Auld reekie: Edinburgh road wins unwelcome accolade

Corstorphine chokes – and it could get worse

Corstorphine’s St John’s Road is officially Scotland’s most polluted road – and local residents fear the air quality will get even worse as a planning application for a massive new supermarket with 140 parking spaces is to be considered by city councillors next week. 

The developer’s own figures reveal that up to 22,000 car trips will be made in and out of the supermarket every week – with up to 70% of this new, rather than passing, traffic. Local campaigners argue that streets which are already congested will be unable to cope

New figures have revealed that St John’s Road has the worst air pollution in the whole country. According to estimates, poor air quality is causing 3,500 thousands premature death in Scotland every year.

 

Friends of the Earth Scotland air pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna said: “Last year, Edinburgh Council approved its new Transport Strategy which commits to achieving clean air across the city. But these results show that levels of air pollution, which were already at illegal levels, are reaching appalling new heights. St John’s Road is now Scotland’s most polluted road, and traffic congestion is the reason why.

“These worrying figures further the case for refusing planning permission for the supermarket. The developer’s plans would see 3000 new vehicle visits to heart of the Pollution Zone each day, worsening traffic congestion and further adding to the soaring levels of pollution. The developer’s documents are riddled with flaws and fail to predict air quality impacts of the supermarket in key locations. We are confident that when Councillors consider the evidence, they will turn down the proposal.

“Air pollution has been linked with asthma attacks, strokes, heart attacks, and cancers. It can lead to children’s lungs not growing to their full potential. Schoolchildren would have have to walk in front of the proposed car park entrance each day on their way to Corstorphine Primary School, if it were to go ahead.

“For the sake of people’s health, St John’s Road needs a transport transformation. Priority should be given to walkers, cyclists and public transport users, and car use should be restricted through a Low Emission Zone, which would require vehicles to meet cleaner emission standards or pay a fine. This would create a cleaner, safer, and more attractive environment where everyone could breathe clean air.”

Local resident Becky Lloyd, a mother of two who chairs the Corstorphine Residents Action & Information Group, said: “The Birmingham-based developers want to build a massive supermarket and multi-storey carpark which is out of scale with its surroundings and which can only be accessed from a street so narrow it is currently one-way.

“We trust the Council will come to the same conclusion as residents and rule this development entirely inappropriate for the site. Corstorphine is saturated with supermarkets and there is no demand or need for another one.

“This development would cause more congestion and pollution on a street already ranked the most polluted in Scotland. Buried in the developer’s own figures is the true picture: an estimated 22,000 car trips in and out of the supermarket every week, with up to 70% of this new, rather than passing traffic.”

Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, has today urged the Scottish Government to take urgent action on dangerous air pollution levels in the capital.

Ms Johnstone, who is the Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh Central for Holyrood 2016, said: “It’s shocking that we keep hearing news about alarming levels of pollution in our cities while thousands of Scottish people are dying prematurely because of poor air quality. We’re not just talking about a minor environmental nuisance here – we’re talking about a public health crisis.

“Despite continued warnings from health professionals, charities and community groups over the years, both Labour and SNP governments have failed to take this issue seriously.

“Green Councillors in Edinburgh have worked hard, with others, to get the city to introduce 20 miles per hour zones and to invest properly in cycling and walking infrastructure. We know that these policies work, and they now need to be implemented on a bigger, bolder scale. The Scottish Government must recognise its responsibilities and take urgent action to tackle this crisis.”

The city council’s Local Transport Strategy commits to clean air across Edinburgh. Transport convener Cllr Lesley Hinds said: “We monitor air quality continuously across the city and the Air Quality Management Area enables us to direct actions more effectively at those locations. We are aware there are improvements which can be made to limit emissions across Edinburgh including at St John’s Road and Clermiston Road junction.”