Our autumn public meeting features Cllr David Begg, Edinburgh Transport Convener, and government transport adviser, on:

The Future of Cycling Policy in Edinburgh, Scotland & the UK

This should be a very interesting meeting, in the light of the recent Transport White Papers and subsequent decision-making. Our new survey of Scottish council spending on cycling should also be out. Preliminary results suggest that council transport budgets are in general still falling, cycle and SRS budgets are falling in parallel, with the only saving grace being that some Councils are managing to get large sums for cycling projects from external funds such as Europe, Lottery, Sustrans, Enterprise Boards, Scottish Office Cycle Challenge, and so on.

Please note that our usual venue the Friends Meeting House is fully booked in November, so the meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers, Parliament Square (European Room). Date - 19th. November. Time - 7.30 (6.45 for stall, chat and perhaps coffee).

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Mon 5 Oct Water of Leith Millennium Project, 7.30 John Muir Trust Lecture, English Speaking Union, 23 Atholl Crescent Opportunity to discuss path surface - see article.

Tue 6 Oct Roads Maintenance Conference, Edinburgh, including speakers from councils,
government and Spokes. Fee £75. Details 01307.473277 June Grilli.

Sat 10 Oct Integrated Cycling Conference, London, by Cycle Campaign Network/CTC. The first post-White Paper cycling conference. Including government speaker, workshops, etc. Fee £12.50. 0171.928.722. Spokes would pay travel for one active member (eg Planning or Resources) to attend, or, if none can go, half-fare for one ordinary member.

Mon 12 Oct Bikes, Buses & Trains Conference, Glasgow for bus/rail operators and others interested in taking bikes by public transport. Conference now seems to be taking on a new significance with speech by new Scottish Office transport minister Calum MacDonald  robably covering a wider area of cycling policy. Reduced conference fee of £60 for members of Spokes etc. (You would have to pay yourself, as Mark James booked as official rep., though we would also pay for one organiser from Weekend Rides group to attend if any free). Conference details - 0131.343.2601 Kirsten Goll/Doug Harrison.

Sat 31 Oct SPOKES leaflet no.70 distribution provisional

Nov 12 Countryside Access and Sustainable Transport day- seminar by Paths for All, Perth. £25. Details 01259.218888. Spokes would pay fee for 1/2 members.

Dec 2 Paths for Health day-seminar by Paths for All on linking health and walking/cycling, Alloa. £25. Details 01259.218888. Spokes would pay fee for 1/2 members.

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Friends of the Earth Edinburgh is running a Scottish Office Cycle Challenge project to encourage employers to promote cycle commuting. FOE needs volunteers to accompany novice commuters, or to suggest good routes for them. To volunteer, phone Ronnie Pryor 669.0629.

Lothian Health is setting up a strategy to promote physical activity amongst the population, working with employers, education, voluntary groups, etc. We are keen to support this, especially as there were early indications that the government saw the only route to increased physical activity as being through sport. Our member David Leslie is to join the Lothian Health working party as our rep. Anyone with suggestions for him, contact him at David.Leslie@dla.prestel.co.uk or 0131.441.5676.

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British Waterways is now at the detailed planning stage for the Millennium project to link up Edinburgh and Glasgow by canal - including towpath. Work begins by the end of this year. If you have any comments, such as on the width or nature or lighting of the path, in general or at particular points, please write now to Jill Richards, British Waterways, I Applecross St, Glasgow G4 9SP. Please copy your letter, and the reply, to Spokes.

Developers are planning new housing at Meggetland in Edinburgh, with cycle links to the canal towpath and to Slateford Station. Any member with an interest in that area who has ideas/suggestions can contact the developer on 447.8999 (Manager Denis Sullivan).

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Money is available under a Millennium scheme for upgrading the above path, but there is controversy over what is the most appropriate type of surface. There are problems due to horse use, bad drainage (difficult to cure completely in the lengthy cuttings), and with overhanging trees. Some local voices are keen for the existing type of surface to be maintained.

If you use the path, and have views on what should be done, please write as soon as possible to Alex McAuley, City Development Department, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1. Note also the meeting on Monday 5 October (above).

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A701 ROAD PROPOSALS

Midlothian is holding an exhibition of proposals for the 'A701 Corridor' - basically a new road, though with integrated facilities for bus, bikes and walking. We are concerned [Spokes 69] about the scale of road and method of funding, but pleased that considerable attention to cyclists is at least being included. The councillor in charge, quoted in the Herald & Post (24.9.98) gives the impression he wants to get the scheme through before government policies on sustainable transport make it too late! Exhibitions are...

