Pistonheaders in Edinburgh

[ardvaark]

Check out and complete the transport survey before it's too late:

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/traffic/HYS/

[McNab]

When did it appear? Must be recent, which is typically unfair - there was no mention of it when the HYS was launched.

[ardvaark]

No idea when it appeared. I didn't see it last week.
I phoned them for a questionaire but haven't received it yet. It'll probably arrive after the closing date but I don't suppose they'll take any notice anyway.

[Neil Menzies]

I've already filled this in online. Its been there for a while, but in true HHGG style, it seems to have been publicised by keeping it in a locked filing cabinet in a basement in a cupboard with a label on the door saying 'Beware of the leopard!'

The leaflet versions have been around to, but only to those in the know, i.e. Transport 2000 et al.

Article in todays Evening News saying that some anti-congestion charge counsellor has been 'tampering' allegedly with the consultation, so they're going to ignore some of the anti views. What a surprise. Also, as posted on ABD, they have already been advertising for a 'congestion charge administrator'.

Great consultation. Not.

[douglasr]

There is some sense to some of the arguments. You cannot develop new car parks, bus routes and rail links without adequate funding - the money has to come from somewhere. I lived in Edinburgh for 8 years and still work there and it is far to busy - far to many people drive into work and to shop. The £2 will not stop many from driving in, but over the next 10-20 years it may provide citizens of and vistors to Edinburgh with a superior transport system.

I now take the train into Edinburgh - its a lot easier. This should be encouraged - we dont want to get like London/Birmingham/Manchester (pre light rail system).

[JohnL]

In fairness I've seen the leaflet versions in shops around for a couple of weeks (posted mine today just in time!)

This may or may not be connected - but there's been an announcement that there's funding (£5M mind you which doesn't sound a lot) to develop a light rail/tram link from Haymarket to the Gyle. Now call be ignorant, but - isn't there a useful rail link already that could be made to stop a little more often? And why do they have to put in rails at great expense, can't they just use buses, with electric overhead cables if they want to move the pollution out of the city?

[ardvaark]

Yeah, they've got some mis-guided romantic notion that trams will bring harmony to the city streets. An underground is the only sensible way forward, but Edinbvrgh council is too short sighted to see it. They are only interested in doing things conspicuously, not properly. My council tax already costs an arm and a leg, for which I get precious little, now they want an extra 700 odd quid.

[JohnL]

An underground! Strewth as if a tram wasn't expensive enough, an underground would add a zero!

Would be nice though. But Glasgow and London only have them because the Victorians had very cheap labour.

[Nevin]

Although apparetnly there are such a huge number of tunnels under Edinburgh that an underground wouldn't quite be the mammoth task which people think. I seem to recall this being discussed a few years ago along with a huge carpark under George Street. Would obviously still be expensive though.

Anyone who thinks Edinburgh is busy is deluded though. I can drive from Currie on the very outskirts into the city centre to work in about 30 minutes. The same distance from my flat in London to work, the one and only time I did it (mid-morning as well and not rush hour) took two hours.