First Climate Change Champion named as ‘Tree Oscars’ return

Community Woodlands Award for Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust

Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards has named its first Climate Change Champion – just before global green summit COP26 comes to Scotland.

The annual ‘Tree Oscars’ to recognise Scotland’s finest forests and woodlands have named their first Climate Change Champion – just weeks before COP26 comes to Glasgow.

Balbeg Estate’s Bennan Hill, near Straiton, Ayrshire – owned by Andrew and Lynne Sinclair – won the new award, sponsored by CarbonStore, as Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards returned after a Covid-cancellation in 2020. 

Professor Chris Quine, Chief Scientist at Forest Research, who led the team assessing the Climate Change Champion entries, said: “The judges were very keen to find a worthy winner for the new award and we certainly did find one, in Balbeg Estate.

“Bennan Hill was a well-planned and well-executed case study, drawing on guidance and expert knowledge to address the climate emergency by establishing trees to sequester carbon and contribute to a decarbonised future.

“Even more noteworthy was the way the estate demonstrated an integrated approach to tackling climate change throughout its activities with actions relating to mitigation, adaptation and knowledge exchange.  The owners demonstrated a strong commitment and a real consistency of vision which made this site a very worthy champion.”

The other 2021 winners ranged from a small playgroup in Perth and a high school in Pitlochry – whose mascot Scotty the Squirrel collected their prize – to Scotland’s largest landowner, Anders Holch Povlsen, who won the New Native Woods Award for Killiehuntly Woodland in the Cairngorms.

Mr Povlsen said the success was based on “a big team effort” and added: “We very much appreciate this recognition and I’m very proud.”

Thomas MacDonell, Director of Conservation at Wildland Ltd, who led the project, said it was “absolutely fantastic” to win what he described as “the premier forestry awards”. He added: “This could not have happened without Anders Holch Povlsen, who had the vision and courage to stick by us.”

It was a year of firsts – the first Climate Change Champion prize, the first time the Awards were held online in almost 40 years – and the first award for early years woodland education.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the schools and early years prizes for Pitlochry High School and Perth Outdoor Playgroup. She said: “I’m delighted to be able to support these fantastic Awards again, and to see young people in Scotland, from nursery through to secondary school, engaging with trees and nature in such a positive way.  

“In the year that COP26 comes to Scotland, it’s important that our schools and early years settings continue to encourage young people to enjoy and value our woodlands. By learning about woodlands, taking part in activities, and sometimes also by planting new trees and protecting our woodlands, our young people are creating a greener, better future for Scotland. Congratulations to all the awards winners and everyone involved in celebrating the very best woodlands in Scotland.”

Angela Douglas, Executive Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods, said: “The high standard and number of entries in the Schools Award made it hard for judges to separate schools and early years settings.

“As a result the Outdoor & Woodland Learning Scotland team at Scottish Forestry agreed to provide an early years trophy – a beautiful carved wooden acorn reflecting the saying ‘From little acorns mighty oaks grow’ – and prize money.”

The number and quality of entries for the 2021 awards was very strong overall, Angela Douglas added. 

“The strength of the awards depends on maintaining very high standards and recognising entries that truly deserve the title ‘finest woods’,” she said. “After the Covid cancellation in 2020, I’m delighted we have been able to bounce back with such a high-quality programme – and I would especially like to thank our 23 volunteer judges who put in so much work in difficult circumstances to ensure the quality standard was maintained.”

The Climate Change Champion Award was selected from entrants to other categories who specified that they would also like to be considered for the prize. They had to show that their woodland had contributed to mitigating climate change, adapted to the changing climate or raised awareness about the issue.

“We had a strong winner and two strong highly commended entries in this new category, which is so important for any forest or woodland – and us all,” said Angela Douglas.

Balbeg Estate, winner of the Climate Change Champion Award, also won the Quality Timber Award and John Kennedy Trophy for Multi-purpose forestry for a whole forest or estate.

The two Climate Change Champion runners-up were Borders Forest Trust’s ecological restoration project at Corehead, near Moffat, Dumfriesshire (also Highly Commended behind Killiehuntly in the New Native Woods category) and Aylsa Leslie (with forestry consultant Simon Jacyna) for Auchintender, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire – also winner of the Quality Timber Award for silvicultural excellence in a single stand or compartment of trees, or small wood.