Sep 29, 12-8, Loanhead leisure centre car park

Sep 30, 12-8, Scotmid car park, Edinburgh Rd, Penicuik

Oct 1, 11-2, Bush Technopole car park

Oct 1, 3-8, Auchendinny community centre car park

You could probably also get to see the plans by phoning Midlothian Council transport department.

MIDLOTHIAN LOCAL PLAN

The Council is producing a new Local Plan, which sets out the guidelines for land-use (including transport and planning issues) throughout Midlothian for the next 10+ years. Transport proposals which appear in it have a greater chance of happening, and areas of land are allocated in it for different types of development, or protection. You can see the draft plan at any library, or buy your own copy (£10) from Buccleuch House, White Hart St, Dalkeith. There are also exhibitions...

Oct 1-14 Dalkeith Library

Oct 15-26 Queensway Leisure Centre, Penicuik

Oct 27-Nov 4 Bonnyrigg Library

and workshops (all 7-9pm)...

Oct 14 Dalkeith High School

Oct 26 Beeslack Community High School, Penicuik

Nov 4 Lasswade High School

Further details on the plan or above arrangements from 0131.271.3470 (Irene Beautyman/Keith Millar).

It is important for members to look at the plan, send in comments, and if possible attend workshops. Please send us a copy of any written submission you make.

Local member Tony Galloway has already studied the plan, and is very concerned at the transport aspects....

• There is strong support for a new A68 Dalkeith Bypass (and the A701 corridor plans above).
• A new school is proposed near Whitecraig, to replace existing Dalkeith schools. This location seems carefully designed for maximum road access, and ties in with the A68 bypass proposal. Instead, a location accessible by foot and cycle to as many pupils as possible should be found - sites are available.
• There is very little specifically for cyclists other than generalities and the proposed Sustrans route to the Borders - Tony has many ideas.

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There is talk in the press of action on some of the more positive elements of the Transport White Papers being delayed or watered down. It thus vital to keep up pressure for action and improvements to the proposals. We are therefore repeating from Spokesworker 23.7.98 points where we want to see improvements. Please choose 2 or 3 of these which you feel especially strongly about (not more), and write to your MP asking them to raise your concerns with the Minister and get back to you with the results

• The Scottish paper says cycling is "a vital mode in reducing car use", and has many other very positive words. However, the main cycling section has not a single new initiative, and no new funds allocated. And yet preliminary results from Spokes's current survey of Scottish Council cycle spending shows that if anything council spending on cycling and Safe Routes projects is falling this year, as part of a continuing fall in overall council funds allocated to transport (though as stated at the beginning of this Spokesworker a few councils are succeeding in getting outside funds for cycle projects).
• The Scottish paper gives mixed messages about new trunk-road building, and depending on how you interpret it, there is scope for big spending to start again. Separately issued figures show the trunk road budget as 1997:£170m, 1998:155m 1999:162m, 2000:175m, 2001:186m. The 97-98 decline is the road building moratorium when Labour was elected, but there is then a nearly £60m total increase over the next 3 years. Since £70-£100m p.a. is needed for trunk road operation and maintenance, that could mean perhaps £250-£270m for new trunk roads over 1999-2001; plus any roads built with private money (PFI, shadow tolling, etc - see Spokes 69)!!! That dwarfs the new £90m Public Transport fund for councils (over 3 years).
• The much-heralded tax on superstores for car-park spaces has not appeared in either White Paper. This is a real disappointment - it could both raise money for sustainable transport, and do much to encourage superstore green shopping plans, home delivery, bike routes, etc, and help reverse the trend to out-of-town shopping. It is very important still to lobby MPs on this, as it could be changed. The new laws required to bring in road tolling and workplace carpark charging could also be made to include this power. Note too that the laws are to allow experiments in tolling/charging, and it would be crazy not also to include powers for experiments in charging for superstore spaces at the same time - point out to MPs that the White Paper does not include any convincing arguments against taxation of superstore car parking.
• There are no national targets for traffic reduction in either paper. Indeed both papers talk of reducing the rate of growth of motor traffic - but that means continued actual growth!
• It is planned to allow councils to experiment with motorcycles in bus lanes (not cycle lanes).
• The Scottish Paper keeps trunk road and public transport budgets/operation far more separate than is healthy. There is talk of integrated transport but budgets etc don't seem to reflect this. New trunk roads will not always be assessed on a corridor basis (i.e. comparing to public transport/planning initiatives) but only where appropriate.

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