Draft detailed designs for a section of the approved City Centre West to East Link will be on public display on street in Roseburn today.
Project officers and representatives from Sustrans Scotland will be on hand from 8am to 4pm at two exhibition stalls – at the Old Coltbridge and on the traffic island adjacent to Murrayfield Place – to talk people through the designs for public realm improvements to the area, inviting their feedback over locally (Roseburn) sourced hot drinks and refreshments.
Ideas for the area include opportunities for new seating, planting/greenery, public art and other public space improvements.
The City Centre West to East Cycle Link and Street Improvements Project connecting the west of Edinburgh to and through the city centre to Leith was approved in December 2016 following an extensive public consultation process.
The project aims to install a largely protected cycle way to and through the city centre, providing a crucial link from existing QuietRoutes in north and west Edinburgh to Leith Walk and intended to encourage many more commuters to choose to travel into town by bike or on foot instead of by car, reducing congestion and contributing to improved air quality as well as boosting health and fitness.
As well as the public exhibitions in Roseburn during the day, CCWEL project officers will deliver a presentation on the draft designs to the Murrayfield Community Council meeting tonight.
Cllr Macinnes said: “The CCWEL is one of the most ambitious active travel infrastructure projects currently under way anywhere in Scotland. Once completed, it’s anticipated that the largely protected route will dramatically increase cycling rates in Edinburgh, helping particularly less confident bike users to get safely into the heart of the Capital from our popular QuietRoutes network on two wheels.
“We’ve been working very closely with communities and stakeholders right along the CCWEL route to refine detailed designs for the scheme. For this particular section we’re looking at greatly improving the public space and we’re keen to hear from as many local people as possible on what they want to see there – whether it’s planting, public art, seating or other features.”
Andy Keba, Head of Strategic Partnerships for Sustrans Scotland, said: “Sustrans are excited to see the latest designs the community has come up with in collaboration with City of Edinburgh Council. We’re looking forward to seeing the responses to the ideas on show and seeing the design for a new public space progress.”
John Yellowlees, Chair of Murrayfield Community Council, said: “The Community Council welcomes the opportunity provided by this initiative to realise the long-held ambition in our Roseburn Action Plan to improve the public realm in the area around the Old Coltbridge.”
The designs for the Old Coltbridge and Murrayfield Place/Avenue section of public realm space in Roseburn have been developed through a series of consultation activities, including:
10th October – Attendance at previous MCC meeting, over 50 attendees, people asked what the like and don’t like about space as is, and asked for suggestions and ideas for new space.
24th/25th/26th October – engagement workshops with P1s, P5s and P7s gaining lots of suggestions for improvements to the space from children’s perspective
7th November – Consultation on site with residents, locals and passers-by asked for suggestions for improvement.
Throughout – conversations with members of MCC, local traders and local residents.
Statutory processes for Section 1 of the CCWEL, namely Roseburn to Haymarket, are now under way, with public consultation for the Traffic Regulation and Redetermination Orders due to start in early 2018.
Meanwhile, detailed design work has started on Section 2 (Haymarket to Charlotte Square). This section includes the Melville Crescent Public Realm Project which is a separate mini-project within the overall CCWEL scheme, for which the Council has commissioned a design consultant.
Construction work on the CCWEL is expected to start in 2019.
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