There was wide geographical coverage, with Laide and Aultbea Community Woodland in Ross-shire winning the Small Community Woodland Group Award. Judges were “impressed by the endeavour and enthusiasm” of the group and noted that the local community was heavily engaged in “supporting and managing the woodland with tangible benefits – recreation, practical hands-on experience and enjoyment”. 

Craigmillar Castle Park in Edinburgh, which won the Large Community Woodland Group prize, was praised by judges for its community engagement programme, run by Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust.

Judges also said: “It has been notable how valuable the woodland has been to the local community during lockdown, providing an attractive local greenspace which has helped greatly with physical and mental wellbeing.”

In the Farm Woodland Awards, the Young People’s Award went to James and Nikki Yoxall from Howemill, near Huntly in Aberdeenshire – “a wonderful example of a unique integration of trees and farming” – while the overall Farm Woodland Award went to Wendy Seel and Anne Taylor at North Tillydaff, Midmar, Aberdeenshire. Runners-up in the category were spread widely, from Skye to Stirling and Peterhead.

The New Commercial Woodland award (part of the Quality Timber Awards) went to the large Larriston Forest scheme near Newcastleton in the Scottish Borders.

Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards: roll of honour 2021

Climate Change Champion Award

Winner: Andrew & Lynne Sinclair, Balbeg Estate’s Bennan Hill, Straiton, Ayrshire;

Highly Commended: Borders Forest Trust, Corehead, near Moffat, Dumfriesshire;

Highly Commended: Aylsa Leslie, Auchintender, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

Farm Woodland Award

Winner: Wendy Seel & Anne Taylor, North Tillydaff, Midmar, Aberdeenshire;

Highly Commended: Elaine Booth & Peter Robertson, Ednie Farms, St Fergus, near Peterhead;

Commended: Walter & Margaret Dalgleish, Parks of Garden, Arnprior, near Stirling;

Commended: Phil Knott, Wildlife Croft Skye, Sleat, Isle of Skye.

Farm Woodland Award (Young People)

Winner: James & Nikki Yoxall, Howemill, Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

Community Woodlands Award

Large Community Woodland Group

Winner: Craigmillar Castle Park, Edinburgh (Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust); 

Commended: ​​Tiroran Community Forest, Isle of Mull, Argyll (South West Mull & Iona Development).

Small Community Woodland Group

Winner: Laide & Aultbea Community Woodland, Laide, Ross-shire 

Highly Commended: Camusnagaul & Achaphubuil, Near Ardgour, Highland (Treslaig & Achaphubuil Crofters Woodland Trust);

Commended: Hannahston Community Woodland, Drongan, East Ayrshire (Friends of Hannahston Woods & East Ayrshire Woodlands) and

Lochend Woods, Dunbar, East Lothian (Dunbar Community Woodland Group).

New Native Woods

Winner: Anders Holch Povlsen, Killiehuntly Woodland, Cairngorms;

Highly Commended: Eriboll Estate, Loch Hope Woodlands, Eriboll Estate, North West Sutherland;

Highly Commended: Forestry and Land Scotland (Central Region team), Balgownie Woods, West Fife;

Highly Commended: Borders Forest Trust, Corehead, near Moffat, Dumfriesshire

Commended: Torwoodlee & Buckholm Estates Co. Ltd., Halkburn Woodland, Torwoodlee Estate, Galashiels, Scottish Borders;

Commended: Hector MacLean, New Spott Wood, near Kirriemuir, Angus.

Quality Timber Awards

New Commercial Woods

Winner: Mrs J C Hands, Larriston Forest, Newcastleton, Scottish Borders; 

Highly Commended: James Jones & Sons Ltd., Tillyrie, Milnathort, Perth & Kinross;

Single stand of trees, compartment or small wood

Winner: Aylsa Leslie, Auchintender, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire;

Highly Commended: William Urquhart for Craigston Castle, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.

Whole Forest or Estate

Winner: Andrew & Lynne Sinclair, Balbeg Estate, Straiton, Ayrshire;

Schools Award

Winner: Pitlochry High School, Perthshire

Runner-up: Robert Douglas Memorial School, Scone, Perthshire

Early Years Award

Winner: Perth Outdoor Playgroup, Perth;

Runner-up: Middlefield Nursery, Aberdeen.

