in a 2017 crash here, hit by a Rabbie's bus, and probably involving the tramlines
Council project page for Lothian Road, including West End jn How we will transform Lothian Road Lots of people waiting to cross the street at the Lothian Road and Bread Street junction This will involve: creating more space and a better environment for those walking or wheeling building a north-south segregated cycle connection improving the efficiency of existing bus services maintaining access for loading vehicles and those with blue badges. making sure everyone is able to access the street We are also proposing to improve key junctions on Lothian Road, making them safer and easier to use. These are Tollcross West Approach Road west end of Princes Street/bottom of Lothian Road We also plan to improve public areas including: west end of Princes Street Festival Square Tollcross and west Tollcross some of the surrounding streets In line with wider proposals across the city centre, Lothian Road will remain open to general traffic and remain a strategic transport link. How we will fund this stage of the project The Council has been awarded funding from Transport Scotland under Sustrans’ Places for Everyone grant programme to develop a design proposal for Lothian Road. Places for Everyone is an active travel infrastructure fund supported by Transport Scotland which helps deliver walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across Scotland. Key project dates Current – preparation and local engagement 2025 – develop design proposals and consult on these 2026/2027 – Further develop the design proposals based on feedback from the previous consultation 2027/2028 – Develop the technical design, including statutory Traffic Orders 2028 – Construction expected to start
Council project background... Why we need to change Lothian Road Lots of people waiting to cross the street at the Lothian Road and Bread Street junction Lothian Road is a key transport link but currently the street is dominated by vehicles to the detriment of those walking, wheeling and cycling pavements vary in width and can be cluttered there is no dedicated cycling infrastructure there are issues with parking and loading in bus lanes during bus lane operating hours crossing the street can be challenging and inconvenient 66% of Edinburgh residents walk or wheel at least five days a week (Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2023, Sustrans), and given the city centre location and key attractions, there is a significant volume of people walking and wheeling for everyday journeys. Despite there being no dedicated cycle infrastructure on Lothian Road, cyclists continue to use it as a key north/south route. Data from March 2024 identified that during the peak periods over 630 cyclists were recorded at all locations on Lothian Road and Earl Grey Street. Given that road safety/personal safety is the single largest barrier to cycling for Edinburgh residents (Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2023, Sustrans) and there is already cycling demand on this corridor, it is likely that improved cycle infrastructure would encourage further users of the route.
From Spokes article... http://www.spokes.org.uk/2022/06/zhi-min-soh-tramline-safety/ A picture of Zhi Min Soh Tramline safety Countless people on bikes have come off on the tramlines Between 2009 and 2016 nearly 200 victims were hurt badly enough to attend A&E By 2015, nearly 100 victims had contacted Thompsons Solicitors alone In a test case brought by Thompsons Solicitors, Lady Wolffe at the Court of Session in 2019 awarded damages to 2 victims, stating that the road layout and tramtracks design were to blame, creating a “hazard” which posed a “significant risk of accident.” More on this in para 1906 here. When the original tramline layout was being devised, Spokes unsuccessfully urged safer layouts, such as the tramlines on one side of Princes Street and a segregated cycleroute on the other side, or other means of keeping cyclists and tramlines apart wherever possible. We even brought over a Dutch expert who did a brief report on layout options for Princes Street and for Leith Walk.
👍 @rosannar.bsky.social @infrasisters.bsky.social
renewing #WestEnd #ghostbike for #ZhiMinSoh 2017 death
History-> www.spokes.org.uk/2022/06/zhi-...
☹️ No 2025 consult; action now 2028+
@edi.bike @rru.bsky.social @harryjwilliams.bsky.social @cllrcmiller.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social
Haymarket as well - gusts were really strong around 5pm yesterday.
Holy moly - Welsh Government have approved side-road zebras! www.gov.wales/written-stat...
A poster advertising the "Lochend Loop" Critical Mass ride on the 25th October
We ride for safer streets for everyone. This month we are riding to Lochend to draw attention to the Living Rent campaign for safer streets.
www.livingrent.org/give_lochend...
