Edinburgh must act before an "inevitable" fatality on its tram tracks, say solicitors

I wouldn't call that cyclist moronic but his technique led to his fall. Tackling a tramline in the wet and at that angle caused the problem. Unfortunately there are a lot of cyclists who don't know how to ride a bike

Have a closer look at the cycling "infrastructure" in the diagram and the video. The official cycle route is to leave the road at the dotted line, travel down the cycle lane in the taxi rank past the white bollard, give way at the end of the taxi rank beyond the second traffic light, rejoin the road and cross the tram track at right angles, cycle on the right hand of the tram lines to the end of the tram stop, cross the tram lines again and then follow an extremely narrow cycle lane on the left of the road between kerb and tram lines (and which handles two way cycle traffic) down to Haymarket Yards.

It's a complicated and hazardous arrangement, and not very obvious or easy to follow if you are not familiar with the layout (I think the video was shot not long after the road opened for cyclists, after the tram work finished). Many cyclists don't see the official detour into the taxi rank and naturally follow the road, find themselves in a narrowing gap and then try to cross the tram lines. If you are skilful, or lucky, like the first cyclist in the high viz jacket, you get across, but the crash victim wasn't so fortunate.

The infrastructure should be designed for safety and ease of use, even for people who "don't know how to ride a bike". Haymarket is not fit for purpose, and the people responsible for it should hang their heads in shame.

Imaging designing a footpath with wobbly brickwork that if navigated incorrectly spits you out in front of traffic. It would make national newspapers. Sure, most people could walk over it without a fall, but it's still bloody stupid.

This is the same thing, just for cyclists. Ridiculous planning.

this is not the first city to have tramlines and these are definitely not the first guys to try and cross them. Even the pros struggle with them (Serse Coppi comes to mind). However the council should have taken steps before this making sure that the crossing was at 90 degrees and the track was recessed with the appropriate crossing. Time for Edinburgh to correct their mistakes.

Leeds, Sheffield et al take note

The problem in Edinburgh is that the road widens and narrows and it's virtually impossible to pass at some places at a right angle.

considering that many cities in Europe have tram tracks what have they done that is so different to what happens in Edinburgh?

I wouldn't call that cyclist moronic but his technique led to his fall. Tackling a tramline in the wet and at that angle caused the problem. Unfortunately there are a lot of cyclists who don't know how to ride a bike...any charity ride or sportive gives ample evidence.

Is it not obvious to all but the most brain dead that cycling across a wet tram track at the angle the guy in the videodid is totally moronic ?!

There was no design. They bodged Haymarket at the end and it is simply not fit for purpose, but it's not the only problem area or missed opportunity. Unforgivable that they did not design cycling into the tram system properly given how long the whole thing took.

Are you watching, Manchester?

Seriously was the whole design done by idiots and if so will anybody get sacked?