Why we need a cycle route

Car-dominated transport is increasingly struggling to meet the needs of a growing city.  The negative aspects are becoming more apparent — congestion, air pollution, emissions, traffic accidents and parking problems.  Not everyone can or wants to give up, but thousands of people would with a suitable route.  The current meandering back routes with difficult sections on main roads are clearly not proving attractive to the majority of potential cyclists.

Investing in public transport, cycling and walking helps take cars off the road, keeping our cities moving and growing sustainablyTransport Works

The Proposal offers a safe, convenient and direct route into the city centre, which would help people to chose to cycle more and drive less.

1 Promoting Roseburn shops and community

Living Streets Edinburgh and Murrayfield Community Council recognise that local residents want to minimise the impact of cars.

The vast increase in traffic has resulted in a noisy and congested area which is not a pleasant place for people. [...] The shopping area is hardly fit for purpose. The pavements are too narrow and the road too wide.

Murrayfield Community Council 2014 Roseburn Action Plan

The Cycle Route Proposal would bring wider pavements, additional pedestrian crossings — features that would attract shoppers to the area and boost local businesses.  The preliminary design preserves the majority of the loading and parking, and at the same time opens up new business opportunities from passing cycle trade. Read more

2 Tackling congestion

We are are growing city, with potentially an astonishing 22% population growth over the next 20 years.  As the petition against the Cycle Route points out, we have car dominated traffic (over 75% on West Coates), each car carrying only 1.2 people.  Our City is at risk of grinding to a halt with congestion, parking problems and pollution.

The Cycle Route is part of the Council's city-wide strategy to tackle congestion by promoting alternatives.  In Edinburgh, there are thousands of people keen to leave their car at home and cycle instead.  All it takes is a viable alternative: safe and efficient.Read more

3 New generation of cycle routes

The Proposal is part of a new generation cycle routes that are safe and direct.  Common in towns like Copenhagen and Amsterdam and being increasingly implemented in London, these routes provide safe cycle routes for many thousands of cyclists who might otherwise be in cars.

These paths are suitable for all and busy with ordinary people cycling.  There are family groups, youngsters, novice cyclists and people in office clothes.  Kids can use them, which is one less car on the school run.  Disabled people can gain independence through safe cycling.Read more

4 Safer and healthier travel

Journeys by foot and cycle are much better for us and our local environment than journeys by motor vehicles.  Each year in Scotland, air pollution is linked to 2000 early deaths, low physical activity to 2500, and accidents directly cause death or life changing injuries to over 1600.  Safe cycle routes can help reduce all three counts.

Of course motor vehicles are necessary for many journeys, but by making it safe for more people to walk and cycle the many short inner-city journeys we make, we will get less polluted streets and help our population to be healthier.  Independent consultants have used methods developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to forecast the Proposal would yield an economic health benefit of £13.2m over 10 years.Read more

5 Reduce environmental impact

Cycling is much better than driving for both the local and global environment. Experts and politicians all agree on the urgent need to cut greenhouse emissions. Increased cycling and walking, along with reduced car use, is one of the most effective ways of achieving that.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act requires a minimum 42% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 80% by 2050 and a key component of this is the Long-Term Vision for Active Travel In Scotland 2030.Read more

6 Public transport integration

The Proposal is more than just a Cycle Route!  There improvements at Haymarket provide a safe route for cycling to Haymarket through this dangerous, making it truly an integrated transport hub.  Dedicated cycle-parking stores 90 bicycles in the same space that 6 cars would use.Read more

7 Safer routes to schools

Eilidh Troup, whose daughter attends Roseburn Primary, explains how the Cycle Route would make a big difference to kids cycling to school if option A is selected.

I am excited at the prospect of the new segregated cycle lane from Roseburn to Haymarket.  This section is completely separated from the road and will provide a safe cycle route for many of the children at my daughter’s school.

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