That Meadows-Innocent rail path link in full

1. Leave North Meadow Walk – turn left onto road for a few metres (assuming no parked cars ignoring restrictions).
2. Jump onto pavement. Wait at pedestrian traffic lights and press button. Make sure your bike is turned parallel to road as otherwise it will be in the way of pedestrians – the pavement is narrow here.
3. Don’t forget, if you are on the road and the lights are already red, it is illegal to cross the white line. So if you want to avail yourself of this crossing, you have wait til the light is green, and then join the pavement, waiting once more for the lights to change. You can’t simply turn right either as per a normal manoeuvre. That is probably against the highway code. Oh, and don’t forget, you can’t use this crossing when coming in the other direction – you have to leave pavement, cycle on the road and then filter right across the lane to get back onto the Meadows. It is unclear what the purpose of the cycle crossing in that direction is for.
4. Cross road with pedestrians and mount pavement on other side.
5. Cycle on (newly-widened) pavement until Gifford Park – keep your kids under control – people might step out from shops and flats, so keep the kids near the road-side of pavement – technically, this bit is segregated, ie a white line down the middle.
6. Jump down off pavement, cross over the lane and cycle up this quiet road to the end. When jumping off the pavement, watch out for cars turning into road (it is a dead end street for cars, but beware all the same – it is a bit of a blind turning although the widened pavement should hopefully help).
7. Cross busy pavement on Clerk St – it can get quite congested.
8. Press button at new pedestrian crossing and wait – – again make sure your bike is not in the way of pedestrians when standing waiting.
9. Cross over with pedestrians and mount kerb on other side and go back on the pavement.
10. Cycle over the pavement to Rankeillor St and then join the road – you may have to go round parked cars who will be ignoring the double yellow lines. Cars will be coming into the street from Clerk St, so you will need to give way.
11. Cycle on the carriageway to the end of Rankeillor St. At the end, jump back on the pavement again  – it will be on the other side of the road from where you are.
12. Repeat waiting at pedestrian crossing, including pressing the button.
13. Cycle over pedestrian crossing and mount pavement on the other side and turn right.
14. At this point, you’ll be cycling on the pavement outside the police station. Point out that it’s perfectly legal.
15. Stop and give way to any traffic going down St Leonard’s Lane – they have priority over you.
16. Cross over to pavement on other side and keep cycling on the pavement until the next left.
17. Jump down off the kerb, but watch out for any traffic that has just turned in – they obviously have right of way. They may take umbrage at yet another cyclist on the pavement. (going in opposite direction, this manoevre is quite dangerous so beware.)

I can’t wait to use it, personally. It is direct, convenient, safe and uninterrupted with little built-in conflict points between cyclists and pedestrians, and cyclists and motorists. Clearly I am joking.

If any of the above is a bit wrong, do let me know. The council only put up really tecnhical PDFs so it is hard to make an informed opinion. They probably prefer it that way…..