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thebonnieloon.bsky.social
Simon Christie
@thebonnieloon.bsky.social
300 followers 220 following 240 posts
Edinburgh, cyclist, cycling without age pilot, cook, gardener, music, trains, canals, climate justice. Can we just accept Tr*ump & M*usk are bawbags and post about nice stuff?
Posts Replies Media Videos
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
When your local community police officer says they really want to take the dangerous drivers off the road but they just don't have the resources
defendourjuries.bsky.social Defend Our Juries @defendourjuries.bsky.social · 10h
Santa Claus has been arrested under the Terrorism Act in Norwich after it turns out Santa oppo-ho-ho-ses genocide and supports Palestine Action.

These four officers will be having their names checked twice this year.

Lift The Ban on Palestine Action.
wedonotcomply.org
November 29, 2025 at 9:11 PM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
£133 BILLION
sianberry.bsky.social Sian Berry MP @sianberry.bsky.social · 4d
Since 2011 the fuel duty freeze has cost the Treasury £133 billion.

This huge amount could have paid for lower train and bus fares, better stations, safer walking, wheeling and cycling and much more!
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves will freeze fuel duty to dodge ‘political suicide’
The chancellor will also highlight a rise in the minimum wage and plans to cut energy bills as she tries to win over voters by focusing on cost of living
www.thetimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
🌲 If buying a #ChristmasTree
get it delivered by #CyclingGardeners 🚲 #CargoBike

--> www.tollcrosstreeworks.com

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @tollcross-cc-edin.bsky.social @finlaymcf.bsky.social @cllrcmiller.bsky.social @cllrbenparker.bsky.social @bjpaddy.bsky.social
Picture of xmas tree in Cycling Gardeners of Edinburgh Local Bike delivery £5.00 Description This service cost £5 and is available to anyone within 10 minutes cycle from our yard in Tollcross (Cycle time taken from google maps)
November 24, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by Simon Christie
hackneycyclist.bsky.social
In the Netherlands, over 40% of rail passengers arrive by bike. Since 2012 the country has invested €400m+ to add 200,000 new bike parking spaces at stations. The result? More rail use, fewer car trips, lower congestion and emissions, better public health - and far more efficient use of urban space.
November 24, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
#A701 'relief road' petition

--> pentlandhouse.com/cbxpetition/...

Spokes view--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @sw20.info @shona-mcintosh.bsky.social @helenrambler.bsky.social @midlothiancan.bsky.social @thebonnieloon.bsky.social @mrjasonrose.bsky.social
Heading of the petition, plus picture of the fields to be built over Stop the £55 Million A701 Relief Road Target: 1000 Received: 537 53.7% The Issue Midlothian Council has submitted a £55 million plan (25/00521/DPP) for a “A701 Relief Road” — but the evidence shows it will make congestion and environmental problems worse, not better.
November 21, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
🙋 #Barnton Connections 🚶👩‍🦼🚲

🙋 DROP-IN Thur 20 Nov 2pm-6.30

--> consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/barnton-...

