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Cycling Plans in the New Councils – November 9 Public Meeting

New Edinburgh and Lothians Councils were elected in May 2017.  Now that they have settled in, what are their plans and policies for cycling as transport?  Find out and ask your questions at our public meeting on Thursday 9 November…

Click to download pdf

Also – before and after the meeting you’ll be able to look at the exciting materials we have developed to celebrate our 40th birthday – see below.  Doors specially open at 6.30.

Our speakers are the senior Councillors responsible for transport in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian; and for West Lothian the Development and Transportation Manager.

  • Edinburgh  Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Committee Convener
  • East Lothian  Cllr Norman Hampshire Cabinet Spokesperson for the Environment
  • Midlothian  Cllr Russell Imrie  Cabinet member, former SEStran chair
  • West Lothian  Jim Stewart  Development and Transportation Manager
  • followed by a one-hour audience QA/ panel discussion chaired by chaired by Daisy Narayanan Deputy Director, Sustrans Scotland.
 Some of the topics that might come up…
  • Now that the Scottish Government has at last allocated serious cycling investment, have Councils got the staffing, match-funding and other resources to make full use of it?  In Edinburgh, for example, some major projects such as Meadows to Canal, and onstreet secure bike storage, are already behind schedule.
  • Can Councils work together (and with government) on important cross-boundary routes, when their main populations are in town and city centres?  Does Regional Transport Partnership SEStran have a role in this?
  • What can the Councils learn from each other?
  • What are the main specific local issues in each areaWe are relying on you at the meeting to raise the Lothians and cross-boundary issues that concern you!  Members have recently emailed us about the dangers of the A71 in West Lothian.  In Midlothian there are concerns about new road building – and whether the ‘relieved’ A701 will just be assumed safe enough or will get decent cycle infrastructure.  After a massive campaign there are signs that the government’s Sheriffhall Roundabout plans will now be made cycle-friendly – but will its cycle facilities be linked by good routes to Edinburgh, Dalkeith and planned new housing nearby?  In East Lothian, will there be cash for SEStran’s proposed Musselburgh-Portobello route and what is the design and status of the proposed East-West Active Travel Route?
Practicalities
  • Thursday 9 November, 7.30-9.30pm
  • Doors open 6.30 for coffee, stalls & chat – and exhibition (see below).  Tea/Coffee served until 7.15
  • Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
  • Poster – click poster above to download pdf
  • Queries? / More info?   Email  spokes AT spokes.org.uk
How you can publicise the meeting
  • Tell interested friends and colleagues
  • Download the poster and disseminate it – click on the poster picture above. Is it pinned up on your home and workplace noticeboard?  Get in touch if you can use printed copies.
  • If you’re on twitter please RT our tweet about the meeting.   If doing your own tweets use hashtag #SpokesMtg.
 Spokes 40th birthday

From 6.30-7.30 and 9.30-10, before and after the meeting, you’ll be able to see our anniversary exhibition at its first public outing…

  • Posters for each decade 1977 – 2017, describing the highlights and lowlights
  • A futures poster, with a map and visualisation of how Central Edinburgh 2027 could be
  • A vast slideshow of pictures and themes, 1977 to the present
  • Three short videos of aspects of Spokes past and present – not sure if these can be in the exhibition, but one will be shown during the meeting.

If you can offer (and help organise) a good public venue for the exhibition please get in touch – we are planning to circulate it widely around libraries, community centres and other venues.

Many thanks to Sustrans Scotland and Edinburgh Bike Coop for exhibition support.   Also to Transform Creative for an excellent job on the posters and to Vincent Förster and Shiva Wali from Edinburgh College of Art for the videos.

 

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