DEDICATED MOTORCYCLE PARKING BAYS IN EDINBURGH UNDER THREAT

Dedicated motorcycle bays in Edinburgh are under threat, if Council proposals detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO/09/76) are not modified drastically.

Under these proposals over 100 of the 150 dedicated bike bays in Edinburgh's central Controlled Parking Zones would be reassigned as Permit Holder Parking, Shared Use bays or Pay and Display Bays.

Bikes will be able to use shared use bays free of charge, but these bays are open to other categories of vehicle such as cars and vans who would pay to use the bay as well as permit holders.

While appreciating that planners have to do a delicate balancing act trying to satisfy heavily oversubscribed parking demand in central Edinburgh, simplification and clarification of parking regulations is long overdue. MAG is greatly concerned that the measures proposed will have a very detrimental effect on motorcyclists ability to park safely and securely in central Edinburgh.

Consequently if you ride a motorcycle, moped or scooter and live or work in Edinburgh or use these bike parking bays as a visitor NOW is the time to let the Council know what you think of their proposals if you do not want to lose dedicated motorcycle bays in Edinburgh.

Objections need to be made to the planning department before 2nd March 2010.
Update: the consultation period has been extended until 31 March 2010, 'to allow for the correction of a number of small errors'.
Contact details for objections are available on the TRO/09/76 web page.

Anyone else notice that the Councils Letter to Residents Re TRO-09-76 doesn't seem to mention the changes to bike parking. At all.

What can you do?
Get more information on MAGs position here, including the original proposal, a list of our concerns, current contacts and links to interactive zone maps (zipped pdf files).
A map of the parking zones can be found here, to identify which affect you.
Council information on motorcycle parking can be found here.
Council information on TRO's can be found here, TRO/09/76 is the one to look for.
Have a look at this parking bay list and let us know if any of the parking bays listed are incorrect in any way, such as those below:

• We need to know if the addresses obtained from the plans are accurate and of any anomalies or errors associated with the plans.
• We need to know if bays are essential/well used and have security provided e.g railings (security or just fencing) that Motorcycles can be chained to, are well marked or otherwise, or if bays have fallen into disuse/been allocated to other vehicles/uses.
• We need to know if there are other marked Solo M/C bays not shown on the plans or listed in the Coucil web-site.
• We also need evidence from those currently using shared parking outside of the Central Edinburgh CPZ of the approximate frequency and damage caused by other vehicles.

If you have some feedback on these points, or want more information, please drop us a line to parkinedinburgh@live.com and we'll collate and update our information. Please also let us know how your communication with the authorities goes.
We will provide further information, as we get it, including, our poster, fliers, press releases and a guide or draft letter.
We also have a petition which will be handed in to the TIE committee. If you know others who feel strongly about this, please download a copy and collect some signatures. A return address is on the petition or it can be handed in either at one of our meetings or to the MAG stand at the Scottish Bike Show.
We are also looking into holding a demo run in early May to hand in the petition. Details to follow.

 This is the web site for Edinburgh and District Motorcycle Action Group

We meet at The Meadow Bar, 42 Buccleuch St, Edinburgh EH8 9LP, on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month at about 8.30pm onwards. Except when we are out and about for the 2nd of the two monthly meetings, for which the venue will be listed below. We are fairly flexible about the meeting start time, although there is usually someone there roughly on time.

February's 2nd meeting was held at The Centurion, 243-5 Saint John's Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7XD, Corstorphine. Still sitting in the lounge bar area, but generally quieter and ok for the meeting. We'll give it another go for the 2nd March meeting on the 15th.

West Lothian meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month at The Dovehill Arms,18-20 West Main Street, Uphall, West Lothian, EH52 5DW. After feedback at the AGM we will continue to hold these meetings at least for the next 6 months or so, to see how interest levels go. The February meeting had 7 attendees who are currently happy to keep it relatively relaxed, so heres to the future. New contact details are Tel: 07970 688660 and edinburgh.mag@live.com.

We'll post any future meeting place developments here.

What we're here for:

We are involved in campaigns on local issues (like secure bike parking and access to Green lanes) as well as campaigning on national and European issues.

A video presented by MAG UK President Ian Mutch can be found on YouTube, which gives some background to some of the campaigns that MAG has been involved in.

One of those campaigns concerns the new swerve test, which the aforementioned Mr Mutch attempted recently. A short clip can be seen at Mutch Motorcycle Test.

We are also here to have social nights/drinks and fun with like minded people.

Current National campaigns are listed on the MAG Central website.

There are also now Facebook pages for both National MAG and Edinburgh locally. Search for Motorcycle Action Group and keep fingers crossed. If I can wangle a direct link I'll add it here.

Current local issues are the new CPZ changes and access for bikes in bus lanes. Some reluctance on the side of officialdom, so more work needed here.

I've added a gallery! Well bits of one, hey its a start. Gallery.

Forthcoming events:

The MAG (UK) stand will once again be at the Scottish Motorcycle Show at Ingliston, 20th and 21st March. Drop by, find out what we do, sign the CPZ petition or drop off completed ones. Take out or renew your membership. Hope to see you there.

Edinburgh and District MAG have organised a run on Sunday 28th March. Err, thats all the detail I have currently, theres more info on the Edinburgh MAG Facebook page. Just got to find my way to it (without joining...).