@edi.bike @nialla.bsky.social @sw20.info @kevin-lang.bsky.social @ehyslop.bsky.social @edthornley.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @gylernorth.bsky.social @thebonnieloon.bsky.social
drop-in details... City Gates Church, Whitehouse Road From 20 Nov 2025 at 14:00 to 20 Nov 2025 at 18:30 More information An information event displaying the latest plans with an opportunity to discuss these with representatives from the designers and the City of Edinburgh Council. This is a drop-in event, held at City Gates Church, EH4 6BU and the public can attend at any time between 1400 and 1830. City Gates Church, Whitehouse Road From 1 Dec 2025 at 14:00 to 1 Dec 2025 at 18:30 Consultaiton page intro + visualisation of Whitehouse Rd with cycle & walk facilities Overview We have proposals to improve walking, wheeling, and cycling conditions along Maybury Road from the new housing at Cammo Meadows, through Barnton junction and along Whitehouse Road as far north as Barnton Avenue West. The changes would help the local community get to shops, schools and other important local facilities more easily and safely. They’ll be especially helpful for people living at Cammo, including the new Cammo Meadows housing, who currently have to cross the busy Barnton junction to get to the places they need. drawing of proposals for Maybury Rd/ Whitehouse Rd crossing of Queensferry Rd Map of entire project area, Maybury Rd to Whitehouse Rd
November 19, 2025 at 5:29 PM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
A reminder that the Cowgate closed in one direction for more than 18 months so a Virgin Hotel could be built. If that could be done at short notice why not to protect people from DYING?! Edinburgh has its priorities but why is it always student flats, cars, hotels and not people?
edinreporter.bsky.social The Edinburgh Reporter @edinreporter.bsky.social · 16d
Ahead of the @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social Transport and Environment committee meeting on Thursday members of @edcriticalmass.bsky.social protested about lack of action on Cowgate
November 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
#Tram consultation - Spokes submission

--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

🙋 You have till midnight Monday for your own response!
HERE--> consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/tram-nor...

@edi.bike @edinreporter.bsky.social @edinburghminute.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social
Intro... Tram, Granton to Bioquarter consultation Spokes Planning Group response, November 2025 1. Introduction Spokes has the objective of promoting cycling as part of an overall sustainable transport and access strategy. As such, we support a growing tram system for Edinburgh, provided cycling is well catered for in the project design and operation. The aim of the tram is to reduce car traffic, and to head off potential traffic growth in development areas such as Granton and the Bioquarter. If successful, this is a huge benefit to walking and cycling, as well as its benefits in terms of congestion, public health and climate. However, the project should be accompanied by complementary measures to further encourage use of public transport and active travel, for example bus gates, traffic filters, and, notably, congestion charging. It is well established that traffic reduction is best achieved by a carrot/stick combination. The tram project must support and promote active travel as a whole, and cycling in particular, and must not introduce additional dangers without effective mitigation. The Council has ambitious targets to increase cycle use, much of which must come from novice and inexperienced cyclists, as well as visitors and locals using an expanding bike hire scheme. As such it is essential that there is a safe, comprehensive and connected bike network of segregated bike lanes and low-traffic areas, easy and safe to use by anybody, and with any kind of cycles - including cargobikes, adapted bikes, hire bikes, etc. Introducing the tram should be seen and planned from the outset as an integrated sustainable transport place making project, not a tram-only project into which cycling and walking have to be slotted in once all the tramline decisions are taken as happened with tramline 1 and to a considerable (though lesser) extent in the Newhaven extension. The Bridges corridor is hugely problematic.. 8. City Centre to Bioquarter Top issues ● The section through North and South Bridges is of extreme concern to Spokes, with no cycle provision, new tramlines and continued through traffic on a road where width is at a premium. This is making cycling provision far worse than in the current bus lanes. The project should include a bus gate / modal filter (as was planned, though never implemented, as part of the Spaces for People proposals ) potentially single track sections (like at Roseburn) and fully segregated cycle provision, or consideration to tram tracks on one side of the road and a bidirectional bike path on the other. For the reasons in the following two bullet points, many cyclists will continue to use this corridor - our above section on Bikes and Tramlines notes that Princes Street as a good example of this, with many choosing not to use the quieter George Street when it is less direct or lacks desired destinations. Thus cycling conditions must be safe. ● Whilst alternative north-south routes for cycles are proposed in the consultation, these would not suit all journeys, with many cyclists using the Bridges to travel between South Edinburgh and Leith given the more suitable gradient and directness than the Mound. And whilst there is a brief reference to the proposed Meadows to George Street route on the west side of the Bridges, there is no reference to the east side, where the Mobility Plan suggests a new active travel bridge connecting from the Old Town to Leith Walk. Such projects must be an integral part of the tram project provision including during the construction phase, also providing a permanent legacy of improved provision once finished. ● The Bridges corridor is a major residential, shopping and destinations location, and many cyclists use it for that reason; indeed many live along or just off the corridor. Routes via the Mound or Pleasance are irrelevant as alternatives for these categories of user.… linking the North Ed Network to the new canal path without descending and re-ascending - a transformative opportunity - diagram. ● Connecting Roseburn to the new Canal link path - The sketch below shows a possible layout for this crucial linkage. The yellow dotted line shows a ramp down to Russell Road, but this is possibly optional if it would cause engineering difficulties, given that most people will stay at high level, whilst those needing to descend or ascend could do so at Roseburn or at the nearby ramp to the new canal path. Finally, we understand that earlier discussions with Network Rail did not meet objections to a bridge provided that all necessary clearances are achieved. Picture of single-track shopping-street tram in Amsterdam
November 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
edinreporter.bsky.social
Ahead of the @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social Transport and Environment committee meeting on Thursday members of @edcriticalmass.bsky.social protested about lack of action on Cowgate
November 13, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
edfoc.bsky.social
How car culture endangers our health, our environment, our society and what Scotland can do about it earth.ed.ac.uk/news/how-car...
Edinburgh has one of the lowest rates of vehicles per household in the UK. Yet, cycle users are still pushed to the margins by planners
How car culture endangers our health, our environment, our society and what Scotland can do about it - Edinburgh Earth Initiative
earth.ed.ac.uk
November 16, 2025 at 4:23 PM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
The only major transport infrastructure we should be duelling in the Highlands
November 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
secretedinburgh.bsky.social
PLEASE SHARE:

