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Wednesday, 4th November 2009 Change Date Latest Issue

Rail line on track to be a bike path

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Published Date: 04 April 2008
By ADRIAN MATHER
A DISUSED railway line is set to be turned into a cycle path as part of a project to create a new link between the Capital and Midlothian.
Under plans by sustainable transport charity Sustrans Scotland, the old line between Millerhill and Loanhead is to be dismantled and transformed into a walking and cycling route.

City councillors are to consider plans for a stretch of the route –
parallel to Gilmerton Station Road, between Lasswade junction and Old Dalkeith Road – at a meeting next week.

But while the move has been welcomed by cycle campaigners, concerns have been raised that transforming the rail line – unused since the 1970s – would mean that it could not be brought back into use in the future.

John Lauder, Sustrans national director for Scotland, said the project would provide a "fabulous walking and cycling" route.

He said: "It would also become one of the only traffic-free routes out of the city and under the bypass, giving people an attractive and healthy option for getting around."

In a report to councillors, the city's head of planning and strategy Alan Henderson recommended councillors back the scheme and said proposals to run public transport on the route would be "unlikely within the near future".

He said: "The provision of a cycleway will not jeopardise the potential use of the site as a public transport corridor – any proposals for which are unlikely within the short to medium term.

"The cycleway in this location will also enhance the recreational benefits of the greenbelt on the south side of Edinburgh."

A move to open up the rail line as a cycle path was first suggested in 2006, when a huge cycle network was outlined for the south-east of Edinburgh.

Cycling campaign group Spokes said it would be a "great addition" to the Capital's network of bike routes.

Spokesman Ian Maxwell said: "We would be very pleased to see a significant addition like this built into Edinburgh's network of cycle paths.

"It will be created in a part of Edinburgh that has very few of these routes, so it would be a great addition for the city.

"We are always happy to see extra provisions for cyclists and I am sure this would be a well-used and attractive cycle path if it goes ahead."

Councillors are expected to approve the plans at a meeting of the city's planning committee next week.

• www.sustrans.org.uk
• www.edinburgh.gov.uk
• www.spokes.org.uk





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 04 April 2008 2:09 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Midlothian , Cycling
 
1

Andrew,

04/04/2008 12:17:35
THIS COULD ALSO BE MORE USEFULLY RESISTATED as a new rail/tram route to PENICUIK!!!
2

eric,

Lothian 04/04/2008 12:25:12
Glasgows turning its disused lines & tunnels into tram/trains and we get a Bike track !
3

Brian M,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 12:41:55
who will pay for it?

not Sustrans I expect, but the poor council taxpayer yet again
4

druidh,

edinburgh 04/04/2008 13:08:46
#3 - but if it means that some folk will choose to travel by bike rather than car, is it an investment worth making?
5

Curious Yellow,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 13:09:36
#4 - no.
6

Scorpion54,

Penicuik 04/04/2008 13:44:58
#1 Since the railway line goes from Loanhead to Millerhill, how would you connect Penicuik to Loanhead.

I can't imagine that many people other than walkers/pedal cyclists would want to go between Loanhead and Millerhill. If the route went between Penicuik and the centre of Edinburgh that would be a different matter.
7

Brian M,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 16:38:24
Cycling campaign group Spokes said it would be a "great addition".

How much money will they contribute?
8

CRAGman,

04/04/2008 17:08:08
Since any tram south from Edinburgh will go via the new Royal Infirmary, it would make sense to evaluate an extension not to Newcraighall - which has heavy rail and bus connections already - but rather to Danderhall and hence to Loanhead and Penicuik. From Bilston to Penicuik the trams could run on road as was previously proposed (and the route safeguarded) in the days of Lothian Regional Council's Metro proposals.

A cycle route is OK short-term but the route has far more value as a public transport corridor.
9

Artemis,

04/04/2008 17:32:05
#5 - why not?

