Local Project Proposals Wanted (roads, cycleways & footways)

[wangi]

[rapunzell]

OHHH! I wonder if this could include the prom slipways..?

[SoupDragon]

Good idea, Rapunzell

Mr soupy and Clanger 2 are currently thinking about cycle paths.
Mr Soupys personal bugbear at the moment is Brighton Place as the cobbles um... irritate him, but the Christian Path upgrade should help on that
Some sort of cycle, pushchair , wheelchair/mobility scooter- friendly access from Greendykes to RIE might be an idea, there is a path going up by Craigmillar Castle but it has STEPS so is unsuitable for mobility scooter access



I saw the start of the Pipe Street work, all fenced off around the demolished wall, they will leave a gap in the wall when they rebuild won't they?

[Grunk]

I always find the biggest annoyance is that the timing of traffic light systems is designed for cars (if at all, a drive down queen street or queensferry road makes me doubt much thought has gone into it).

The time between successive lights just doesn't fit in with the time taken for a cyclist to cover the distance. Which means a lot of stopping an starting (frustrating if you are travelling under your own steam instead of pushing an accelerator). there's also a lot of waiting for the full traffic light sequence, which when combined can almost double the journey time to or from the city centre.

When there was a roundabout at kings road, this wasn't so much of an issue, but now there are traffic lights it a pain.

So ideally I think it would be nice if there was always a "bypass route for cyclists" at the big junctions (easy enough for left turns, just have a little slip lane wide enough for bikes).

For the kings road junction, a bridge at the pedestrian crossing on harry lauder road would be appropriate (it would be useful for pedestrians as well since a lot of motorists seem to ignore the traffic lights). Or a small tunnel, there is also the possibility of using the pre-existing tunnel under portobello road (since CEC seem determined to not use the perfectly good railway lines for trains or trams).

Not only would this be a benefit to cyclists, but it would be a benefit to motorists too, since they wouldn't have pesky cyclists cluttering up the busy junction.

[wangi]

Improving disabled access to the beach has to be one of the longest standing priorities surely?

Before it gets sidetracked completely by some unworthy pavement relaying, crappy signage or well meaning pseudo-historic tacky touristy sign boards is it remotely possible that we could have a community consensus to perhaps push en-mass for at least one or two points where you can get a proper ramped/ seasonal ramped access to the sand and the water?

[wangi]

[Puerto bella]

I've sent mine in to Andy Matheson - asking for ramped access to the water to improve access for wheelchair users, those with walking aids and buggys.

[seanie]

I know the issue's come up many times, but has the Council ever looked into it? Have there ever been actual proposals?

[rapunzell]

As far as I can remember, the proposal to test beach pathways between King's Road and Joppa was backed by the council dept assigned to us, and put forward formally to management three times with the backing (and funding) of Scottish National Heritage (shifting sand solutions), The Forestry Commission (forest and lochside non-slip permanent paths) and Sustran (temporary pathways). The first time the decision was maybe, we'll get round to it, so we pushed forward. The second time was yes, but only as part of a multi-million coastal concept design, which we tried to get round. The third time there was no decision given, the SNH guy told me nobody at the council was returning their calls and then the guy heading the council dept backing us was promoted elsewhere. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that after three (or was it four?) years of this, I had to stop and take a break from it.

[seanie]

Maybe it's something the PCC could take up.

[wangi]

[wangi]

Just got feedback that "This project proposal didn't comply with the restrictions on the funding since it wasn't a road or a footway".

Not sure I follow the logic - because had it been done then wouldn't it have been a footway that could then enable proper disabled access to the beach?!

[rapunzell]

BASTARDS

[wangi]