City buses face tight squeeze as new cycle lanes come into effect
● Just five inches on either side is ‘a lot to expect of a driver in traffic’
Lothian Buses has raised concerns about some of Edinburgh City Council’s Covid crisis road changes after it emerged that narrowing of the carriageway on a key route will leave buses and HGVS with less than five inches of space on either side.
Segregated cycleways on Comiston Road – where work is due to begin this week – will reduce the width of the road available for other vehicles.
And the bus company has said while such a tight squeeze might be unavoidable at pinch points, it was “a lot to expect” its drivers to cope with in busy traffic over a prolonged distance. Lothian added there was “little or no consultation” from the council over cycle lane proposals.
In a letter, Lothian Buses road manager John White said: “While we do see benefits in the proposals for Comiston Road – e.g. reduction of speed limit to 30mph, easier approaches and exits for buses at bus stops – we do have concerns about the width of the running lanes, which at 3.25m are only 250mm (9.8 inches) wider than a bus or HGV.
“While this can be acceptable at a pinch point, it is a lot to expect of a driver to deal with this in busy traffic for over 2km especially as in some areas the width will be further reduced by parked cars that are wider than the parking spaces.”
Fairmilehead Community Council claimed the number of cyclists and pedestrians using Comiston Road was “minimal”, even with the Covid lockdown. Secretary Norman Tinlin said: “The main concern is this is going ahead without consultation. A lot of houses on that main drag don’t have drives. Where are they going to park their cars?”
Colinton/fairmilhead Tory councillor Jason Rust said just 36 out of 140 submissions to the council on the proposals were in favour of them. “I am really disappointed that the council is forging ahead with these proposals, which have been overwhelmingly rejected by local residents and that there has been refusal to engage fully with the local householders,” he said.
“The council is hiding behind the screen of Covid to push through unpopular and inappropriate measures and is treating powerless residents with absolute contempt.”
Transport convener Lesley Macinnes said accommodating public transport on the roads was “extremely important” and the council had worked with Lothian Buses on the changes. But she claimed there had been strong support for a segregated cycle lane on Comiston Road.
A Lothian Buses spokeswoman said: “We have established a close dialogue with the council regarding the temporary Spaces for People proposals for Comiston Road. Welookforwardtocontinuing these conversations.”