On Black Friday, I want to draw attention away from the big chains and towards local Edinburgh independent retailers, makers and markets.

Please join me from

7 pm - 8 pm on Friday 28 November

to share some ideas for Christmas gifting.

We'll use the hashtag #EdinburghHour
#EdinburghHour on BlueSky - Friday 28 November 7pm – 8pm 7:00 Favourite Edinburgh Independent Retailer, Maker, or Organisation: Kick off by shining a light on your favourites by sharing their website and social media handles using #EdinburghHour 7:05 Edinburgh-themed Gifts: Capital gifts for homesick burghers or city lovers. Think art, prints, and souvenirs celebrating Auld Reekie. #EdinburghHour 7:10 Gifts Under £10: Stocking fillers, Secret Santa ideas, and small, affordable treats. Keep it budget-friendly and remember to use hashtag #EdinburghHour 7:15 Experiences: We want to know about vouchers for workshops, theatre, tours, spa treatments, tasting sessions, or classes offered by local businesses. #EdinburghHour 7:20 Charity & Virtual Gifts: Be kind, share your gift ideas which support local causes using #EdinburghHour 7:25 Books: Focus on books about Edinburgh, or titles by Edinburgh-based authors and bookish gifts from your favourite local bookshops. #EdinburghHour 7:30 Food & Drink Gifts: Local coffee, craft beer, whisky, confectionery, chutneys, and hampers. #EdinburghHour 7:35 Unique, Personalised, One-Off: Bespoke items, commissioned artwork, or one-of-a-kind treasures. #EdinburghHour 7:40 For Children & Pets: Toys, books, pet treats, accessories, and supplies for children and animals. #EdinburghHour 7:45 Festive Shopping Events: Promote upcoming local Christmas Fairs, Makers Markets, etc where people can shop in person. Give dates, times, and locations with the #EdinburghHour hashtag 7:50 Everything Else: Anything else! clothing, homewares, stationery, etc. #EdinburghHour 7:55 Crucial Information: Final dates for retailers and event organisers to remind us of offers, festive opening hours and last shipping/collection dates etc. #EdinburghHour 8:00 Ends
November 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
geocycle.bsky.social
Literally having a discussion about Duddingston Low Road yesterday amongst cyclists about how HES has done all they could to discourage what could be an AMAZING active travel corridor with just the smallest of widening of the pavements.

