AN EDINBURGH cycle campaign has published its response to plans by the city’s council to expand its tram system.
Adding a north-south route from Granton to the Bioquarter, the City of Edinburgh Council’s preferred route for the tram is along the Roseburn Path, a disused railway which has become a popular route for pedestrians and cyclists.
The proposals have generated controversy among Edinburgh environmentalists and cyclists, who feel that the route will deprive Edinburgh of an important green space and safe cycling route.
Spokes, an Edinburgh cycling campaign group, has now published its response to the plans after the beginning of the public consultation.
Spokes are a group campaigning for safer routes for Edinburgh cyclists (C) The City of Edinburgh Council / X
The group praised some elements of the plans, saying that the council is to be congratulated for modifying the project north of the Roseburn Bridge to a single track with an active travel path running alongside.
However, group members also said that they have found other issues for cyclists on both potential routes.
They complained of a “lack of clarity” on plans south of the Roseburn Bridge and want assurances that the dedicated 3m wide path will continue alongside the tramway.
One of the central concerns expressed by Spokes is the lack of provision for segregated cycle lanes to work alongside the tramways.
With the proposed Orchard Brae route, they said that the on-road tramlines, combined with traffic pressures and no segregated cycle paths could pose a serious danger to cyclists.
They say that the rollout of the initial section of the Edinburgh tram network suffered from a lack of consideration for cyclists, and that confusion and eventually accidents were caused.
They say that the segregated cycle paths on Leith Walk parallel to the new tramway shows that the council has learned its lessons, but that it should still be wary of repeating these same mistakes.
A statement on the Spokes website reads: “Basically, Spokes supports the principle of the tram, but we have identified some problems and some missed opportunities on the integration of cycling.
“We urge a fuller treatment of cycling in the forthcoming stage of more detailed planning, and we urge that complete details on cycling provision are included in the next round of consultation.
It adds: “The tram project must support and promote active travel as a whole, and cycling in particular, and must not introduce additional dangers.
“The initial tramline on-road section did not follow this principle, resulting in many tramline crashes and injuries, which continue, with substantial and ongoing compensation costs to the council, pain and anguish for the individuals concerned, and lost productivity for employers.
“However, the council learned from this, and the subsequent extension to Newhaven, whilst far from perfect, incorporated segregated bike paths on Leith Walk.
“To the best of our knowledge, there have been zero tramline crashes on Leith Walk (apart from one at the complex Foot of the Walk junction where cycle provision is poor).”
Spokes say that it is expecting much more detailed plans for how cycling will be integrated into the tramways in further stages of the consultation process.
The City of Edinburgh Council has been approached for comment.
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