Local Salon finalises for seven categories in regional awards

Local salon, MARKDAVID, based in Stockbridge, has received the outstanding news that they have finalised for seven categories in the Salon Awards.

The Salon Awards provide regional recognition for hair and beauty professionals and are the only hair and beauty industry awards where hair and beauty professionals can compete at a local level in their fields of expertise.

Focused on improving standards, elevating business, rewarding individuals, and showcasing the professionalism of their industry locally – it is no ordinary awards competition.

The Salon Awards community is a hive of hair and beauty salon owners, hair stylists, nail artists, colourists, barbers, beauty therapists, spa geniuses – young and old alike – all vying to compare, improve and be the best in their area.

To finalise in seven categories is a fantastic achievement for the MARKDAVID salon, which only opened in November 2019 and has since had to close twice due to the pandemic. Despite this, the salon has only got more successful and has even expanded, offering more space and services for their clientele.

The Salon Awards award ceremony will take place this November, where the salon will find out their fate and if they have won any of the following seven categories: Best Salon, Best Customer Experience, Best New or Refurbished Salon, Best Marketing Trailblazer, Best Colour Salon, Best Salon Team and Creative Image of the Year.

Winning the awards will not only bring the salon more business recognition and credentials for their expertise but will also improve their industry recognition and provide them with marketing opportunities and exposure to attract customers.

Mark McCarthy, Owner of MARKDAVID salon, commented: “To finalise for seven awards in this year’s Salon Awards is truly incredible.

“It’s been a hard couple of years with the pandemic and we’re thrilled that the Salon Awards have been able to notice our hard work and dedication towards our salon, our community, our team and our clients.

“We’re looking forward to the awards ceremony in November and hopefully we will be able to bring some awards home to display proudly in our salon!”

Float to Live: RNLI and KÄRCHER share lifesaving message with sea wall art

– Kärcher UK announces four-year partnership with the RNLI, together supporting the RNLI’s aim of helping to prevent drowning –

Clean art has been pressure washed onto the wall of Brighton Marina, displaying a vital lifesaving message to remind the public to ‘Float To Live’ if they find themselves in difficulty in the water. 

With many still stay-cationing in the UK, Kärcher UK has created the large-scale art to support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) by reminding people of this important lifesaving method. Using high-pressure cleaners, the message was etched onto the Brighton Marina sea wall by removing layers of dirt, which had been built up over half a century. 

As part of a new four-year partnership with the RNLI, Kärcher are committed to supporting the charity’s drowning prevention mission by raising awareness and sharing water safety messaging. It comes as huge numbers of people headed to the coast this summer and increased demand on the RNLI’s volunteer crew and lifeguards. 

Kärcher will supply its cleaning equipment to every one of the RNLI’s 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland. This will include professional grade pressure washers and other important cleaning appliances to support with vital maintenance at every lifeboat station.

In 2020 alone, RNLI lifesavers saved 349 lives and helped over 33,546 people. That’s almost one life saved every single day. The charity also reported 42 lifeboat launches per day over the summer period, which is almost double the number launched throughout the rest of the year.

To remind members of the public of how to ‘Float to Live’, the pair have also collaborated on a short film, featuring crew at Selsey Lifeboat Station talking about the vital services the RNLI provide: –  https://youtu.be/PcTXcf4qGdE

The RNLI advises that if you find yourself in difficulty in the water, the five steps to follow are:

§  Fight your instinct to thrash around

§  Lean back, extend your arms and legs

§  If you need to, gently move them around to help you float

§  Float until you can control your breathing

§  Only then, call for help or swim to safety

As well as providing cleaning equipment, Kärcher are supporting the partnership by running a number of fundraising activities and sales promotions throughout the partnership to raise vital funds to help the RNLI continue saving lives at sea.

Rob Archibald, RNLI Coxswain at Selsey, the first lifeboat station to receive equipment from Kärcher as part of the partnership, said: “Kärcher’s equipment will really improve the cleaning regime we undertake at the lifeboat station. Every time the lifeboat returns to station following a launch for exercise or after responding to an emergency, station volunteers will wash down and clean the lifeboat.

“Kärcher’s equipment will make this process considerably quicker, to allow volunteers to clean areas previously inaccessible and make it a less tiring task. Maintaining and cleaning the equipment and lifeboat station is important to keep it in the best condition possible and ensures we are ready at all times to save lives at sea.”

