Furore may be too strong a word for it, but a spat at least has broken out concerning the new exterior revamp at Tesco on Broughton Road. Bike campaigners say it’s not good enough.
Mark Sydenham sparked the controversy last Friday by posting an article on the Edinburgh Innertube Map website (2.8.13).
The only official entries to the store from the cycle-path, he claims, are through narrow gaps in the hedge or (since the opening of Rodney Street Tunnel) via informal new openings forced through thornbushes. These ‘put you straight onto the path of oncoming traffic with little or no warning to motorists.’
One of the designated entrances is further constricted by greetings signs, he continues, one of which obscures sightlines.
Refurbishment of the road surface stops short of a badly faded zebra crossing.
Sundry moans follow anent wood chippings and dumped hedge clippings.
Sydenham concludes:
'Ironically, in 2012 the Innertube map was shortlisted for an award as part of Climate Week – sponsored by Tesco’s! At the award ceremony, in the speech from the sponsor we were told how committed Tesco’s was to encouraging travel to their stores by carbon neutral means – i.e. on foot and by bike. It’s a shame therefore that at Canonmills, not only are they doing nothing to make bike and pedestrian access easier, they have actually made it more unpleasant an even dangerous! - See more at: http://www.innertubemap.com/2013/08/bad-news-from-tescos-at-canonmills/#sthash.2OAvzF1h.dpuf'
Unaccustomed as we are to riding to Tesco’s defence, Spurtle feels that here the case for the prosecution has been a little overstated.
The designated gaps in the hedge are not the only means of access to the supermarket. A 15–20-second detour via the path’s conclusion at Broughton Road provides a perfectly acceptable alternative.
One of the designated entrances is certainly abrupt and dangerous (see below). The other, however, with the exercise of minimum prudence and common sense, is adequately safe – even with the new signs in their current positions.
People forcing their own paths through hedges will always have to look out for themselves.
The bike shelter, we agree, is absurdly inadequate (Issue 206, May 2012).
To their credit, Tesco Customer Care (@UKTesco) quickly responded to the flurry of activity on Twitter which followed Sydenham’s post, and promised to consider the matter. @CyclingEdin politely responded that as well as local responsibility for individual stores, a more corporate approach was needed to access by foot and bike.
City of Edinburgh Transport Convener Lesley Hinds (@LAHinds) also got involved, promising to find out what if any safety input the Planning Department had offered in consenting the car park revamp (Breaking news, 30.4.13). Spurtle already knows the answer to that: bugger all.
And there, for now, the matter rests.
What do you think? Tell us by email spurtle@hotmail.co.uk on Facebook Broughton Spurtle or Twitter @theSpurtle
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Reactions
Andrea Michael @almichael68 @theSpurtle And worse for shoppers, too! I'd rather not have less products for the sake of Virgin travel and keys. It's a grocery store!
Alison Campbell So good to see "anent" in an article.