You may have noticed I haven't been my normal prolific self. Unfortunately POP and other things have been keeping me busy. POP is on Saturday (you are coming aren't you!?!) and there is lots to do. As a result this blog is a short, but important one.
The government is good with words, and visions. It is learning to say the right things. However, can we be sure that these good words will translate into good actions?
Today a 'prefered option' was released by Transport Scotland (Scottish Government) for a troublesome junction near Aberdeen. The A90/A96 junction. I don't know much about this area and what the problems are, but the document is worth a quick look. You can find it here. It's specifically worth looking at the Exhibition Panels.
Once again cycling is being shoehorned in. In fact looking at the plans it might not even fit cycling in, and if it does, at best it will be shared use paths. It once again proves the government hasn't learned anything.
Also interesting to note (on page 13) that providing for cycling and pedestrians is seen as a
'constraint' and not a major consideration. As detailed on page 12, it's all about reducing driving times, nothing else. Great. Rather than look at ways of reducing travel times by taking cars off the road, change the roads to take more cars. That'll solve it.
So there we have it. Has the government learned anything? Nope. Is cycling taken seriously yet? Nope.
We could just give up of course, but that's what they want. Please, PLEASE PLEASE, come along to POP on Saturday and make your voice heard. We hope that following POP we can move past the visions and produce a proper roadmap to a safer cycling Scotland, but we need your help!
Hope to see you there.
so little vision... I'd like to see a time comparison to the journey by bicycle if they installed a dedicated bike superhighway like in Copenhagen.
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