John Payne, Director for Lifesaving Operations at the RNLI, said: “The RNLI is delighted to announce this partnership with Kärcher, a highly respected and trusted company. 

“Through this new alliance, they will help us to reach even more people with our water safety messaging, by supplying quality cleaning equipment to our crew. Kärcher’s efficient equipment will save RNLI volunteers’ time and continue to ensure lifeboats are ready to launch to those in trouble at sea.

“In addition to sharing our drowning prevention advice and supplying cleaning equipment, Karcher has pledged to generate income, fundraise for us and donate a percentage of sales via sales promotions throughout the partnership, for which we are extremely grateful.”

James Gordon, Kärcher Marketing Director, comments: “We are proud and honoured to be partnering with the RNLI, and supporting the vital work they do in saving lives at sea.

“We’re delighted that our equipment will play a role in keeping the boats and stations clean and ready for callouts at all times during the year. We hope that together over the next four years we can raise more awareness of sea safety – kicking it off in style with our clean art in Brighton!”

For more information on the partnership visit the Kärcher and RNLI social channels.

Hannah Lavery nominated to be Edinburgh’s next Makar

Award-winning poet, playwright and performer Hannah Lavery has been nominated to become the Scottish Capital’s next poet laureate.

A report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Committee next week (Tuesday 14 September) recommends Hannah as the next writer to be inaugurated as the sixth Edinburgh Makar.

If agreed, Hannah will take over the honorary role from Alan Spence later this year at a special reception hosted by the Lord Provost within the City Chambers.

Born and raised in the Capital, Hannah is a highly respected poet and playwright whose work has been published widely. Hannah’s poem, “Scotland, You’re no mine” was selected by Roseanne Watt as one of the Best Scottish Poems of 2019, her poetry film, Thirteen Fragments featured as part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival this year and she it will feature as part of a longer work for Push the Boat Out Festival in Edinburgh, this October.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener, said: “Hannah Lavery is the sixth in an illustrious line of writers who have filled this important role in Edinburgh, the original City of Literature.

“Hannah is a fantastic choice, an accomplished and highly-regarded writer whose work inspires and generates important conversations, and I’m sure she’ll take the role in fascinating new directions.

“The Council continues to show its commitment to the celebration of writers and literature which enhance the capital’s international reputation, including establishing the post of the Edinburgh Makar, a Scots word celebrating the role of the writer as a skilled crafter of words and images.

“I’m truly delighted that Hannah has been nominated as the Capital’s next Makar. She of course follows the brilliant Alan Spence, who has been an impressive advocate and ambassador for Edinburgh and for poetry, and whose interest in international dialogue and exchange has undoubtedly enhanced the city’s global reputation.

“It has been a pleasure to experience Alan’s perspective of the Capital and we would like to thank him for the dedication and insight that he has brought to the role.

Hannah Lavery, said: “I am thrilled to be nominated and to be given the opportunity to build upon the work of Alan Spence and previous Makars.

“Edinburgh is in my bones – to be nominated as her Makar is an absolute honour and privilege”.

The Edinburgh Makar is a civic post instituted in 2002 by the City of Edinburgh Council. The writer is selected and nominated by representatives of the Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish PEN, The Saltire Society, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and the Council.

Centre for Cities: Recovery gathers pace as UK emerges from Covid-19 pandemic restrictions

Centre for Cities has published the latest data on its High Streets Recovery Tracker, up to the end of August.

The data suggests that footfall in all of the UK’s largest cities and towns is now recovering as the UK emerges from pandemic restrictions.

Some key findings from the latest data:

  • By the end of August, average footfall in the centre of the UK’s largest cities and towns reached 64% of pre-Covid levels – up from 53% at the end of July.
  • Footfall was highest in seaside resorts and other tourist destinations. It exceeded pre-Covid levels in Blackpool, Bournemouth and Southend and came close in Brighton, York and Edinburgh.
  • Reading saw a 41 percentage point increase in footfall between the end of July and the end of August – the biggest increase in the country. This is likely to do be due to Reading Festival.
  • The increase in footfall that places saw in August was driven by evening and weekend leisure visitors rather than workers. Worker footfall remained low throughout the summer
  • Overall footfall in central London and the centres of other large cities also remained low throughout the summer – both compared to other cities and compared to pre-pandemic. In central London overall footfall at the end of August was just 43% of pre-pandemic levels. On the weekend it was higher, at 67%, but still trailing smaller cities.
Where did city centre footfall increase the most in August?
Increased the mostIncreased the least
RankCityAugust footfall increase (percentage point)Last week of August footfall level (% of pre-Covid)RankCityAugust footfall increaseLast week of August footfall level (% of pre-Covid)
1Reading41951Mansfield177
2Blackpool401602Portsmouth268
3Southend301233Sheffield357
4Edinburgh27944Northampton364
5Bournemouth241235Slough362

You can explore the all the data for the 63 largest cities and towns on our interactive tracker.

