Brighton Place road repairs

[Maria]

The City Council are proposing carrying out work on Brighton Place this financial year. Currently, the proposal is to relay the setts, as Brighton Place falls within the conservation area. I believe, however, that the roads dept will carry out some consultation with the wider community before work commences.

I must declare an interest here, as I live on Brighton Place and although I think the setts look attractive, I think they are dangerous for cyclists and are not a suitable surface considering the volume and type of traffic (e.g.HGV and double-decker buses) on this busy street. I was hopeful the last time the setts were relaid, that the road would improve, but within a matter of months, it seemed, the surface was once again breaking up and becoming very uneven, with all the old problems, such as vibration and cyclists being forced onto the pavement, returning.

The subject is on the agenda tonight, at the monthly meeting of Portobello Community Council and some of you might want to make your views known in order to help inform discussion. I'd like to know how folk feel about retaining the setts.

[Sceptic]

Retaining cobbles might be pleasing to the eye, but, I'm sure the noise created by traffic on them must drive the residents there up the wall at times. In addition, how much extra will this cost us and how long before they will need relifting again compared to a regular surface? Oh, and can they fix that $£%^ing pothole at the junction with the High Street while they are about it?

[taxiranked]

I live close to Brighton Place and I 100% support the notion to re-lay the setts on Brighton Place. The setts contribute significantly to the sense of identity of the street and reinforce the sense of arrival into portobello particularly when coming from the west beneath the railway bridge and into portobello.

The importance of the road as the only remaining setted street is also highlighted in the conservation area appraisal approved in May 2000.
"Brighton Place is the main entrance into the conservation area from Duddingston and is the only remaining setted street."

[Bazza]

The setts are horrific on a bike, especially when it's wet. They're uneven and slippery, and cars totally race down Brighton Place. I do like the setts, but there really should be a separate path for bikes on Brighton Place.

[Franck]

As someone who has lived on or very near Brighton Place for their entire life, I vote for tarmac.

[taxiranked]

re: Franck - posting unqualified opinions based on personal agendas I do't believe is helpful for an open and productive debate. There are many more people that use and enjoy the street of Brighton Place than there are people that live on (or very near) it.

I do quite agree with the notion that setts are particularly uncomfortable to ride on and some concession to cyclists would be welcomed although the dimensions of the street make it difficult if on street parking is to be retained? If they were to be relaid correctly then one would hope the unevenness would be solved. The contractor that has relaid the royal mile setts has done an exceptional job although I would doubt a similar budget would be available to Brighton Place.

As for the speed issue would we really want to support the idea of speed bumps along brighton place?

[Pal of Porty]

I like the setts but they do not work. They are murder to drive on and nearly impossible on a bike. In their current format I think they are unsafe for both bikes and cars. If they can be fixed (properly this time) then I would be happy for them to stay but if they cannot then they should go. There are many things in a conservation area worth preserving but in this particular instance, the item in question is under daily use and has to be fit for purpose.

[Franck]

[seanie]

They're setts not cobbles. Cobbles are just loose stones set into a road surface, whereas setts are cut and regularised stone.

[wangi]

The world's gone crazy. Terminology...

I used to like calling them setts when everyone called them cobbles; now that everyone's calling them setts suddenly let me tell you they're cobbles.

Next we'll be calling the road the pavement.

[gillian]

Or the pavement the causeway

[fresian]

Wangi,

A Highway engineer will tell you that the road surface is the pavement and thet the pavement is actually the footway

[Sceptic]

Still sound like a load of cobbles to me.

[mr magnolia]

[taxiranked]

some thoughts on 'cobbles'

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22639754

[urchaidh]

I'd asked Maureen Child about this last week as I've been caught by tank trap sized trenches a few times recently - the news is sadly not very promising, she said "I need to chase this up, but no major capital work is happening this financial year." Shame.