BBC HYS: Standards of cycle routes in Scotland (particularly NCR 75)

[David Marsh]

BBC Scotland has just published an article about the standards of cycle
routes in Scotland, particularly relating to a trip along NCR 75, which,
as many know, starts off well in Edinburgh, linking into the existing
local cycle network, has a pleasant Sustrans rail-trail in the middle,
and then is all but forgotten about once the Bucky-burbs of North
Lanarkshire are reached, before finally picking up again if somebody has
had the luck and bravery to successfully navigate the erratic route all
the way from there into the centre of Glasgow.

This article has a "Have Your Say" section, so if there's a particularly
bad section of cycle route in Scotland that you'd like to highlight -
plus the *solutions* needed to improve things, of course - then please
visit the BBC News site.

It may also be useful if cyclists from outwith Scotland who have had the
enjoyment of holidays in Scotland spoiled by the very variable nature of
our cycle routes could also raise that point.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4737899.stm

[i***@hotmail.com]

Post by David Marsh
BBC Scotland has just published an article about the standards of cycle
routes in Scotland, particularly relating to a trip along NCR 75,

Why would anyone choose to follow a Sustrans route from Glasgow to
Edinburgh with all the variable surfaces, and routefinding problems
caused by regular deviations to avoid short sections of main road?
The obvious off road Glasgow/Edinburgh route is the Forth and Clyde
Canal bank. Starts/finishes within a mile of the city centre at each
end. Traffic free. Scenic. Flat. No route finding problems. And other
than the winter months when it gets a bit mushy, a good surface pretty
much all the way.
Iain

[Brian G]

Post by i***@hotmail.com

Post by David Marsh
BBC Scotland has just published an article about the standards of cycle
routes in Scotland, particularly relating to a trip along NCR 75,

Why would anyone choose to follow a Sustrans route from Glasgow to
Edinburgh with all the variable surfaces, and routefinding problems
caused by regular deviations to avoid short sections of main road?
The obvious off road Glasgow/Edinburgh route is the Forth and Clyde
Canal bank. Starts/finishes within a mile of the city centre at each
end. Traffic free. Scenic. Flat. No route finding problems. And other
than the winter months when it gets a bit mushy, a good surface pretty
much all the way.

And ice-creams at the Falkirk Wheel halfway along.
--
Brian G

[David M]

Post by i***@hotmail.com

Post by David Marsh
BBC Scotland has just published an article about the standards of cycle
routes in Scotland, particularly relating to a trip along NCR 75,

Why would anyone choose to follow a Sustrans route from Glasgow to
Edinburgh with all the variable surfaces, and routefinding problems
caused by regular deviations to avoid short sections of main road?
The obvious off road Glasgow/Edinburgh route is the Forth and Clyde
Canal bank.

Indeed.

But from Drumgelloch to Edinburgh, the route is very nice in itself
(there's a little wooded avenue section on the rail-trail near Armadale
that particularly appeals to me for some reason), and it's reasonably
direct from there.

And even, if you travel as part of a large, well-armed, pack, the
riverside route from central Glasgow to Uddingston isn't too bad
(certainly once you get beyond Carmyle) is pleasant enough as another
option for a short local ride.

Unfortunately, between Uddingston and Drumgelloch, the route is pretty
much of a disaster, and while the slothfulness of the local authority
has to account for much of this, the significant difference in altitude
doesn't help either.

And, certainly, if one were wanting to take this general route towards
Edinburgh, the simplest solution would be just to skip this first
section, head out of Glasgow along Duke Street / Edinburgh Road [1] and
only pick up the route at Drumgelloch Station. Or, indeed, you could just
take the train!

[1] At one point in time, Glasgow City Council did even have plans to
make Edinburgh Road more cycle-friendly by introducing bus lanes and/or
cycle lanes. I'm not sure if that's still on the cards or not..


Also, a bit of imagination (and some expenditure) could see a pleasant
cycleway for local access between Coatbridge and Easterhouse/Baillieston
by upgrading the Monkland canal towpath and creating a new trail across
the M73 and M8..

Post by i***@hotmail.com
Starts/finishes within a mile of the city centre at each
end. Traffic free. Scenic. Flat. No route finding problems. And other
than the winter months when it gets a bit mushy, a good surface pretty
much all the way.

I couldn't agree more.

But although NCR 75 as a whole is far from ideal, at least parts of its
parts are worthwhile in themselves (and it's very clear which parts have
supportive Councils doing a better job of signing and on-road route
construction ..and which parts don't). They just don't all add up to make
a coherent whole.

[i***@hotmail.com]

Post by David M
But from Drumgelloch to Edinburgh, the route is very nice in itself
(there's a little wooded avenue section on the rail-trail near Armadale
that particularly appeals to me for some reason), and it's reasonably
direct from there.

I'm not familiar with the eastern section. My comments referred to the
route as a whole.

Post by David M
And, certainly, if one were wanting to take this general route towards
Edinburgh, the simplest solution would be just to skip this first
section, head out of Glasgow along Duke Street / Edinburgh Road [1] and
only pick up the route at Drumgelloch Station. Or, indeed, you could just
take the train!

I would second that. I'm not too familiar with the riverbank path
through Glasgow east end and the route onwards towards Airdrie but I
would be cautious about cycling it alone on weekend evenings. From
Drumgelloch towards Edinburgh is fairly rural and looks a more pleasant
route than the Glasgow city centre to Airdrie section

Post by David M
[1] At one point in time, Glasgow City Council did even have plans to
make Edinburgh Road more cycle-friendly by introducing bus lanes and/or
cycle lanes. I'm not sure if that's still on the cards or not..

I find Glasgows Edinburgh road fairly pleasant to cycle as it is. For
anyone not familiar with it - it's a 6 lane dual carriageway much of
which has a 30 mph limit. It carries mainly local traffic as the
parallel M8 motorway took all the through traffic off. (one example of
a motorway making a permanent improvement to local road conditions).
Iain

[PhilO]

Post by David Marsh
BBC Scotland has just published an article about the standards of cycle
routes in Scotland, particularly relating to a trip along NCR 75
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4737899.stm

There is a bit in there that really sums up following Sustrans routes:
"No sign of where to go...We spotted the entrance to quite a nice cycle
path but it was heading in the wrong direction. It could have been the
path we were meant to have been on, we were never sure."

Nice piece. Thanks

PhilO