Centre for Cities publishes footfall and spending data on a monthly basis. The next release will be published in mid-October and cover the full month of September.

Adult Education Art Course enrolling now

We have a few places available in an adult education outdoor art course that will offer some weather protection as it is based at Ocean Terminal, with indoor and outdoor opportunities, great views, lots of ventilation, social distancing and a lovely friendly tutor. 

The course is running on 21st and 28th September from 10.30-1.30pm (3 hours each session). Enrolments must be made by Tuesday 14th September so please act quickly and please spread the word.


You can book by going onto www.joininedinburgh.org or using this link: https://www.joininedinburgh.org/activity/18183/

Fees are £24.75 for the standard fee and £15 for senior citizens, students and people receiving benefits. 

It is a great way to ease back into adult education courses (which we hope will be back soon) and will offer an opportunity to have some technique demonstration and support for your creativity to progress, whether a complete beginner or someone who has been sketching for years. 

The tutors work can be reviewed on her website: 

http://www.jennylupton.com/about.htm

Information on the course: 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS:

No entry requirements and everyone welcome! The course will be based at Ocean Terminal, with access to an outdoor area as well as an indoor shop floor with plenty of space for social distancing – so you can choose to be outdoors and indoors during the time.  The views are excellent and lots of exciting scenarios to sketch.

OVERVIEW / INTRODUCTION TO COURSE:

A chance to sketch outdoors in companionable quiet with as much or as little tutor input as desired, a loose course structure devised to gently stretch your abilities with a suggested (but ultimately optional) focus, technique and/ or medium each week, the opportunity to get peer and tutor feedback (again, if desired) or to just enjoy yourself.

HOW THE COURSE WILL BE TAUGHT: 

See above. A loose structure with suggested foci and media but lots of choice and flexibility to reflect varied student needs and interests.


WHAT STUDENTS CAN EXPECT TO LEARN: 

Students will be provided with support to develop their own style, through guidance on techniques and feedback from the tutor.


RESOURCES / ADDITIONAL COSTS REQUIRED BY STUDENTS:  

Art students need to provide- a decent quality sketchpad, A3 size, with a minimum paper weight of 90 mcg; sketching pencils of preferred density (2B minimum suggested); bottle of water for wet media; optional watercolours/ watercolour pencils/ oil bar/ dry pastels/ charcoal/ sketching pens/ acrylic paints/ brushes; a sun hat and sun cream or waterproof jacket depending on the forecast comfortable and practical footwear; water bottle; hand sanitiser; a folding camping stool or small cushion for sitting on; snack (optional).

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES: 

See above for sun hat, sun cream, hand sanitiser, kitchen or toilet roll for tidying up wet materials and spillages.  Please sharpen pencils in advance or use pencil sharpeners rather than Stanley knives or other blades to lessen the likelihood of needing the First Aid box! 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN BAD WEATHER: 

Course will go ahead.

Next steps for new Eye Pavilion

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has confirmed that the outline business case for the new Edinburgh Eye Pavilion has been approved by the Scottish Government. NHS Lothian has now been invited to submit a full business case.

This will be part of a £10 billion investment in the NHS estate over the next 10 years, bringing about the renewal and replacement of health facilities across Scotland.

Mr Yousaf said: “I am delighted that we are a step closer to delivering improved specialised eye services for the city of Edinburgh and the wider region.

“The Scottish Government is committed to working closely with NHS Lothian to meet the demand for eye care, with improvements for patients and a more modernised service.”

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government asked NHS Lothian to carry out a review of eye care services, including redesigning pathways to enable patients to access care closer to home.

Have your say on city council’s Low Emission Zone proposals

More than 4000 people have told the city council what they think of proposals to introduce a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Edinburgh, with less than two weeks left to take part in the consultation.

