| Location(s) | Day of count | 1999 | 2000 | change |
| S Aviemore screen | July Sat | 74 | 164 | +122% |
| Ditto | July Sun | 55 | 136 | +147% |
| A9 total at 5 locations | Aug weekday | 48 | 196 | +308% |
| Ditto | Aug Sat or Sun | 56 | 135 | +141% |
 |
A 28-page 5-year plan Delivering Sustainable
Transport in Scotland 2000-2005(#) also covers Safe Routes to Schools
& Stations, bike tourism, Home Zones, Green Transport Plans, etc. Sustrans
wants your comments.
Please also help by writing to council
and government politicians to support and seek funds for the proposals.
(#) Free, but send donation:
Sustrans, 3 Coates Pl, Edin. EH3 7AA
(*) Sustrans National Network
maps are sold on 0117 929 0888
When: Weds 14 March, 7.30
[6.45 for coffee, stall, chat]
Where: Edinburgh City Council
Chambers, High Street
Go back
to top of page
Edinburgh Transport Chief Cllr Mark Lazarowicz is pursuing proper links from North Edinburgh network to the Western General Hospital for its many bike commuting staff; and the Council is discussing with Sustrans and Spokes how to achieve effective ongoing maintenance of the City's off-road network at reasonable cost.
These are two results of Spokes's recent blitz on path issues. We thank members who wrote in recent years to the Council, and copied letters and replies to Spokes. It is thanks to you that Cllr Lazarowicz last summer asked us to brief him on the issues. It is why Spokes held a paths public meeting in November, bringing together the Council, Sustrans, and Spokes Path Volunteers - and why it attracted 100+ highly-motivated people.
To counter any suggestion that paths would close when and if trams are introduced, the council has adopted the following policy in its Local Transport Strategy: "Any new rapid transit line using former rail routes will be parallell-ed with cycle/pedestrian routes." And, as reported in Spokes 77, such paths can continue even at narrow bridges, thanks to modern tram track & signalling methods.
The most intractable path issue is maintenance - glass, dumping, overhanging trees, soil encroachment, etc. With limited budgets, the council seemed to feel overwhelmed by an impossible, never-ending task. But at our meeting both the audience and Council officers were hugely impressed by Sustrans's pride in their own paths, and their conviction that good upkeep is possible at reasonable cost.
The key is in construction - ensuring good drainage and keeping trees/saplings well back from the path edge - and in regular inspection. Sustrans uses such measures to minimise soil and leaf accumulation, erosion, overhanging vegetation, vandalism, and other ongoing costs.
Thanks to our meeting, the Council, Sustrans and Spokes are now discussing new arrangements to try and achieve an effective long-term solution for Council paths.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
As explained earlier, all this happened because you were concerned enough to take action. Please keep up your letters to councillors, MSPs, the press, etc, on this and all cycling and transport issues that concern you!
For immediate path maintenance/dumping problems see below...
If any of these bug you, here is where to report them...
Potholes, glass on cycleroutes, broken lights, etc anywhere in Lothian [including Edinburgh], or Falkirk District: [Use number on nearest lamp-post to report exact location]. Freephone 0800.232323; clarence@edin-city-dev.demon.co.uk There is also a Clarence report-form on the Spokes web site.
Bad glass/dumping [Ed only]: Rapid Response 0808.100.3366.
Smoky commercial vehicles: 01506.445216.
Bad taxi-driving: TheInspector, 33 MurrayburnRd EH14 2TF
Drink-driving, speeding, driving
whilst disqualified, and other road crime: Freephone Crimestoppers
0800.555.111.
Spokes Sunday Rides - Meet 10am,Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Normally 1st Sunday each month. Rides are fairly gentle, 30-40 miles. Lunch at pub/café, or bring picnic. Odd showers won't put us off, but real bad weather may cause cancellation. We show the way, help with mechanical malfunctions, wait for the less-speedy, and try to ensure all have a wonderful time! Please ensure your bike is in good order. Cycle carefully/considerately. You are entirely responsible for your own safety. Children under 14, or not used to roads, may only come with an adult.
Dates: Mar 4, Apr 1, May 6, June
3
For further details or to help:Stuart
0131.445.7073.
Spokes Cycling Weekends- for programme contact Harry 0131.229.6274 or see http://www.bike.bus.co.uk
Go-Bike!(Strathclyde
Cycle Campaign) also has a big rides programme - usually 1st Sunday each
month, and some w'ends. Richard 0141.563.7871 or drmarsh@bigfoot.com.
Mar 13 Edinburgh Waterfront
CRAG public meeting, 7.30 [refreshments 7pm] City Chambers, High St. Please
raise the need for & the effect on Roseburn cycleroute
to city centre when/if trams are introduced [Spokes 76,77].
Mar 14 SPOKES PUBLIC MEETING - see article above.
Apr 14 Edinburgh Transport Strategy CRAG meeting - time/place as Mar 13. Speaker: Cllr Mark Lazarowicz
May 25-28 KM161 Rally cycling events/camp, Drumlanrig Castle, near Dumfries. Peter 0131.453.3366.
June 16-24 National Festival of Cycling, incorporating...
June 17 Edinburgh 2001 BikeFest www.cyclefest.org.uk Send ideas for stalls, events, etc to Mark 0131.623.7600.