So much for side-on parking on Elm Row - drivers parked right into the cycleway and on the pedestrian access/crossing to the bus stop. @jackrmcaldwell.bsky.social
We won!!! 🎉💃
The temporary bike lanes and pedestrian buildouts are going to be made permanent in the North, East, West and City Centre areas. After the council’s subcommittee finally came to a decision
Useless victim blaming
The real danger to people on bikes comes from drivers & their cars & SUVs
Here’s our alternative tip:
1. Drivers - don’t run into cyclists
That’s it!
[ok…2 tips…]
2. Politicians and councillors - build safe cycling infrastructure everywhere
Photo of the rest stand. John Robson says... John Robson 17:22 (1 hour ago) to Spokes Hi everyone, Back on the bike in Edinburgh and some update photos from Leith Connections / Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal works seem to be combing along nicely. It appears we have the first instance of a cycle rest stand at signals on Great Junction St with branding too. Given the lack of cycle parking here I wonder if it’ll get appropriated as a cycle stand. These are used in Glasgow and it would be good to see more across the city as a way of avoiding dismounting and making waiting at lights comfortable.
photo showing location of the stand
👍 First @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social handrest for 🚲 waiting at pushbutton crossing
#LeithConnections #GreatJunctionStreet
HT @johnrobson87.bsky.social
@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @edinreporter.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @tracygriffen.bsky.social @sw20.info
Here's the worst from last week. This driver will eventually hurt themselves or god forbid someone innocent with their criminal behaviour. With no portal and practically zero enforcement from @policescotland.bsky.social nothing will be done to prevent that. #DNRPoliceScotland
7th August is Cycle to Work day, a healthy and joyful way to start your day.
www.cyclinguk.org/article/six-...
#cycletowork
@edinburghcouncil.bsky.social why — especially given that the council is considering ceasing its use of X entirely — is this Leith Connections update only posted there? Especially given the majority of active and engaged cycling community members there have moved to Bluesky. x.com/edinburgh_cc...
Thanks Claire!
Hi @cllrcmiller.bsky.social - spotted another delivery van outside Hotel Indigo yesterday... just wondering if you had managed to speak to them?
This, a hundred times over.
FWIW, done!
Sad news. His work on anti-racism in Edinburgh will be particularly remembered.
Sir Geoff Palmer, Scotland's first black professor, dies aged 85 - BBC News
In today's episode of 'this is not rocket science'- if you want better bus services: (1) reduce no. of private vehicles on road; (2) enforce + expand buslane network; (3) enforce parking + loading restrictions; (4) give buses priority @ junctions #politicalwill
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2520571...
This is why 20 is best.
It really reduces the collision and casualty rates.
That reduces strain and costs for the emergency services and the NHS.
Also insurance costs for drivers will drop.
You can bring the rails back to the Roseburn Path and provide safe cycling in and out of the city centre. The two things are by no means mutually exclusive.
Photo - Great Junction St cycleroute
Henderson St, bike route under construction
Sandport Bridge area
Council map of Leith Connections project, with the cycleroute shown with a dashed blue line
#FootOfWalk to #CommercialStreet
👍 Work in progress [pics by @mcdmartin.bsky.social]
@edi.bike @chdot.bsky.social @leithfeederride.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @edinreporter.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @katrinafaccenda.bsky.social @edtiss.bsky.social
Active travel projects delayed by up to a decade...
All eyes on Edinburgh Council...
Join us tomorrow morning (8.30 am) outside the City Chambers to back faster project delivery!
I've got 3 broken kindles - the buttons at the bottom seem to be in repairable (unless anyone knows where I can fix them?).
Urgh!
“do you think it's a kid's job to protect themselves from an adult who might hurt them?”
Gentle reminder that cycling need not be as extreme as the image shows
Cycling to the shops, kids activities, or work is very much beneficial to boost brain power & fitness 💪
