WARNINGS that cycle lanes should be installed along the length of the Edinburgh Tram network where a young woman was killed last week were ignored prior to construction starting, it has been claimed.
Hans van der Stok, a Dutch consultant, told Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE) two years before work began that cyclists needed to be a priority, and even busy streets like Princes Street and Leith Walk could accommodate the infrastructure for both.
But when construction commenced in 2009 the cycle lanes disappeared.
On Wednesday, Zhi Min Soh, a 23-year-old medical student, was killed after coming off her bicycle on the tracks and being hit by a minibus.
The fatality is the first tram-related death in the capital and has prompted calls for cyclists safety to be included in the inquiry into the project's budget and delays.
Since 2009, however, at least 220 cyclists in Edinburgh have reported tram-related accidents, which typically occur when bicycle wheels slip on the smooth rails or become wedged in the grooved tracks.
Ian Maxwell, of campaign group, Spokes, said Mr Stok’s report was “largely ignored” by TIE, the agency which spearheaded the Edinburgh trams project.
He said: “It was our idea to bring over Stok and after his visit, we had a series of meetings with Edinburgh council and TIE, but the end result is that they didn’t take heed of his suggestions.
“It was very frustrating. The cycle lanes were lost on Princes Street because of the trams.”
Dr David Kluth, director of undergraduate medical teaching at Edinburgh University’s medical school described Ms Soh as “a talented, thoughtful student”, adding: “We have all lost a bright star of the future.”
A spokeswoman for Edinburgh council said it was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and that a safety review was under way.
She said: “The council and our partners take road safety extremely seriously and we constantly review the range of measures we have in place to ensure that the capital’s roads are safe for all road users."
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