Roadworks

Anyone know what's happening on the A701 at Milton Bridge, I see the signs are up for roadworks as of the 3rd of Dec "long delays expected" ?

Not sure, Musicman. Had a look at the council website - http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/Article.aspx?TopicID=0&ArticleID=16679 -
but there was no mention.

This seems to show that the roadworks will be from the A701 down towards Auchendinny http://www.roadworksscotland.org/LocationResults.aspx

I see there are also roadwork signs at Straiton (just before the Ikea / Sainsbury roundabout) and one in Bilston- Here's hoping that there are not actually going to be 3 sets of works at the same time, also looks like Liberton Braes about to be blessed with more roadworks as well!!

The roadworks are apparently all to do with bus priority lanes. I'll admit to having to read that twice, bus priority lanes on the A701 between Penicuik & Straiton - Why ? As a regular bus user in my own experience the buses tend to run along this section with little trouble and if there is any I doubt a few hundred yards of dedicated lane will make any difference. If it's getting buses into Edinburgh faster that is the desired effect then maybe the council need to ask a certain operator to re-introduce a bus service that remotely resembles an Express service at peak times. Tonight I got an X47 at the same time as I got a 37 last night and got home at the same time, the X47 and its X77 predicessor used to be an ideal way of getting people in and out of Edinburgh at speed but not now as it takes as long to stop at every pillar and post from Newington into the City Centre as it takes to get from Penicuik to Newington! Yet Lasswade and Bonnyrigg have an X31 which truely is an Express service, like the once X77. I know that something along this lines would not be overly suitable in terms of passenger numbers off peak but during peak times it would be an excellent way to travel.


http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/Article.aspx?TopicID=0&ArticleID=16679

It will be interesting to see exactly where they propose to put these bus lanes. Apart from the dual carriageway at either end of that section of the road, I would not have thought that the road was wide enough to have bus lanes. If they do put them on the dual carriageway at Auchendinny then it will be interesting to see what happens at the end of the dualled part. The cars will be backed up because they cannot use the bus lane. The buses will then have to force themselves in front of the other vehicles to get out of the bus lane.

Has this got anything to do with the new park and ride at Straiton? If so, I can't understand the logic of putting in priority lanes before reaching Straiton (if you're travelling north)?

This makes interesting reading, guess how many sets of traffic lights the cooncil are intending sticking on the A701 before you read it..

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewGazetteDocument.aspx?atdocid=4587294&GeoType=Edinburgh&categorydocids=112&lastissuecount=10

I can't help wondering if the proposals will help speed up the flow of traffic on this road or whether they are more likely to cause more pollution through congestion. Perhaps they have a surplus of money to spend and this is all they can think of.

b. New signals at Auchendinny junction - I hope that this is not going to be signals from the dual carriageway to Auchendinny as that will just mean more congestion.

f. Bus lanes to Bilston Roundabout - As I said earlier, I wouldn't have thought that the road was wide enough to include a bus lane on both sides of the road.

g. Bus lanes and signals at Nivensknowe junction - Is that the junction that goes into Loanhead or are they talking about the junction into the caravan park? There are already signals at the turn off into Loanhead so I doubt whether it could be that one.

h. New signals at Ikea Roundabout - Do we really need signals here? I wouldn't have thought that the amount of traffic coming from Ikea or Damhead would justify it.

j. Bus lanes between Damhead and Sainsbury’s Roundabout - This should be interesting as the road is narrow enough without trying to squeeze the motorists even more.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, here is the latest on the bus priority lanes. By the sounds of things it looks as if the idea was presented as a fait accompli http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Buses-to-get-priority-on.3647111.jp

'fait accomplit' Andy?

Isn't that what they were accused of over the closure of all the centres in Penicuik? You would have tought they might have learned from the backlash on that.

In terms of bus lanes down there - I think it's excellent. I have only been driving a couple of years but I drive everywhere else but I catch the bus into Edinburgh. In general it is faster and cheaper, and I have always been a pedestrian/bus user and would use public transport where I could. Moves to make it even more effective are positive in my view. (What they do with the state of the roads and the snarl up in getting through central Edinburgh is a whole other question.)

