Bumpy and mildly dangerous.
Essentially riding on the pavement.
Add that cars do illegal turns to the left.
Also plenty of space lost in the middle of the road.. overall a terrible design for everyone.
I am pretty sure I have seen the article writer riding, that bike is quite unique for Edinburgh.
As someone who commutes this by bike every day, it does not feel like the worst cycle lane in the world. It’s definitely not perfect, but it is safe and segrated (mostly) from ignorant drivers. I combine this route with a couple of other ones daily so perhaps the time I use them they are quieter before the morons in cars come out?
However, that said, I must admit I have not cycled every other bike lane in the world to make an accurate comparison. I had plenty of dodgy experiences during a cycle trip across Holland and Belgium a few years back but I reckon that reflects more on me than their cycle network. The worst bike lanes I have experienced recently were in London – but again I hear things are improving.
I knew this was Leith Walk before even looking.
No, it’s not perfect – particularly when there was a blank canvas to work from. Bit embarrassing compared to comparable European cities, but it does the job and it’s far from the “worst cycle lane in the world”.
Could be a lot worse, like not having segregated cycle lanes at all.
That website is a fucking shit show.
Surprised people even use cycle lanes. Every time I see a cyclist they’re in the middle of the car lane, right *next* to the cycle lane.
It’s worse for people trying to get off buses/coaches than the cyclists.
Someone is going to come a cropper at some point.
It probably wouldn’t be that bad even if it’s all jaggy if there was more space, but the narrow pavement space next to it and the lack of pavement space when getting off the bus just makes it a mess. The cycle path itself is very narrow as well – just way too much crammed in.
I’m sure there’s probably worse in the world but the layout of leith walk is an absolute shambles. Hate walking up and down it now, I think the idea was you could probably walk in the cycle lane where the pavement narrows and there were no bikes but with bikes flying both ways up and down it probably isn’t quite being used how they envisaged. Then you’ve got cars who don’t really stop and think they take priority when crossing the pavement junctions. I just cycle on the road, much more predictable than the cycle path.
Glasgow about to launch a serious challenge with the one on Byres Road
9 comments
Bumpy and mildly dangerous.
Essentially riding on the pavement.
Add that cars do illegal turns to the left.
Also plenty of space lost in the middle of the road.. overall a terrible design for everyone.
I am pretty sure I have seen the article writer riding, that bike is quite unique for Edinburgh.
As someone who commutes this by bike every day, it does not feel like the worst cycle lane in the world. It’s definitely not perfect, but it is safe and segrated (mostly) from ignorant drivers. I combine this route with a couple of other ones daily so perhaps the time I use them they are quieter before the morons in cars come out?
However, that said, I must admit I have not cycled every other bike lane in the world to make an accurate comparison. I had plenty of dodgy experiences during a cycle trip across Holland and Belgium a few years back but I reckon that reflects more on me than their cycle network. The worst bike lanes I have experienced recently were in London – but again I hear things are improving.
I knew this was Leith Walk before even looking.
No, it’s not perfect – particularly when there was a blank canvas to work from. Bit embarrassing compared to comparable European cities, but it does the job and it’s far from the “worst cycle lane in the world”.
Could be a lot worse, like not having segregated cycle lanes at all.
That website is a fucking shit show.
Surprised people even use cycle lanes. Every time I see a cyclist they’re in the middle of the car lane, right *next* to the cycle lane.
It’s worse for people trying to get off buses/coaches than the cyclists.
Someone is going to come a cropper at some point.
It probably wouldn’t be that bad even if it’s all jaggy if there was more space, but the narrow pavement space next to it and the lack of pavement space when getting off the bus just makes it a mess. The cycle path itself is very narrow as well – just way too much crammed in.
I’m sure there’s probably worse in the world but the layout of leith walk is an absolute shambles. Hate walking up and down it now, I think the idea was you could probably walk in the cycle lane where the pavement narrows and there were no bikes but with bikes flying both ways up and down it probably isn’t quite being used how they envisaged. Then you’ve got cars who don’t really stop and think they take priority when crossing the pavement junctions. I just cycle on the road, much more predictable than the cycle path.
Glasgow about to launch a serious challenge with the one on Byres Road