Some local residents are concerned about aspects of the Cycle Route. We understand these worries and so this page addresses the main concerns that we have heard. Evidence from other places shows that high quality bike paths can improve the situation for some areas of concern.
- Congestion
- The cycle route will help tackle congestion. Bikes take up less space on the road.
- Pollution
- Bikes don't emit toxic gases. Residents will benefit from reduced local pollution.
- Will people use the new route?
- Evidence from around the world tells us that 'If you build it, people will ride'.
- Where cycle paths are not used, it is usually due to poor design. The CCWEL has been designed to a high standard and we fully expect people to use it once it is in place
Learn more about these and other cycling fallacies on this excellent website.
Other concerns are less clear cut. However in the final designs the Council have responded well to issues raised and have increased the scheme's benefits and minimised negative impacts.
1 Pedestrian safety
Some people are concerned about the risk to pedestrians from collision with bicycles. However the Council have designed the layout carefully to clearly separate each different form of transport, a clearly improvement compared with the existing alternative of the NCN1. The pedestrian and cyclist spaces will be separated by a drop down kerb and will be coloured differently.
The scheme includes a number of pedestrian improvements.
- New pedestrian crossings on Roseburn Terrace, Roseburn Street and Russell Road.
- Pedestrians, especially school children are protected by blocking of the dangerous Roseburn Gardens "rat run", which is currently used by over 200 vehicles per hour at peak times.
- The route gives pedestrians priority crossing side streets with a continuous pavement (see image).
- There will be new seating and improvements to the environment around the Old Colt Bridge, making Roseburn a nicer place to be on foot. Read more
2 Loss of parking and loading
Based on the initial design, local businesses were concerned about the reduction of parking and loading in Roseburn Terrace, and the corresponding loss of business. The Council listened, and have found a solution which preserves off-peak loading for around 10 cars (down from 18 at present). In compensation, there is an increase in peak time loading available from zero to 5 cars. Further more, there is lots of new parking and loading in the adjacent streets, all less than two minutes walk from the shops.
Businesses can look forward to continued custom from motorists, new custom from passing cyclists, and increases to pedestrian shoppers coming from the more attractive shopping environment. Studies show that cycle paths bring business to compensate.Read more
3 Loss of bus lane
Residents and politicians are quite rightly looking with concern at the removal of the Westbound bus lane on West Coates.
However, notice that the bus lane comes and goes throughout the length of the A8. The main purpose of a bus lane is to allow buses and taxis to have priority to pass queues of cars. There are minimal queues Westbound on West Coates, even at peak times. When roadworks on this section reduced the traffic to a single lane each way, shared by cars, buses and bicycles (so considerably worse than the new design), and the traffic was still flowing freely at morning rush hour.Read more