Transport

CANONMILLS — WHAT A MESS!

Submitted by Editor on Fri, 30/06/2023 - 09:34

Canonmills and neighbouring streets are an unsightly and trip-hazardous jummle.

So says Napier Bathrooms’ Johnny Bacigalupo.

This morning, he contacted the Spurtle with a photo catalogue of shortcomings, many of which he blames on Council neglect.

Canon Street

STAND-OFF ON RODNEY STREET

Submitted by Editor on Sun, 12/03/2023 - 11:55

CHARLIE ELLIS CONSIDERS EDINBURGH’S BATTIEST BUS ROUTE

As I sat in Hata (5 Rodney Street), sipping a satisfying cortado, I witnessed a stand-off. Who would come out on top?

At the junction, two single-decker buses came face to face. One was coming up the hill and the other down, both wanting to make the tight turn onto Broughton Road.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING CASE

Submitted by Editor on Thu, 02/02/2023 - 11:19

First of Its Kind in Scotland

[From the Scotsman, 16 January 1936.]

An unusual case, the first of its kind in Scotland, was heard by Sheriff M‘Donald at Hamilton Sheriff Court yesterday, when John Mitchell, 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow, denied a charge of having on October 21 last committed a contravention of the Pedestrian Crossing Places Provisional Regulations, by failing to allow free and uninterrupted passage to two pedestrians, one a woman of 75 years, at the junction of Main Street and Church Street, Cambuslang at the pedestrian crossing situated there.

DEMANDS FOR SAFER ELM ROW DESIGN

Submitted by Editor on Mon, 04/04/2022 - 08:03

In a deputation to the Transport & Environment Cmte last week, the Community Councils Together for Trams Group (CCTTG) raised safety issues about the design of future public realm in Elm Row (east side, London Rd–Montgomery St) for pedestrians and cyclists.*

CCTTG (represented on Thursday by Leith Central Community Council’s Harald Tobermann and New Town & Broughton CC’s Mike Birch) describes itself as a critical friend of the Tram Project.

TRAM RETURNS TO BROUGHTON

Submitted by Editor on Sun, 27/03/2022 - 15:30

On Thursday last week, a tram reached York Place for the first time since 10 February – but just to test the newly reconfigured track.

Accompanied by dozens of tram contractors, the tram took the better part of an hour to inch its way from halfway along York Place to the current end of the tram line: a large planter at the top of Broughton Street. At points along the way, contractors measured the distances from the overhead line poles and the central reservation to crucial parts of the tram.

TRAMWORKS — LATEST

Submitted by Editor on Sun, 10/10/2021 - 21:04

A new phase of work in the Trams to Broughton project starts on Monday, 11 October.

As before, one line of traffic will run towards Leith from York Place.

But instead of a roundabout, there will now be a junction to go left into Gayfield Square, straight ahead down Leith Walk, or right into London Road.

Traffic will NOT be able to turn right out of London Road along Leith Walk. Anyone wishing to access Leith will have first to turn left and go up round the temporary construction site at Picardy Place before heading north.

FULL CIRCLE AT THE BOUNDARY

Submitted by Editor on Sun, 29/08/2021 - 08:59

The pulley wheel shown in the photo here has emerged from recent tramwork excavations on Leith Walk.

Archaeologists will determine its significance, but to Spurtle observers it looks like evidence of the former cable-drawn Edinburgh tram system.

From 1899, it ran as far north as Pilrig Street, whereupon passengers would transfer to the more efficient electrically powered trams operated by Leith Town Council.

BAD VIBRATIONS GIVE LOCALS THE EXCITATIONS

Submitted by Editor on Fri, 27/08/2021 - 15:36

Much heavy traffic, including buses, has been diverted along Leopold Pl during Leith Walk tramworks. The resulting damage to the carriageway is causing troublesome vibration for residents.

Living at the border of both community council areas and Council wards, these locals have had trouble gaining the attention of officials.

Their homes are in Leith Walk ward, but the road outside is in the City Centre. Neither the Tram Team nor the Council’s Diversion Team have been keen to tackle the problem.