Instead we have 75m of this.
Blocked off road along Holyrood Park. The rockfall fence goes up to the pavements, and there is over a foot of chunky aggregate on the old road where it’s been fenced off for rockfall safety. A sign recommends “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT AND USE FOOTWAY” and no dropped kerb is given. Blocked off road along Holyrood Park. The rockfall fence goes up to the pavements, and there is over a foot of chunky aggregate on the old road where it’s been fenced off for rockfall safety. A sign recommends “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT AND USE FOOTWAY” and no dropped kerb is given.
November 11, 2025 at 9:16 AM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
Pretty clear the HES Senior Management is not fit for purpose. Why, with such “limited resources“ do you focus on keeping the radical road shut but a traffic sewer road open? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Why has one of Edinburgh's best views been off-limits for seven years?
The historic Radical Road path was closed in 2018 due to rockfall but a plan for its full reopening has still to be agreed.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Reposted by Simon Christie
edcriticalmass.bsky.social
Tick, tock! Cowgate. One year on. What have you done?

We'll be outside City Chambers from 8.30am this Thursday 13 November to ask the council just that.
Clock face showing 3:40
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
The BBC claim they say "car" and not "driver" in their reports when a driver crashes their car as they don't want to apportion blame.
*except when they spot a L plate on social media photos then they will say "A learner vehicle has smashed through the shopfront..." 🤷
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Learner vehicle smashes through Home Bargains storefront
Firefighters rescued two people from the Skoda Enyaq after the incident in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, at about 11:00.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk
Long nights road “safety”:

Cyclists: dress up in head-to-toe hiviz to look like a clown

Drivers: Sucker a 14” tablet to your ratty Corsa windscreen, right in the driver’s view

Safety is a “shared responsibility” 😡

Enforcement? @policescotland.bsky.social
A small red car, looking through the passenger front window. There is a tablet stuck to the windscreen, lit up and being interacted with. It blocks the driver’s view of the road
November 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
🙄 #PrincesStreet plans unfit for modern #European capital

Spokes deputn to 12.11.25 Planning Cttee
--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

@edi.bike @thecockburn.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @davidfkey.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @cllrbenparker.bsky.social @mthmttcoe.bsky.social
Start of Spokes deputation... CEC PLANNING COMMITTEE, 12.11.25 - written deputation from Spokes 7.3 Non-Statutory Planning Guidance – Finalised Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy The proposed draft guidance, whilst including many worthwhile proposals, has one over-riding failing, in that it completely neglects the huge area of land occupied by roadway, and assumes it must stay as now. It is as if we have separate Planning and Transport departments rather than a unified Place department. This cannot be the right approach for a holistic view of Princes Street and the Waverley Valley. Nor is it right that large amounts of money should be invested without the whole area being considered in a unified manner. Spokes Recommendation to the Committee RECOMMENDATION In conclusion, we ask that the Committee postpones adopting the Guidance until such time as these issues have been properly addressed, to provide a holistic approach to the entire area including the sort of provision for sitting, walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport which is normal in the premier streets of other European capitals. Spokes deputation refers to Richard Murphy architect proposals, with pictures showing bus & tram only in Princes St, with bike lanes and much wider footways. The Richard Murphy Princes Street proposals are a very similar concept to the above examples, as in this drawing and video clip from his report. Figure 1. Still image from Richard Murphy Architects fly-through (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZLsfozjqc) Resurfacing of the footway and carriageway is very costly and presents a rare opportunity to modify kerblines that may not return for another decade or more. In addition to footway extension, carriageway redetermination presents an opportunity for protected cycle infrastructure. Princes Street continues to be a popular cycle route for many journeys, including to destinations on the street itself. Indeed, anecdotal and crowdsourced evidence suggests it continues to be as or more popular than George Street. bus, taxi, tram & bike congested in Princes st (old photo, but still the same!)
November 10, 2025 at 11:36 AM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
When you compromise on everything - nothing works as it should. If Queensferry High Street works are completed as designed it will also look exactly like this too @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social
edtiss.bsky.social Edward Tissiman @edtiss.bsky.social · 21d
Elm Row is just a car-centric mess now. Could have been one of the nicest bits of public realm in Edinburgh.
November 8, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
#ActiveTravel 💲 cut confirmed

+ #Bus infra fears

--> www.spokes.org.uk/2025/11/acti...