#7 - about as much as the AA and RAC contribute to road-building.
10

Urban Guerrilla,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 17:37:28
Turn it into a pavement and then it will be very heavily used by cyclists.
11

Brian M,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 18:25:40
If the cyclists want a cycle path then let them raise the funds for it, not the council tax payers
12

frannylee,

Penicuik 04/04/2008 19:23:19
#1couldn't agree more. #6 Yes we know that but the point is why not re-open the rail link from Penicuik to Edinburgh. As a fellow Penicuiker you know how congested the roads to the City are, and it will get worse as Penicuik and the surrounding areas get more houses. It would make a lot more sense to have spent money on this instead of the stupid trams in Edinburgh. As far as cyclists are concerned they already have a link from Midlothian to Edinburgh, it's called a road!!
13

Brian M,

Edinburgh 04/04/2008 20:12:23
#12
"As far as cyclists are concerned they already have a link from Midlothian to Edinburgh, it's called a road"

So true.

The new-born cyclists should raise their own funds for cycling routes
14

Plantagenet,

04/04/2008 21:33:00
11. Surely you're not suggesting that cyclists should stump up cash for their cycle track, no chance, you'll never get any money out of them, that's actually why they cycle, nothing to do with save the planet, they're just a shower of miserable, mean, penny pinching gits. Look around your office at the cyclists, I bet they're the ones who borrow your newspaper, stink the place out with their sweaty, wet gear on the radiators, and hide in the loo when any collections come round, like I say, miserable shower of gits.
15

Andrew,

04/04/2008 22:48:49
1 & 12. A TOTAL dis-regarded of ready-made transport
'lines' of infrastructure! A scandalously criminal waste of such OBVIOUS re-usable resources! Beep=Beep!
16

Tommy Tank,

Edinburgh 05/04/2008 11:15:50
Believe it when you see it.....Sustrans and the Lib Dem-led council made a big fuss about the reopening of the cycle path at the Rodney Street tunnel by Tesco in Canonmills (the Lib Dems featured it heavily in their council election propaganda in May 2007). The tunnel still hasn't been completed, due to lack of funds, one year after the strengthening work was completed.

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Dark-days-for-city-cyclists.3304225.jp
17

Robbierunciman,

Romney Marsh 05/04/2008 11:23:37
A rail link would be best but the authorities should take note of a trial starting in 2010 in south Yorks of a tram/train to run on tram tracks and heavy rail. It is lighter than a convential train and faster than a conventional tram and could run on road sections, where necessary. These are already common in Europe.

Bike track conversion is not a one way process, look at the new railway between Bathgate and Airdrie and more controversially, the ludicrous plans near Bristol to turn a heavily used cycle path into a 'guided busway'. At least in scotland they are puting the bike track back after the railway is built.

re cyclist should pay,#11 and #13, remember we pay council tax and road tax too (cos we drives too y'know) - cyclists are usualy smarter commuters and choose appropriate methods of transport and currently we are forced to subsidize those who mostly use buses or, more insidiously, the fat pratts who drive everywhere.
18

Level Headed,

Edinburgh 06/04/2008 10:45:05
This is a good idea and I dont see how it could harm future chances of a railway. As has been pointed out the Airdrie-Bathgate is on a cycle route and the 1b phase of Edinburgh Trams up to Granton is in a similar position. If anything it will help becuase I imagine they would have to lift decrepit old track to put in the route (something which would have to be done anyway if they were putting in a new rail link). And thankfully they are not suggesting putting in a guided busway!!

11 - Use the same old statement!! - Its funny how a lot of drivers seem to think Road Tax and Council Tax only applies to them! - Do you seriously think your Road Tax covers the full cost of upkeeping the roads?






19

Sassenach Observer,

back pedalling 08/04/2008 21:54:33
Of course converting an existing railway track to a cycle path will jeopardise its reuse as a railway. There would be any amount of whingeing by Spokes et al, not to mention all those people who will have bought property along the trackway who won't want noisy trains in their backyard.

I am surprised everyone doesn't cycle these days, given that we have the choice of cycling on the road, the pavement plus dedicated cycle paths not to mention the fact that traffic lights simply don't apply.

 

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