CEC is seeking people’s views on proposals for an LEZ in Edinburgh’s city centre, which would require all motor vehicles, other than mopeds and motorcycles (and exempted vehicles), to meet minimum emissions standards to enter the zone freely. The council intends to introduce the LEZ by spring 2022, with a two-year grace period before enforcement begins, to help people adjust to the changes.

People have until 20 September to take part in the consultation asking about travel habits and for responses to the scheme, including the city centre boundary, the two-year grace period and exemptions. As of Thursday (9 September), 4025 people had already responded.

To help you have your say on the proposals, the council has put together some key facts about the LEZ (below).

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “It’s great that so many people have already taken the time to share their views on our proposals. This is a change that could affect anyone coming into the city centre, as well as all those that live here, so I would encourage as many people as possible to take part before the consultation closes.

“It’s really important that people are able to make informed responses to the consultation, which is why we’ve gathered together some key facts about the scheme, and we hope these will dispel some of the myths about how it would operate.

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “People have already told us how important clean air is to them, and our proposals aim to improve air quality while also supporting all those who live and work here to adjust to the changes.

“By reducing the most polluting vehicles in the city, alongside other projects to reduce congestion and facilitate travel by foot, bike or wheel, we could create a safer, cleaner and healthier city.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland said: “Low Emission Zones are a vital step towards improving Scotland’s air quality and people’s lung health.

“Air pollution causes as many as 2000 premature deaths in Scotland every year so it is crucial that we take steps to reduce the levels we are exposed to, especially in our busy cities.

“We encourage everyone to take a moment and have their say to help ensure the Edinburgh LEZ plan is robust and will help to create a world where everyone can breathe clean air with healthy lungs.”

Feedback to the consultation will help inform a finalised LEZ plan, to be brought back to the Transport and Environment Committee in the autumn, before the statutory process for introducing the scheme begins.

In 2019 we carried out a consultation on initial proposals for LEZs in Edinburgh, with responses showing that cleaner air is important to everyone.

LEZ: Key facts

Why are we introducing an LEZ?

  • We want to reduce air pollution, for which road traffic is the main source. By limiting the most polluting vehicles in the LEZ we want to create cleaner air and improve people’s health in this densely populated part of the city.
  • Introducing the LEZ will significantly improve air quality, reducing traffic related (NO2 – nitrogen dioxide) emissions in the city centre by 55% – equivalent to 25-30 tonnes per year, when compared to 2019 levels.

Will this negatively impact those who need to drive in the city?

  • We want to make sure that those who need to drive into the city still can, so blue badge holders and emergency vehicles will be amongst those exempt from the restrictions.
  • Only the most polluting vehicles will be affected – we expect the majority of drivers not to be affected by the changes.
  • By the time enforcement begins in 2024 only diesel cars less than nine years old and petrol cars less than 18 years old will be able to drive in the zone.

Why are we proposing a boundary that only covers the city centre and not the whole city?

  • An evidence-led approach was taken when appraising options for an LEZ, adhering to the National Low Emission Framework and based on detailed traffic and air quality modelling and data. Each option was assessed against a series of principles and objectives including the reduction of harmful NO2 and greenhouse gas emissions and minimising the displacement of traffic as a result of the LEZ.
  • This work suggested a citywide boundary would have a limited impact, with commercial fleet already improving in emissions standards. In 2020, Edinburgh traffic surveys showed Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) were already 76-95% compliant, while Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), or vans, had increased in compliance to 48% from 7% in 2016.
  • Over 60% of bus and coach fleet here (excluding Lothian Buses) was compliant in February 2020 and Lothian Buses are already on the road to reaching full compliance with the LEZ requirements by the end of 2021.
  • It is anticipated that the effects of vehicles complying with a city centre boundary will filter out to the wider city, with all buses and taxis becoming compliant with LEZ rules covering the whole city. According to modelling by SEPA, for areas that are not in the LEZ, it is predicted that harmful Nitrogen Oxides emissions from traffic sources will decline by 15% when compared to 2019 levels.

Will an LEZ generate money for the Council but disproportionately affect low income households? 