?June 19 Spokes Bike Breakfast Jackie 664.0526.
June 20 Links Sports Fair promoting active lifestyles to school pupils/parents. Spokes stall. Jackie 664.0526.
?June 23 St.Andrews LEPRA ride Harry 229.6274.
May/Jun North Sea Cycle Route - inaugural ride for this 6000-mile route. Join any section. Mark 0131.229.7190
Sep 17-22 Change Travel Week [provisional], including...
Sep 22 European Car-Free Day See www.eta.co.uk or 01932.828.8882. Edinburgh Council is taking part this year.
Sep 17-21 Velo-City International cycle conference Edinburgh/Glasgow [0141.434.1500, www.velo-city2001.org, velo_city@meetingmakers.co.uk]. A velo-city outreach plan is now underway through schools, bike breakfasts, car-free day, exhibitions, unusual-bike-tryout, etc. To get involved or contribute ideas: imaxwell@gn.apc.org, 0131.669.6542.
The government is consulting on Scottish rail passenger services, as the first stage to re-letting ScotRail's franchise. Comments must be in by 28.2.2001. The consultation paper is free [from paul.smart@scotland.gsi.gov.uk; 0131.244.1422]. A short letter is fine - just state the main points that concern you about Scotland's passenger railway - e.g. bikerail issues! For the Spokes response see our web site or send SAE.
The Air Transport Policy paper [free from 020.7944.4691 or www.aviation.detr.gov.uk] raises huge environmental issues. There are also possible new rail services to/through Scottish airports [SH 3.12.00]. Responses must be in by 12.4.2001.
Note: There has been considerable
debate between Spokes members about Midlothian's Sherriffhall bridge
project. Should the money be spent instead on small cycle projects? and
how safe/convenient will be links to the bridge? On the other hand,
many do want an off-road solution at this very dangerous roundabout - and
anyway the PTF funding [p6] is for this specific purpose
only. The council could perhaps also raise extra funds for better links
to the bridge, or even for a wider Midlothian/Edinburgh linking network,
including a Millerhill route, using the prestige of the bridge project.
Scottish Climate Change Programme Full document at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange [free summary from 0131.244.7815]. Scotland is well behind the UK on CO2 reduction - and no separate Scottish targets have been set. Transport policies are disappointing - abolition of the fuel-duty escalator, new money for trunk road building, and dropping of workplace charging [see later article]. The government says its climate change programme is evolving - so write to the address in the document, and ask your MSP to support you!
Delivering Sustainable Transport in Scotland 2000-2005 Sustrans Scotland 28-page 5-year plan - see article above.
Campaign Against Drinking & Driving
- Education Pack Has been sent to every UK school. Cost £3
each from 0191.265.7147. Comments are welcomed for next edition.
Go back to top
of page
Spokes puts much effort into commenting on national consultations. They may seem dry and long-term at the time, but are often crucial to a more sustainable future.
Examples are National Planning Policy Guidelines no. 17 [Transport and Planning] and 8 [Town Centres & Retailing]. The final documents incorporate stringent requirements on sustainability, transport and accessibility, which developers are expected to meet. Spokes and others can quote the NPPGs to Councils and to Inquiry Inspectors. Two recent examples show they are now a vital tool for sustainability.
A low-density 58-house development on the 60 hectare Bangour Hospital site was rejected, first by West Lothian Council then at appeal. The Reporter agreed with Spokes and the Council that low-density housing was inconsistent with NPPG 17 sustainability requirements, as the site did not minimise the need for travel, or allow easy access to facilities by foot or bike, and had poor public transport.
A supermarket on Maybury Road near Barnton junction was also rejected, by Edinburgh Council, then at an appeal. The site did not allow safe/convenient access by foot and bike from its expected catchment area [NPPG 8], and was likely to generate increased car use [NPPG 17].
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you are commenting on proposed developments, check all relevant NPPGs - especially NPPG 17. They are online at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning, or phone 0131.244.7538
The message that new development (urban and rural) must be sustainable is perhaps starting to get through. Millers have just applied to Borders Council [LTT 7.12.00] to create a 400-home 'sustainable village' near Lauder.
The village would be geared to home tele-working, with all homes having ISDN electronic links. Plans include a shop, community hall, primary school, hotel, good bus service, cycle routes, 20mph limit, and even a nearby station [Stow] if the Borders line reopens. Whether this is developer hype to get rural planning permission is unclear, and the council must be very vigilant - but a few years ago no developer would even have come up with such plans.
Also in the Borders, Tweed Valley Ecovillage Group is working with development agencies on similar ideas, but starting from an eco rather than a commercial perspective.
Details of various such rural and urban projects are available from the Sustainable Communities Network. Scotland (SNCS) at www.scns.org.uk or 0131.557.8611.
Scottish Councils issued their Local Transport Strategies in late autumn. These are intended to guide transport policy over the next 5-10 years, and must underpin any bids by the Council to the government Public Transport Fund [see later article]. We hope to include more on the 4 Lothian LTS's in Spokes 79.
Edinburgh's LTS is based on the huge 1999
consultation. This found massive public support for a strategy based on
road pricing, provided the proceeds go to public transport, cycling and
walking [Spokes
75]. The document is at: Council Info Centre,
12 St Giles St, and www.edinburgh.gov.uk
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|