Today and tomorrow you can get along to the Police Box Festival. The boxes were all built in 1933 and some have recently been taken into private ownership. They are all used for a variety of purposes from coffee to crepes and in the case of the Leith Walk box – tools!
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You can take your bike on a tram this month, but then there will be a gap while the Festival is on and buses and trams are expected to be busy.
Bikes can now be taken on Edinburgh Trams following a successful two-month trial.
During the trial, an average of 12 bikes a day used the tram, with York Place the most popular boarding point. Feedback collated from passengers and staff was in favour of making the trial a permanent part of the service.
Michael Powell, Safety, Quality & Environment Manager at Edinburgh Trams, said:
“After considering passenger feedback and the number of cyclists using the trams every day we agreed that there was little to no impact on daily operations and so we are happy to welcome bikes on board. Although the numbers are currently quite small we expect that more people may use their bikes in future, so we are keeping the hours and conditions that applied during the trial, to make sure we continue to look after the safety and comfort of all passengers.”
Lesley Hinds, Chair, Transport for Edinburgh said:
“Edinburgh Trams is the first UK tram operator to allow bikes on board and I am delighted that we leading the way to ensure that Edinburgh’s system is truly integrated with all types of transport methods. The tram route connects to several cycle paths leading around the city and this will hopefully encourage more people into public transport.”
Ian Maxwell from Spokes the Lothian Cycle Campaign said:
“We’ve been pleased to work with Edinburgh Trams on this trial and welcome the decision they have made to extend access. We urge cyclists to respect other tram users, but also hope that in future tram staff will have discretion to allow bicycles on quiet off-peak trams.”
Bikes are permitted on board seven days a week except from weekday peak times 0730- 0930 and 1600 – 1830.
Bikes will not be allowed on between 7–31 August during the festival season or during other pre-publicised special events where services may be particularly busy.
Passengers with disabilities, or those with prams or buggies, will take priority over bikes. Tram staff also have discretion to decline bikes if they think the service is too busy.
Only two bikes will be allowed per tram. Cyclists should stand at the centre section, marked on the platform by a disabled logo tile, and take guidance from staff. They need to remain with their bike to make sure it doesn’t move.
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Engineering apprentices from Edinburgh College dealt with an unusual animal rescue operation as they used their skills to bring a feathery robot back to life.
Daniel Dewar and Sean Devine worked with their lecturer Terry Healey to perform extensive repairs on the Scottish Seabird Centre’s mechanical gannet, which is on display at the Centre in North Berwick. The Seabird Centre asked the students to repair its broken bird so it could head back into action and continue raising money for the charity and educating visitors.
The fabrication and welding apprentices used their skills to shape replacement parts and weld and braze them into place on the intricate bird structure.
Now fixed and back home at the Seabird Centre’s Discovery Centre, the gannet springs to life when a donation is made, making the distinctive gannet call, rotating to show the inner workings of its skeletal structure and revealing a metal fish struggling in its beak. It is ideally located close to the Centre’s interactive Bass Rock cameras, where visitors can zoom in on the real life gannets on the Bass Rock, the world’s largest Northern gannet colony.
Daniel and Sean are on the second year of a four-year modern apprenticeship in fabrication and welding. They visit the college’s Midlothian Campus in Dalkeith two days a week to receive training they can apply to their job roles at Scotia Security.
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Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland has been working closely with Living Streets and Guide Dogs Scotland in order to table new clause 22 at the Scotland Bill Committee Stage (6th July 2015), to stop obstructive parking in Scotland.
Chris Thompson, Project Manager of Living Streets Scotland said: “We’re encouraged to see that the pavement parking bill in Scotland is being taken seriously, it’s about time. Pavement parking is the biggest complaint we get here at Living Streets Scotland and it affects many people’s lives.
“While pavement parking in London was banned 40 years ago, Scotland has been waiting for the issue to be addressed for too long. Parking on pavements causes inconvenience and danger.
“Tackling pavement parking is a vital step to reclaiming streets for pedestrians and will especially benefit those with impaired sight, the disabled and older people.”
If passed, the amendment will also help boost the number of pedestrians visiting their local high street shops and bring down maintenance costs for local councils who have to shell out millions of pounds a year on repairing cracked pavements which have been damaged from cars.
Ian Murray MP said: “First and foremost, this amendment tackles the inconsistency in pavement parking law and will improve the safety and wellbeing of all pedestrians. With an ageing, less mobile population, more cars on the road and less money for maintenance, this becomes increasingly important.
“Legislation to harmonise the law on pavement parking would mean that there is one law for everyone and would send a clear message that putting pedestrians in danger is not acceptable. Parking on the footway should only be permitted where a local authority determines that it is both necessary and safe to do so – for example, by using markings on the pavement to allow a minimum space for pedestrians to pass especially those with mobility and visual problems.”
Jane Horsburgh, Policy Manager for Guide Dogs Scotland said: “There is public and political support in Scotland for action on irresponsible parking, which is dangerous for pedestrians with sight loss”
Staff at a Very Sheltered Housing development in Edinburgh have raised more than £1000 to provide an oxygen concentrator for a tenant to enable him to keep his freedom.The staff from Castlebrae Glebe raised the money to buy a portable oxygen tank for George McCallum by organising a Karaoke Disco fundraiser in the local Craigmillar Hearts Community Club.The event, which included a mini karaoke competition, raffle and last man standing bingo, was open to both tenants of Castlebrae Glebe and the local community, with around 80 people attending.Sharon Tomany, Development Manager, said: “We decided to hold the fundraiser so that George can enjoy quality time outdoors without having to take a bulky concentrator with him.
“The £1,270 raised for the new oxygen concentrator allows George the freedom to do what he wants without being restricted.
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
