One Way System

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 10 Jul 2007, 00:44

Interested in views on the following:

1. the potential to have a one way system from the Mentone/ Bath Street junction down to Straiton Place and through to the junction with Bellfield St. Traffic is always a nightmare, indesciminate parking sporadically enforced and delivery lorries parking across peoples front doors and blocking access into and out of properties a nightmare.

2. Restricting heavy vehicles access, in particular artics. into our residential streets. Often they (primarily Scotmid lorries) get stuck at the foot of Bath Street.

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 10 Jul 2007, 10:56

I'd second that.

We did propose such a scheme way back in the eighties but were told it wasn't feasable, question of access for emergency vehicles etc etc.

The congestion is not eased by Straiton Pl, Bath St being used as a rat run for those trying to avoid congestion in the High St and the bingo crowd trying to get as close as they can.
I also notice the give way to oncoming traffic sign is frequntly ignored.

I doubt the situation will be helped at all by the idea of a boat storage at the foot of Bath St

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 11 Jul 2007, 22:13

Well, its a new Council and things change so I think its worth raising again.

I would write to the Porty Reporter about it to try and get a wider audience but given every time I e mail that cosy club about anything it never gets printed. How the heck to you get them to take anything up apart from Amenity Society, History Society and PCATS and all the usual stuff?

mehitabel · Post by **mehitabel** » 26 Jul 2007, 23:03

re the one way system suggested - I've wondered why this wasn't considered when the speed bumps arrived .

As Bellfield St is the only Street really wide enough for two way traffic plus parking on both sides - and parking is at a premium - it would be sensible to make Bath Street , Regent Street and Marlborough St also one way.........
Emergency Access is already touch and go as it is only possible for larger vehicles to negotiate Regent and Marlborough St's because everyone has adopted the tradition of pavement parking - not great for pedestrians with buggies - and the only wheelchair access is often up the middle of the road- surely we could do better.
As long as there were more dedicated parking for residents nearby( which there isn't....) - I'd be happy to see traffic circulation banned from some of these streets apart from emergency and disabled access and deliveries etc. I end up parking two streets away most of the time anyway...

A step even further would be to go one way plus restrict parking to one side on the narrowest streets. ( probably unrealistic and unenforceable as there are basically too many cars - but aren't we trying to reduce the 2 car household trend.....?)
I daresay a residents survey might prove interesting re this.

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 26 Jul 2007, 23:19

Brunstane Road should also be considered for one way traffic?

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 26 Jul 2007, 23:19

Good points M. When we first came here Bath Street had unofficial parking on both sides and the double yellows stopped that without too much hassle. Wonder how you get the Community Council on board?

Post by **wangi** » 26 Jul 2007, 23:46

Puerto bella wrote:Wonder how you get the Community Council on board?

What's it to do with them? It's Edinburgh Council that run the show, and the local residents that'll make their voice heard if the Council want to reduce parking in any way. Oh, I think it's a reasonable idea, but I'd imagine it'd be like getting people to vote for a tax rise!

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 27 Jul 2007, 15:55

They will be part of the consultation if the Roads Dept could be convinced to look into it seriously. My usual tried and tested methods are to get groups like the CC on board before you push for a big change - that's part of the battle. It works better if you take people along with you rather than raise it as a fait acompli.

raab · Post by **raab** » 27 Jul 2007, 16:28

yep. fully in favour of some one way action in the streets mentioned. how about a little coordination regarding refuse/recycling collection, particularly from the private companies used by commercial enterprises but also the council. it seems that there is a constant procession of vehicles blocking the high street at all times of day.

a couple LESS buses might help too. i don't see the point in 3 26's following each other all over edinburgh and i still have to wait 20 minutes for one quite often even though is is a 5 minute service... ?

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 27 Jul 2007, 18:06

The next CC meeting should be on Monday.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 27 Jul 2007, 18:16

No July CC meeting seanie. We meet 10 times a year - no meeting in December or July, so next one will be the last Monday in August.

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 27 Jul 2007, 20:50

What am I going to do on Monday?

It's the highlight of my month.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:07

What's the etiquette with these things in Porty? Do I ask one of you guys/ gals who goes to the CC to formally raise the issue, do I go through on of the Councillors, do I write or do I come along? Any advice?

I've only presented at these things in a work context when the CCs in Midlothian have invited me along or its a formal public meeting.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:09

Re: last sentance - to clarify I mean a formal public meeting on one of my Design Briefs/ Masterplans. Am not implying that CC is not a formal public meeting.

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:21

Heaven forfend.

I'd be happy to raise it as an issue but I suspect it'll just be passed on to one of the Councillors to look into. Getting the CC on side might help but I suspect it'd be quicker to take a more direct route to raise the issue.