@edi.bike @keithirving.bsky.social @transform.scot @edinburghbug.bsky.social @alastairdalton.bsky.social @edinreporter.bsky.social @markruskell.bsky.social @monicalennon.bsky.social @michaelmatheson.bsky.social
Start of Spokes article... Active Travel cut confirmed At long last the detailed allocation of the Scottish Government’s Active and Sustainable Travel budget (formerly called Active Travel) for 25/26 financial year has been revealed. It shows total Scottish Government active travel investment now down to just 4.2% of total transport spending – back to below the level of 22/23, and even lower than the 4.6% we had predicted. A letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, to the Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee provides the following table, showing how the £164.6m in the Active and Sustainable budget line has been allocated. From this we can get a good idea how much of what previously was the Active Travel budget is now going to other purposes.
November 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
thebonnieloon.bsky.social
The pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre. I'm all for it
thetallbikeguy.bsky.social TallBikeGuy @thetallbikeguy.bsky.social · 21d
"Norwich is famous for its medieval history, but what residents say they love most is the relaxed vibe, *bike-friendly environment*, fantastic pubs and proximity to the Norfolk Broads and a stunning coastline."
www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/2557818...
Norwich revealed as happiest place to live in UK
A study by the online store Furniturebox has named Norwich the happiest place to live in the UK.
www.eveningnews24.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
spokes.org.uk
#A701/ #A702 'relief'/link road 🚘🚘🚘

Spokes objection--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

🙋🙋 You have till midnight Fri 7 Nov to object
HERE--> planning-applications.midlothian.gov.uk/OnlinePlanni...

@edi.bike @johnrobson87.bsky.social @rupenash.bsky.social @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk @sw20.info
Map of proposed new road Introduction to spokes submission A701 Relief Road and A702 Link Road 2025 Planning application Spokes response - November 2025 Summary Spokes strongly object to the principle of the A701 Relief Road and A702 Link Road proposals, and therefore to this planning application. If built, these roads will aggravate the issues they are supposed to alleviate. The proposed scheme particularly fails to meet the “Takes climate action” and “Improves our health and wellbeing” Priorities identified in the National Transport Strategy,1 and also runs counter to the national policy to reduce car use as part of the commitment to achieving net zero by 2045.2 Whilst there are some notable improvements for cyclists included in the latest plans, the scheme as a whole will create a more dangerous environment for cycling in Midlothian and south Edinburgh. It will also further entrench the dominance of car use in Midlothian, making it even more difficult for future generations to switch to using sustainable modes of transport. The time, money and other resources being allocated to this project should instead be spent on projects which will actually help solve these problems, such as improving the public and active travel networks in Midlothian. Below we list general and specific comments on the proposals.
November 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
brenttoderian.bsky.social
All because some of you out there are still buying Teslas from a Nazi.
grahambs.bsky.social Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 22d
It’s horrifying to think how much more damage he can inflict on liberal democracy with all this money.
November 7, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Reposted by Simon Christie
emilykerr36.bsky.social
Someone just shared this with me: 1967, 3,000 publicans marching against introducing breath tests for drivers.

Barbara Castle MP got this introduced and speed limits and seatbelts as mInister for transport, and faced the standard opposition.
A photo of publicans marching against breath tests
November 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Simon Christie
edcriticalmass.bsky.social
Cowgate 1 year on - what have you done?

Join us in front of the City Chambers at 8.30am on Thursday 13 November to tell the council that it's time to take action on dangerous roads.
Narrow street with tall buildings on either side and lots of cars on it
November 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM