Ednburgh Traffic...

Ednburgh Traffic...

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Discussion

andym1603

1,798 posts

171 months

Friday 17th June 2016
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AH33 said:
I have to drive from Calder Rd to Leith every day, 6 mile trip, 24 sets of traffic lights.

Yes, it's 100% the council's fault. The phasing of traffic lights is so bad now, I just go through some reds if it is clear. Wait till the 20 limits come in. I may start taking a 10 mile detour down the bypass. How "green".
"Calder Road" SPS?

colin79666

1,808 posts

112 months

Sunday 19th June 2016
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Please consider signing this:
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-government-make-...

The bypass backlog is overflowing onto the A701 and A702 so even those of us not trying to join it are being help up for up to half an hour every morning. For all the new housing on the periphery or Edinburgh and new offices out at the Gyle area there has been zero investment in the bypass or public transport that doesn't go via the town centre.

Of course once you do get past you then hit the stupid traffic light phasing and roadworks backing traffic up Lothian Road all the way to Morningside banghead I do my bit by using the bus and occasionally cycling in (faster by bicycle) but the root cause hasn't been addressed of poor light phasing and lack of investment. The trams are the only thing that has had serious money put in yet if you aren't lucky enough to the be on its route it has actually made congestion worse around Princes Street.

malks222

1,851 posts

138 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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live in the new town, and now working out straiton way and its only taking me 5/10mins less to drive 9 miles across town as it did to drive 25miles to grangemouth!

I think part of the problem in the city centre is due to the impact of the trams on the traffic light sequences. any roads cutting over the tram lines can end up in chaos if the lights change twice (eg one junction back) but don't move because of the tram passing along.

but don't worry, the traffic problems will all be sorted in town when we get the blanket 20mph limit.............

footsoldier

2,251 posts

191 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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Agree on all of the above. Traffic light sequencing, new crossings next to main junctions, lack of coordination or pre-warning of roadworks, and general state of the roads all add to it. On top of that, the roadworks seem to be redone every year!

Given the state of the schools built under PFI, (and also the corruption in the council maintenance department...), I genuinely wonder if anyone is keeping track of the quality of works done on the roads, or if it's just a gravy train.

vanordinaire

3,701 posts

161 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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Tried to get from the centre of town to Fairmilehead/A72 on Sunday, I don't live in Edinburgh so didn't know about the gas mains works around The Braids, Craiglockart, Morningside areas and couldn't make sense of the diversions and I wasn't the only one, there were about half a dozen cars zig zagging around the back roads trying to get through the maze.

tenfour

26,140 posts

213 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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Mad Jock said:
1) Take your CBT.
2) Take your motorcycle test.
3) Pass your motorcycle test.
4) Buy a motorcycle of whatever capacity suits your needs.
5) Buy suitable wet weather gear, can be worn over office clothing.
6) Commute in by motorcycle, laugh at the muppets stuck in their cars.
7) Park free of charge all day.
8) Commute home by motorcycle, laugh at the muppets still stuck in their cars.
9) Abandon motorcycle in winter when it's snowing or sub-zero. Global warming will minimise these days, according to the council.
This yes


Humper said:
1 Take the cbt
2 Buy a 125cc scooter
3 Use it

If, in the 2 years you have till you need to sit a test, you don't realise what a good idea this is, go back to sitting in your car.
But not this nono

For the simple reason that the second you're able to get to grips with a 125cc, you'll be aching to climb onto a litre superbike.

I find it quite saddening that 99% of this forum have absolutely no idea what they're missing.



s4tronic

245 posts

125 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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I've lived in Edinburgh for 12 years and have to agree with all the comments here that its just gone downhill year after year.

Roads throughput is abysmal, main arteries through town West/East narrowing down to 1 lane only on Queen Street for example at the York Place...

But I can cope with high volume of cars and traffic - what I can't cope with is quality of the road surfaces.... it is criminal the state the roads are in just now. Patch upon patch upon patch, sunk man holes, pot holes, asphalt breaking up. Driving anything remotely sporty through the city is a torture and I have not seen any major through road in the city centre resurfaced comprehensively in the 12 years I've been here.
Queen St, Charlotte Sq, streets around Grassmarket, Lauriston Pl, George IV bridge, Bristo Sq all are just shocking and would need complete rip out of the top layer and resurfacing. And it needs to be done properly as its a norm that they resurface part of the road and its in bits just couple of months later.
What is most depressing is that there isn't really a bright future ahead of us as funding is limited and to fix up the roads that need fixing up it would cause even more disruption to the city and take years...

Mad Jock

1,272 posts

261 months

Monday 20th June 2016
quotequote all
tenfour said:
Mad Jock said:
1) Take your CBT.
2) Take your motorcycle test.
3) Pass your motorcycle test.
4) Buy a motorcycle of whatever capacity suits your needs.
5) Buy suitable wet weather gear, can be worn over office clothing.
6) Commute in by motorcycle, laugh at the muppets stuck in their cars.
7) Park free of charge all day.
8) Commute home by motorcycle, laugh at the muppets still stuck in their cars.
9) Abandon motorcycle in winter when it's snowing or sub-zero. Global warming will minimise these days, according to the council.
This yes


Humper said:
1 Take the cbt
2 Buy a 125cc scooter
3 Use it

If, in the 2 years you have till you need to sit a test, you don't realise what a good idea this is, go back to sitting in your car.
But not this nono

For the simple reason that the second you're able to get to grips with a 125cc, you'll be aching to climb onto a litre superbike.

I find it quite saddening that 99% of this forum have absolutely no idea what they're missing.
The situation today is far worse than it was in the early eighties, but to illustrate my point, I will use this anecdote.