The MAG Scotland Easter Egg Run will not take place in 2010. No doubt a few others will be going ahead this year, feel free to let us know if you're organisng one.
We've recently heard that the Glasgow Egg Run has been picked up and is going ahead. This is now being organised by a group outside of MAG, but who are continuing doing the run in aid of Yorkhill Childrens Hospital. Easter Sunday 4th April, assemble Govan Rd from 12pm for 1pm start. Facebook page with further details here
Alternatvely, the Dundee Bikers Forum will be holding their 5th Easter Egg Run on Sat 3rd April. Meeting at Scotriders Training School, 74 East Dock St, Dundee. DD3 9TE From 11.30am for a 1pm departure. All welcome, please bring an egg and £5. Money to be donated to Glenlaw House Respite Unit for severely disabled children.
An update to the MAG Scotland Easter Egg Run status can be found here. We'll carry any further updates as we get them.

Changes to CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone?) Traffic Regulations in Edinburgh will provide a good excuse to rant ... write a letter to the appropriate authorities. Suggestion seems to be to amalgamate some of the Solo M/C bays into 'shared' parking bays. Its a bit more complicated than that (some bays will be unaffected). Currently the official line is that it is proposed that formal objections be sought between 2nd February and 5th March with the final report being presented to the Transport Committee in May or July.
We will try to provide further information including a draft letter and contacts for mailing them to.
Didn't you notice the stuff at the top of the page?

Access to Edinburgh Bus Lanes rumbles on, information behind it is here, and an update is below.
"Largely thanks to the efforts of Councillor Stuart MacIvor who put forward a motion to seek a fresh report on Bikes in Bus-lanes after discussions with MAG and the BMF, the Edinburgh Council Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee has unanimously agreed to ask for a fresh report on bikes in bus-lanes from officials.
The report is expected shortly after the conclusion of the London Trials in June.
While we recognise that effort will be required when the report is published to highlight the many advantages to motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users this is a positive step forward towards improving Edinburgh's infrastructure for the ever increasing number of motorcyclists and scooter users, who use PTW's to beat the Capitals congestion."

MAG are beginning the run up to next years elections with the Riders are Voters campaign. More information here.

Whats been happening recently:

The biggie:

The Edinburgh MAG Ag Ol Anns An Achadh Rally was held on 5th to 7th June 2009.
Further updates pending once we all recover enough. We're getting there.

MAG Annual Group Conference took place on Saturday, April 4, 2009, hosted this year by NE Region at Hurworth Grange, Darlington. A few MAG Scotland members went down at the suggestion of Steve (the regional rep), getting caught out when invited up to receive the Steve Tannock Award for Teamwork following the FEMA conference last year!

Followed a couple of weeks later with a run to Darlington MAGs Resprung Spring Thing. A one-nighter held at the Tan Hill Inn at t' top of Yorkshire National Park. Good beer, pub food and a small hall for the band. Also Darlington Steves un-birthday (hence the various Alice in Wonderland costumes...). Camping beside the pub, quite nice when we arrived after a run down via the A7, but heading for baltic at 2AM! The run back included some of the areas fun roads, though fully laden in touristy mode we weren't about to keep up with the locals Then the run alongside Hadrians Wall. See, touristy.

The MAG Scotland Multi Purpose Test Centre (MPTC) Demonstration - A Test Too Far - took place on Saturday 9th May from the Tay Road Bridge,Dundee. Up to 100 bikes took part in what seems to have been well received and reported in the (local) press. Route took us iover the bridge to the city, around the centre and out to Invergowrie where we got a few speeches from the organisers. Thanks to all for organising and attending. No thanks to the weather on the way back South. Photos in our gallery, there's even a video of it on YouTube: MPTC Dundee Demo

The Middlesbrough & District MAG Number One Rally took place over the weekend of 15th to 17th May. Field, marquee, bands, beer etc. A few of us went along to this one. Funnily enough we got another soaking while heading South, though at least it cleared up a bit after Corrbridge. And even after all the rain, the ground was still hard enough to require some tent peg persuasion. No demo this year, due to some local soccer match apparently requiring the NE police force to be in attendance, but a pleasant run out around some of the local roads. Guess what, small automatic scooters have trouble getting up Sutton Bank!

The 3rd NABD by the Trossachs rally was held on the weekend of 31st July - 2nd August 2009 at Ben Ledi Park, Callander, and the MAG tent was in attendance. With some of us in splashing around in the wonderful weather.
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MAG had their stand at the Grampian Motorcycle Convention on Sunday 6th September. Stand was run by Aberdeenshire MAG & MAG Scotland. A good show with a few memberships/renewals taken.

The Saints and Sinners 14th Time Aroond Rally at Luthermuir was held on the weekend of 11th - 13th September 2009. Sunshine and a nice relaxed weekend! Kinda quiet on the MAG stand though, a chance to catch up.

The re-arranged Edinburgh Demo was run on Saturday 19th September 2009. In conjunction with the BMF, the (deep breath)
'A Celebration of Motorcycling wishing to highlight Lack of provision for Motorcyclists in Buslanes.'
had 100+ bikes on it. Photos from various sources are in the Gallery.

The MAG Scotland AGM was held in October. Same venue as last year in Moulin. Reasonable turn out, good discussion and some volunteers to fill vacant positions!

Edinburgh MAG held their AGM. Re-election of post-holders; re-merging with West Lothian MAG; meeting days, times and formats; suggestions for the way forward etc.
I'll post the outcome when I get a copy of them.

Edinburgh MAG Contact Email addresses: edinburghmag@aol.com or embramag@live.com

West Lothian Contact Email address: edinburgh.mag@live.com

Web site updated 15/03/2010