Local Transport Today is the authoritative, independent journal for transport decision makers. Analysis, Comment & News on Transport Policy, Planning, Finance and Delivery since 1989.

Cycle lane between traffic lanes ‘better than by kerb’

12 June 2015
George Street: the two-way lane will 
be removed
George Street: the two-way lane will be removed

 

Councillors in Edinburgh have approved plans to install cycle lanes between two vehicular traffic lanes on a key city centre street.

The lanes will be installed on George Street, which parallels Princes Street, as a temporary measure while consultants devise plans for permanent segregated cycle lanes.  

George Street currently features a trial two-way cycle lane that switches sides of the road half-way along the street. Vehicular traffic is restricted to one-way, also switching directions at the mid-point.

The trial expires this September and consultants (the council will not say who) are now developing designs for permanent changes to the street’s layout, which will feature segregated cycle facilities on a more conventional layout with eastbound facilities on the northern carriageway and westbound facilities on the southern carriageway. 

The council admits it could be “a year or more” before a permanent change is implemented. During this time the street will revert to two lanes of vehicular traffic each way. 

John Bury, Edinburgh’s acting director of services for communities, said the preferred design of an interim solution was “an advisory cycle lane that is not kerbside but sits in between the two lanes of carriageway in each direction”. “It retains a dedicated cycle facility, does not require a Traffic Regulation Order, is cost-effective, and as an interim measure provides a clearly visible and unbroken cycle lane.”

A kerbside advisory cycle lane would be disrupted by loading bays, parking bays, bus stops and taxi stances, he added. “It would have to either skirt round these obstacles, or it would need to be hatched in the spaces between the loading and parking bays and the bus and taxi stances. It would potentially lack clarity visually, be unmistakeably stop-start in nature, and it would be potentially more dangerous as a consequence.”

A cycle lane between traffic lanes has already been implemented between Causewayside and Kings Buildings in the south of the city, which Bury said was “effective, safe and popular”.

Discuss this at Cycle City on the 25 June 2015

Deputy Team Leader - Transport Planning
London Borough of Havering
Town Hall, Romford, Essex, RM1 3BB, GB
Grade 9 £51,093 - £55,155 pa
Head of Fleet Management
Brighton & Hove Council
Hollingdean Depot
£61,050 - £66,734
Deputy Team Leader - Transport Planning
London Borough of Havering
Town Hall, Romford, Essex, RM1 3BB, GB
Grade 9 £51,093 - £55,155 pa
View all Vacancies
 
Search
 
 
 

TransportXtra is part of Landor LINKS

© 2024 TransportXtra | Landor LINKS Ltd | All Rights Reserved

Subscriptions, Magazines & Online Access Enquires
[Frequently Asked Questions]
Email: subs.ltt@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7959

Shop & Accounts Enquires
Email: accounts@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7855

Advertising Sales & Recruitment Enquires
Email: daniel@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7861

Events & Conference Enquires
Email: conferences@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7865

Press Releases & Editorial Enquires
Email: info@transportxtra.com | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7875

Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Advertise

Web design london by Brainiac Media 2020