My family used to live in a country house near Athelstaneford in East Lothian. On the Sunday evening during at a house party, one of my sister's friends was rabbiting on about how quickly he could get into Charlotte Square in the rush hour, and I told him that he would be far quicker on a motorcycle. He said that it took too long to get dressed "with all the gear", and he reckoned that he was still faster. Challenge accepted.

I told him that I would beat him to Charlotte Square the following morning, in Monday morning rush hour traffic. I would not get dressed "in all the gear" until he had left in his Renault Fiero (remember them?). Bear in mind that in 1983, there was no by-pass, no bus lanes and no trams, so his journey should have been much easier then than today.

The route, effectively, was Athelstaneford - Longniddry - Prestonpans - Musselburgh - Jocks Lodge - London Road - Queen Street - Charlotte Square.

He set off at 08:00, I followed about ten minutes later (I finished my coffee first). I passed him in the traffic jam in Musselburgh, near the race course. I arrived in Charlotte Square, parked in one of the Motorcycle bays, at around 08:45. He arrived around 09:00, and spent ten minutes circling Charlotte Square looking for a parking space.

He was not a gracious loser, but conceded my point. That being said, he never gave up his car either. More drivel about bikes being dirty, noisy, dangerous etc.

My job means that I never have to suffer the rat race that is the Edinburgh rush hour, but if I ever have to do it, I will use a motorcycle, weather permitting, at every opportunity. I will concede that motorcycling isn't for everyone, nor public transport, nor cycling, but it is an obvious solution for those it does.

tenfour

26,140 posts

213 months

Monday 20th June 2016
quotequote all
Mad Jock said:
I will concede that motorcycling isn't for everyone, nor public transport, nor cycling, but it is an obvious solution for those it does.
But compared to being stuck in a motionless traffic jam, I'd happily pissed on by the the rain goads all day, every day. I saw the light about two years ago (London commuter) and my only regret since is not doing it ten years earlier.


Number 97

84 posts

106 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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I agree with pretty much everything posted in this thread, Edinburgh is a nightmare at the moment. I have been commuting in and out of the city from Livingston for about 6 and a half years and I don't think I have completed a journey without hitting road works at one point or another.

Another area of frustration apart from what I and others have posted is the inability to schedule council services around when the cities main routes are quiet, using Queensferry Road as an example, it's usually one of the better parts of the journey however every now and then there will be tailbacks holding you back for 15-20 minutes and for what? bin men or someone cutting back the friggin bushes! Can this not be scheduled for early morning or night? nah they would rather cause mayhem.

Newhaven Road has been under scrutiny the last few years due to a couple of crashes and pedestrians being hit, try driving down that Road during peak times. Huge busses and lorry's trying to squeeze through barely enough room for a mid size hatchback, how about either widening the road or banning these huge vehicles from using that road? I have seen many occasions where they have to use the pavement for extra room to get passed park cars etc.

Can they also please do something about that junction at the Maybury Casino? There has to be a better way? the whole junction is just a mess.

Rant over for now anywaymad


Ecosseven

1,969 posts

216 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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I grew up in Corstorphine but moved to Dunfermline around 11 years ago. When I first moved I could get from my work at Commercial Quay in Leith home to Dunfermline in less than an hour and that was including having to stop to pay the bridge toll!

Luckily I no longer work in Edinburgh and my commute is generally 30 minutes down some nice country roads in Fife.

I still love Edinburgh as a city but I try and avoid driving there during the rush hour. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with the constant road works and traffic jams every day.


Edited by Ecosseven on Monday 20th June 14:29

footsoldier

2,251 posts

191 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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There's not actually that much traffic compared to many other cities, just ridiculously poor management of the roads network.

Don Veloci

1,920 posts

280 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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footsoldier said:
There's not actually that much traffic compared to many other cities, just ridiculously poor management of the roads network.
Or deliberately devious management of the roads network.

jshell

11,006 posts

204 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
quotequote all
Don Veloci said:
footsoldier said:
There's not actually that much traffic compared to many other cities, just ridiculously poor management of the roads network.
Or deliberately devious management of the roads network.
This is what I truly think is going on! It's a deliberate ploy.

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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Worse this morning because of the rail strikes.

Funny, my car's driver never seems to go on strike.

Public Transport is the solution™ laughlaughlaugh

jshell

11,006 posts

204 months

Edin430

940 posts

203 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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Everyone forgetting the fact the council are trying to push through an extension to the Trams? It's only going to get worse.

I live in New Town and work not far aware. Lucky enough to have a great view from the office and I fully believe that most of the problems are from piss poor traffic light management. Amazing you can clear a set of lights and hit a red light 20 yards up the road. Some lights can miss as many as three changes due to trams passing through and if the tram gets stuck - even worse.

ThankYouForCalling

68 posts

106 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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Might be a coincidence but bus fares went up in price a couple of weeks ago too...

salguod

60 posts

121 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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ThankYouForCalling said:
Might be a coincidence but bus fares went up in price a couple of weeks ago too...
I noticed that. Jumped on the bus into town a few weeks ago with what I thought was the right amount (£1.50), only to find they had been put up to £1.60. Didn't notice until I had sat down and driver hadn't said anything. Just makes it more likely people will have to overpay if they don't have the right amount of money. Surprised they haven't opted for a price ending with a 5 so they could rake more in.

jshell

11,006 posts

204 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
quotequote all
salguod said:
ThankYouForCalling said:
Might be a coincidence but bus fares went up in price a couple of weeks ago too...
I noticed that. Jumped on the bus into town a few weeks ago with what I thought was the right amount (£1.50), only to find they had been put up to £1.60. Didn't notice until I had sat down and driver hadn't said anything. Just makes it more likely people will have to overpay if they don't have the right amount of money. Surprised they haven't opted for a price ending with a 5 so they could rake more in.
Been £1.60 for ages... certainly months!