Tag Archives: transport

Electric power hits Edinburgh streets

This week saw the launch of Edinburgh’s electric bikes, joining the already 500 strong fleet across the city.

I was invited to cover the launch outside the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, as councilors and bosses from Serco and sponsors Just Eat showed off the brand new bicycles which are now available to hire.

The electric versions will stand side by side with their normal bikes in the many dock stations around Edinburgh and are all named after local areas in the city.

To hire a bike you will pay the usual £1.50 per ride as with the other bikes but then an addition 10p per minute for the battery power. With each ride on the Just Eat Cycles currently averaging at around 15 minutes that would be an extra £1.50.

I would definitely encourage you to have ago as the powered bikes are great fun, especially as for the first 2 weeks there is no addition charge. The power is very subtle, its a little like someone running behind you with a hand on your back, giving you a wee push when you need it.

I imagine I might be getting an electric one into town up the hills and then a none electric one home as its mainly down hill.

For more information see the Edinburgh Cycle Hire website below.

Just Eat Cycles website

Sketches from the historic opening of The Borders Railway

BordersRailway_RollingHillsThis week saw the near fifty year wait for train services to be reinstated in the Borders come to an end, as the new Borders Railway route opened to the public.

 

The longest domestic railway built in the UK for over a century, the new route was funded by Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government and constructed by Network Rail. It features thirty miles of new track and seven new stations between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank.

 

BordersRailway_TrainTweedbank

 

The new line through the Borders will hopefully encourage more visitors out of Edinburgh and help the local communities in the area travel into Scotland’s capital much easier. A range of new buildings and attractions are planned along the route to increase tourism in the area.

 

I travelled along the new route last week and sketched my highlights, the landscape is breath taking and cuts through hills and valleys, over rivers and through picturesque ex-mining villages. I look forward to taking the train again and discovering more about the beauty and history within the Border country.

 

BordersRailway_TrainWaverley BordersRailway_NotesTrainBordersRailway_InsideAndOut BordersRailway_BorthwickCastle

 

Borders Railway website

Scotrail website