Speaking at our public meeting on Edinburgh’s new transport policies, London-based environment and cycling journalist Laura Laker said that Edinburgh now appeared to be on the way to a less car-dominated city and a more coherent approach to transport policy, with public transport, walking and cycling at its heart. On cycling in particular, on this her third look at Edinburgh in 10 years, the city reminded her very much of London a few years ago at the start of its transformation of cycling conditions, which now comprise extensive, heavily-used and still expanding segregated cycling provision.
Continue reading Future Streets: Edinburgh is “on the way”
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On February 1st the Transport Committee approved the ‘Future Streets’ policy, which incorporates the Circulation Plan (deciding which transport modes will have priority on which roads), the Active Travel Action Plan (ATAP), and the City Centre Transformation (to free the City Centre from through motor traffic). Although much detail is still to come, and there will be future consultation on some aspects, transformative basic decisions have now been taken and action can and must begin. Continue reading Public Meeting, 29 Feb: Edinburgh’s ‘Future Streets’ policy, and the place of cyclingThere is much controversy over the Granton-Roseburn section of the proposed tramline from Granton to Bioquarter. In particular, will it be onroad or on the Roseburn path? In both cases, what provision will there be for cycling? What is the Spokes position? Continue reading Roseburn path tramline?Thanks if *you* emailed your councillors, after our campaign – you helped change the day! Continue reading Positive tramline decision!!The February 1st Transport Committee has several massive reports on the future of transport and getting about in Edinburgh, much of which we strongly endorse. There’s a great twitter thread about them here. However they are accompanied by a wholly unexpected proposal to remove cycling from a 2km Roseburn section of the North Edinburgh Network when the tram is extended to Granton – although a walking/wheeling path the same 3m width as the existing will remain. Continue reading !! Proposal to ‘discourage’ (or remove?) cycling from 2km of North Edinburgh NetworkWhat can we expect locally for bike use and wider sustainable transport? What will Spokes – and you! – need to support, oppose, provide, improve or highlight in order to speed up the move towards more sustainable and healthy places to live and get about? This article outlines a few of the topics which we expect to matter in 2024, locally and for cycling in particular (though there’s a lot we’ve not had time to include). Continue reading What’s in store for 24? – it’s mainly wait and see!Check out our HNY 2024 tweet here! Despite a rise in active travel funding in the draft budget, the overall transport picture was not what is needed in a climate emergency – and already transport is Scotland’s worst performing sector in terms of climate emissions. Indeed, the increase in trunk road cash (£210m) almost equals the total of active travel investment (£220m) whilst some other sustainable transport areas have seen significant cuts. Continue reading ScotGov Budget 24/25: not what transport needsThe biannual Spokes traffic count, on November 7, found a continuing (but small) rise in bike traffic, and a continuing (but small) fall in private motor traffic, as compared to November 2022. As a result, bikes between 8-9am rose to 14.8% of all vehicles, from 14.5% in 2022; and to 8.4% from 7.9% at our lunchtime (1230-1330) count. Continue reading November Traffic Count – small (but positive!) changeThe Scottish Government’s 23/24 PfG is very much ‘steady as she goes,’ although given the growing climate crisis more was hoped for. SCCS pointed to “few, if any, new measures to deliver emissions’ reductions .. in the context of Scotland missing annual targets in eight of the past twelve years.” Specifically on cycling, Cycling UK Scotland noted “#ScotPfG features bikes on the front page but inside no new commitments.“ On the other hand, the PfG does at least provide a massive positive contrast with Rishi Sunak‘s distressing retreats on climate, including his previously announced drastic cuts to active travel cash in England. Continue reading Programme for Government 23/24 – little change |
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