If there really is some regulation regarding emergency access that precludes it, then courting the CC is pretty pointless.

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:26

I'm going to start a PCAOWS campaign.

Sure the EN will be interested...

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:32

Cheers for that. Will try and find out and get back to you.

This afternoon great whole appeared in Bath Street outside no 52, it was guarded for a while by the two cycling bobbies - in case anyone fell down it. EC Roads men appeared after a long while and filled it in.

In the time the bobbies were there the havock and daft things they witnessed at the corner with Straiton Place as a result of the two way traffic were laughable. The icing on the cake was when some numptie from the lane decided to park on the double yellows right in front of them and then to cap it off a reversing motorist (who obviously got all nervous cause the police were watching her) nearly knocked the bobby's bike over after she had mounted the pavement where me, mini Pb and two young lads on bikes were standing waiting to cross. It was madness, I wish I had videoed it.

I asked the bobbies if they thought the streets could operate on a one way system. Their answer was a v.v. positive yes and that from the idiotic behaviour they had witnessed this afternoon it would be much safer.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 27 Jul 2007, 23:34

Bearcub - expand, whats the CA?

tom nimmo · Post by **tom nimmo** » 30 Jul 2007, 17:43

I remember when the Rosefields were used as a rat run by drivers trying to dodge the lights at Brighton Place. It took years of campaigning before Rosefield Avenue was eventually blocked off at the High Street but the benefit to residents was immediate. I remember fondly the first week of the closure and the entertainment provided by dopey drivers who didn't understand the 'Access Only sign and had to drive all the way back out to Brighton Place. Bath Street and the other streets leading down to the prom are long overdue some kind of one-way or access only system so good luck to all of you who want something done. The real problem is, as has been stated above, that there are just too many cars on the road. My old jalopy has just passed it's MOT thanks to my good friend Merlin the Magician in Bath Street but he had a moan at me because I had only driven 2500 miles since last year. There's me using the car for essential journeys only and I'm being told that cars appreciate being driven more often.

aileenandfearghal · Post by **aileenandfearghal** » 30 Jul 2007, 20:59

More one way would be fantastic round this part of Porty.

We we pondering whether making Mentone Avenue one way all the way through would also allow for end on parking in the wide part, one way of easing the horror of trying to park near Bath Street when there is bingo on!

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 30 Jul 2007, 23:00

Maybe a survey is in order, thinking on the hoof here, we could look at how many parking spaces there are in Mentone Ave, Bath St, Straiton Place, Regent, Marlborough. Also width of the streets, emergency access requirements, potential to formalise the parking in some places with marked spaces so that people park more considerately so that what is available is maximised. I think if we come up with some feasible proposals then its harder for people/ officials to automatically poo poo them.
Any other ideas?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 31 Jul 2007, 11:57

Puerto bella wrote:Bearcub - expand, whats the CA?

I'd guess: Campaign Against- a One Way System.

I'm not taking sides in this debate but if like Seanie says there are preclusions for emergency service access then there is not point getting too excited about it.

sicker · Post by **sicker** » 31 Jul 2007, 14:44

This was proposed quite a few years back. On trying to find out why it was not a viable option the council said that the Police were against it, the police on being questioned said that the Fire Brigade objected to it and guess what, when the Fire Brigade were approached they blamed the council. There was also the problem of ambulance access for a wheelchair user.

aileenandfearghal · Post by **aileenandfearghal** » 31 Jul 2007, 15:55

Don't fully understand the emergency services argument. Yes, they may have to drive for an extra minute to get to a property, but the return would be that they would never be faced with trying to pass a car coming the other way on a street which is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass!! Lots of residential areas in the UK have one-way systems due to narrow streets, how do the emergency services deal with this in these places?

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 31 Jul 2007, 18:32

I don't if there are any road regulations covering it. There is a restriction in new build on the number of dwellings that can be accessed from a single direction but I don't know if it applies in other circumstances.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 05 Sep 2007, 22:33

Any news from the CC meeting re: this?

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 06 Sep 2007, 01:37

It didn't come up. I'll raise it next time.

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 16 Sep 2007, 22:35

I still wonder why anyone chooses to try and come down Bath St.
Got caught in a traffis jam there last night as one van driver refused to pull in to let anyone go up.
I curse him and do Monty Python things in his general direction!

We also get a lot of rat runners in the am trying to avoid a bit of the High St

In general I come down Bellfield St or Regent St to try and find parking in Straiton Place and go out via Bath St as there's a chance of getting into the traffic by way of the lights at the top of Bath St. ( thats assuming the Greggs van isnt double parked or some idiot in a people carrier isnt taking up 2 lane and not indicating at all ... grr...)

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