  • LEZs improve public health and help to save money, supporting the NHS to reduce health inequalities. By allowing a two-year grace period we want to give people time to prepare for the changes before 2024.
  • There’s also funding available to help people prepare for the LEZ, with up to £3000 in grants for households on certain benefits to scrap polluting vehicles and invest in more sustainable transport. Small businesses can also benefit from up to £2,500 from the Energy Saving Trust.
  • Scotland’s LEZs will issue fines to the most polluting vehicles only and are not designed to generate income. The Scottish LEZs are not designed in the same way as the Clean Air Zones in other parts of the UK which essentially set a fee for entering in a non-compliant vehicle. The Edinburgh LEZ will issue fines for non-compliance set at rates which will discourage repeat contraventions.

Is this a Council strategy or something encouraged by the Scottish Government?

  • We have been working to introduce an LEZ in Edinburgh since 2018 in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to implement LEZs in Scotland’s four largest cities – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee – to tackle air pollution and protect public health.
  • Our own City Mobility Plan – Edinburgh’s ten-year-transport strategy – commits to developing an LEZ alongside several other measures to tackle congestion, support cleaner air and support the move towards low emission transport. These include the Workplace Parking Levy (subject to consultation), the completion of the tram line to Newhaven and expansion of the active travel network.

Are you planning to increase electric vehicle charging infrastructure to help people comply with the LEZ?

  • Although you don’t have to have an electric vehicle to drive in the LEZ (newer petrol and diesel vehicles will still be allowed), the Council is working to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the city to help facilitate these types of vehicles.
  • We’ve been awarded £2.2m of funding from Transport Scotland through the Switched-On Towns and Cities Fund for installing on street chargers. A total of 66 of these chargers will be put in across the city as part of the first phase of implementation. This is expected to be completed by 31 March 2022.
  • There are already publicly accessible electric vehicle chargers located around the city. Their locations can be found on the Charge Place Scotland website.

Take part in the LEZ consultation, which runs until 20 September, on the Council website.

LATE CALL: Ecclesiastical Church competition deadline looms

HOW TO ENTER

Think of your good news story that needs to be heard and fill in the competition form.

If you can’t use the online form; you can download a form and send it via email together with your photo to: churchcompetition@ecclesiastical.com. Video submissions will not be possible by post. 

Once you submit your entry, your church will automatically be entered into the regional competition where each winner will receive a prize of £1,500.

The grand final of the competition will see one of the regional winners be crowned the national winner and receive an additional £6,000. That is two chances to win! 

All entries must be submitted by the closing date 17 September 2021. 

Dad runs two marathons in two months for charity that helped his daughter communicate again

Robin Gibson from Edinburgh, has signed up to take on the Brighton Marathon and London Marathon over the next two months to raise money for The Children’s Trust. Robin was inspired to take on the challenge after his daughter, Floss, received brain injury rehabilitation at the charity’s specialist centre.

In May 2019, Floss was celebrating her 17th birthday in her hometown of Barnard Castle when she was a passenger in a high-speed car accident.

Floss suffered a devastating brain injury which put her in a coma for a month and with limited awareness of the world around her for nearly a year. Prior to the accident, Floss was a fit and healthy A-level student and keen rugby player working towards a career as a lawyer. The accident left her with a severe brain injury, unable to walk, communicate or feed herself.

Nine months after her brain injury, aged 18, Floss moved to The Children’s Trust in Surrey where she received a combination of intensive physio, speech and language, occupational therapy, aquatics, play therapy and music therapy to try and relearn the skills she had lost.

Floss also attended The Children’s Trust School, a non-maintained special school supporting children and young people aged 2-19 with a wide range of needs.

Robin said: “With the first week of focused rehabilitation, my daughter showed responses not seen before and, three months later, she was clinically declared conscious and on the road to recovery.

“In the following nine months, The Children’s Trust helped my daughter to start to communicate, start to look after herself, make her first steps in trying to eat and even put her back on her feet with a few tentative and supported steps. Most importantly, The Children’s Trust gave my daughter her smile back.”

Robin has already reached his target of £3000 and now aims to continue his fundraising efforts and raise the bar even further.

He added: “I’m very excited to take on this challenge and raise vital funds for a charity that has given our family so much. We’ll be forever grateful for how the staff helped Floss with her recovery and I’m pleased we can give back in some way.”

If you would like to take on a challenge in aid of The Children’s Trust, the UK’s leading charity for children with brain injury, visit: 

https://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/events

To donate to Robin’s Just Giving page, visit: 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/robin-gibson3