Cycling in to Waverley Station

06 May 2016 at 17:04 // under Cycling Safety

I have been on holiday for the last week and have made a number of trips into Edinburgh during the week and have taken a bike with me to help get around the city.

In the distant past, to get a bike in or out of Waverly, you would simply walk the bike over to one of the two ramps leading up onto Waverley bridge and join with the traffic like any other road.

Then due to the danger of terrorism, both the ramps were closed to all vehicles and only opened by exception for deliveries (and the occasional bus replacement service). Cyclists were then expected to walk up one of the narrow footways with many other pedestrians. The footway was only just wide enough for a cyclist to walk beside their bike, leaving no room for any pedestrians or other cyclists to pass walking in the other direction. The worst part was that while you were fighting past others in this narrow gap, you could see a completely empty road the other side of the fence.

It was so ridiculous it made it into the national press.

Last year, someone saw some sense (probably after getting phone calls from the press) and a new cycle lane was installed.

Time to celebrate?

As a result of this week, I have had several chances to review the new cycle lane. Once you get to the bottom of the ramp, cyclists are to dismount and go through a small gate to the right.

Makes sense, the main concourse and most trains are in that direction.

Except when you consider that the bicycle parking is to the left at the bottom of the ramp. So once again cyclists are walking their bikes through the narrow gap around the base of the turning circle again with lots of pedestrians also in the area than having a second gate leading straight to the cycle parking.

I almost think Waverley managment want an accident to happen.

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