On the cycle lanes - I am terrified of them. No, I don't cycle, I drive there on my way to work. I work odd shifts, so I need to drive up the A701 to the bypass. Currently I seem to drive mostly in the dark. I have only ever seen cyclists along there in the dark - some unlit, some with flashing blinkers (which it is easy to miss) and a few with all the fluorescent stuff. I would forbid any of my loved ones from using those cycle lanes - they just seem too dangerous to me. I would like a little kerb between the cycle lane and the car lanes, just to feel a bit safer. It would slow down any cars attempting to drive in that bit and protect cyclists. If the council are really trying to help cyclists along there - good.

Quote :

'fait accomplit' Andy?

Interestingly if you use google it seems that there are two versions, with and without the 't' . However, I checked a couple of dictionaries and this is the version that I used http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?accompli

Anyway, I have nothing against bus lanes especially since I tend to use buses more than cars. However, it all depends on where they will be put , and whether it will improve matters. Will the buses speed up or will there be bottlenecks when they try to join the other vehicles? Will it cause more congestion if the other traffic is forced to use one lane? I can see the advantages going into town after Straiton, especially during the rush hour (if only people wouldn't park their cars). However, I'm not sure whether it will make that much of a difference just before Bilston.

As for cycle lanes, I use them but not in the dark. In some cases I like them but sometimes the condition of that part of the road is in a pretty bad way A little kerb would be a nice idea but I think the road would need to be a bit wider for that to happen.

I didn't mean to challenge your grammar, Andy. I was really meaning that after the closure of Town Hall/Ladywood/Jackson Street fait accompli(t) and non-consultation exercise and the debacle that followed, I would have thought that Midlothian Council might have learned that lesson. Clearly they have not.

I see that the Community Council are again pointing out that consultation might be helpful - and a consultation period before the work started might have answered a lot of the questions that you and I, and lots af others, are raising.

One day Midlothian Council might learn what consultation means. Let's hope!

Here is some more news about the proposed traffic lights on the A701 http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/New-traffic-lights-planned-for.3671121.jp

I really do hope that they are not proposing to put bus lanes and a set of traffic lights on the dual carriageway between the Gowkley Moss roundabout and Milton bridge. If they put bus lanes there then that will leave only one lane for cars going to/from Penicuik. Drivers coming from Auchendinny will benefit by being able to cross over the 'dual carriageway'. However, every time the lights change it will hold up traffic, reduced from two lanes to one travelling to/from Penicuik which is already bad enough at the peak times.

Oh, and just to put some icing on the cake, they're proposing a pedestrian crossing at the roundabout which will no doubt cause more hold ups. I presume they will put it near to the bus stops which will help to stop the traffic again, just before it reaches the roundabout. On the other hand I wonder just how often that is likely to be used? Is it really necessary? Then there are all the other proposals that have still to be implemented, see my previous post.

I think that the lights at Milton Bridge are just an unfortunate side effect of making the junction safer for traffic coming up from Auchendinny, the crossing a Gowkley I also believe is a good thing as using the bus stops there must really a dangerous persuit for pedestrians especially during peak times. However to think on putting lights at Ploverhall and at the Ikea roundabout is just asking for traffic jams and will only serve to cancel out any advantage that bus lanes will give. Still we can always have a game of 'spot the traffic light'!

Sure Midlothian must be trying to keep up with Edinburgh in it's traffic management schemes

On a plus note everyone travelling out of Penicuik at the moment in the mornings just sit in one long slow moving traffic jam anyway so at least we are getting prepared..

I thought I was doing well tonight when I just managed to catch a number 47 at half past four tonight. However, we were held up for about 15 minutes at Bilston Does anyone know why? Anyway, if the work at Milton bridge is anything to go by, I suspect that all these proposed "improvements" are going to cause more congestion in the coming weeks

There are 3 way traffic lights at Ploverhall roundabout, the roundabout itself has been removed and when I passed after six all that was left was a pile of rubble at the side of the road hence having to leave the lights on. Why there was no signs up that work would be getting done there is anyones guess.

Anyway the commute is really getting me and I'm sure everyone else down at the moment, Midlothian digging up the A701 everywhere and Edinburgh City Centre looking like a large building site - will it all be worth it????

Well, I didn't think that it could get any worse but it did This morning I went for my usual bus at 6.40am. Usually a 15a comes a couple of minutes before my 47 but today there were 3 buses. The 15a, a first bus and then mine. The 15a stopped and the first bus stopped in the middle of the road to pick up someone else in the queue. In the confusion my bus sailed passed and I missed it .

However, a few minutes later a 37 came and I grabbed it. Just after Gowkley moss roundabout there was a long tailback and we waited for ages. Eventually we started moving but only because cars were starting to make U turns. Finally we came close enough to Ploverhall roundabout and that's when I discovered what the hold up was. All three sets of traffic lights were permanently at RED There were hardly any cars coming towards Penicuik at that time but some people didn't want to jump a RED light. By this time I was seeing RED. Finally after a car in front finished dithering and ended up heading towards Hillend by mistake, the bus managed to barge it's way through the lights. Normally I make it to my work by 7.45am at the latest but today it was 8.20

The answer to the problems of traffic, turn off the traffic lights! Last night, lights where switched off on Princes Street (junction at Mound controlled by traffic warden in middle of road), lights at Ploverhall out again a worker manually controlling traffic. Everything ran smoothly! Gold medal should go to the guy at Ploverhall for putting up with some irresponsible driving - the car that drove straight at him getting the numpty of the year award!

Funny you should mention that Last week when I was on my way to work, the traffic lights were not working at the foot of Leith Walk. It was amazing how well the traffic was flowing without any help at all.

And there's more....
Apparently from the 25th of Feb roadworks will be starting on the A701 at Straiton cottages (don't know if it's in connection with the park & ride) then there are also be roadworks through Newington with 4 lanes reduced to 2.

Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% in favour of buses and public transport in general being given priority. But having a couple of hundred yards of bus lane isn't going to achieve anything - especially not on a piece of straight road with no obstacles.

Existing case in point is the road up Birdiehouse. Buses have a lane all to themselves on the road up to Kaimes junction, but then have to turn into the rest of the traffic at the top when there's a car parked on the insode lane.

Same with Edinburgh - Newington for instance. I can't see that the designated bus lanes remove more than a minute or two from journey times, as at just about every stop buses have to turn out and join the rest of the traffic to negitiate parked cars.

No good wasting money on half measures. You've got to either ban parking altogether on main arterial roads giving buses an obstacle-free road; reduce the level of cars on the roads (a congestion charge is the first thing I think of for this, but obviously it's been voted out); or simplifying the road system - reducing traffic lights, roundabouts, and other stop/start obstacles.

So there

There is one particularly pointless section of bus lane which appears just after the roundabout as you are coming from Edinburgh. It can only be about 20 feet long and means that the cars must be in the outside lane on the roundabout before they approach the bus lane and then they immediately have to pull in because the road narrows to one lane I don't think that there will be many drivers who avoid using this particular bus lane at any time.

They've done it again As if it was not bad enough having temporary traffic lights just before Bilston, this morning I had to wait in another queue in Bilston. It seems that they were making the pavement kerb higher at one of the bus stops so that it will be easier for people to board buses that cannot lower themselves. I notice that they have also put up traffic lights near the small roundabout in Bilston.

Anyway, here is a picture of the bus lane that I was talking about in my previous post. This part of the road was bad enough before they did this as there have been two fatal accidents there but I suspect that this will not improve matters. It just confuses drivers about which lane they should be in, depending on the time of day and day of the week. My son is taking driving lessons at the moment and his instructor is really annoyed as it is bad enough for experienced drivers but it must be much worse for learners.

Some very interesting and sensible comments in this article about the on going works http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/A701-work-leaves-motorists-fuming.3790555.jp