Day: May 16, 2018

More roadworks misery as SGN to work on Crewe Road South for THREE MONTHS

Temporary traffic lights on Crewe Road South for thirteen weeks

Just when you thought local traffic disruption couldn’t get any worse … here’s a message from SGN: 

SGN Alert – Crewe Road South

We’re investing £75,000 to upgrade our gas network in Crewe Road South, Edinburgh.

This essential work involves replacing old, metal gas mains with new plastic pipe, which has a minimum lifespan of 80 years, to ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply for the local area.

Following discussions with Edinburgh City Council, the work will begin on Monday 21 May.

We’ll be working in Crewe Road South between its junctions with Grigor Avenue and the entrance to the Western General Hospital. Temporary traffic lights will be in place in the road, including at the entrance to the hospital, for the duration of our work. We’ll be manually controlling the lights at peak times to reduce disruption.

We understand this is a busy route and advise motorists and those visiting the hospital to allow more time for journeys.

If you have any other specific enquiries about this project, please call us on 0131 469 1728 during office hours 8am – 4pm or 0800 912 1700 and our customer service team will be happy to help.

Please share this information with anyone who may be impacted by our work.

Thank you for your support while we carry out this work.

Meanwhile, the work on Pennywell Road and Groathill Road North continues. The project started on 8th January and is scheduled to take 15 weeks. In the meantime Groathill Road North remains closed to southbound traffic.

STV for Everyone … but no room for STV2

STV2 to go next month

STV has announced a comprehensive new 3-year growth strategy aiming to establish the integrated producer-broadcaster as “Scotland’s home of news and entertainment”. The new strategy will bring changes to STV’s management, culture and organisation – including the closure of STV2 with the loss of 25 jobs. Continue reading STV for Everyone … but no room for STV2

“Challenging” tenants could lead to mass exodus from Edinburgh rental market

One in four landlords in Edinburgh are considering selling their rental properties due to problem tenants, with unpaid rent and damage running into thousands of pounds cited as the main problems. 

Continue reading “Challenging” tenants could lead to mass exodus from Edinburgh rental market

LIFTing the lid on Scotland’s new social security system

LIFT (Low Income Families Together) organised an event to give local people an opportunity to learn more about the ongoing changes to the welfare and benefits system yesterday. Around sixty people attended the Scotland’s New Social Security System: What Does It Mean for You? conference in Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre yesterday. Continue reading LIFTing the lid on Scotland’s new social security system

Syrian Refugee: Wightman raises concerns over accommodation

Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman is raising fresh concerns about the case of Shahbaz Ali, a Syrian refugee who was stabbed in an alleged racist attack in Edinburgh earlier this month.

Mr Ali has internal bleeding after collapsing while being discharged from hospital and it has now emerged that the City of Edinburgh Council has not allowed Mr Ali’s father to sign a lease on behalf of his son, nor is the Council prepared to visit Mr Ali in hospital to obtain a signature.

The property he was given is in a poor state – dirty and with only one bed and nothing else for furniture. He was promised a clean and furnished property. Mr Ali’s father wanted access to the property to tidy and furnish it, so it is a welcoming and safe environment for his son to recover in.

Andy Wightman MSP said: “It is absolutely appalling what this young man and his family have gone through in the last week.

“At last Thursday’s First Minister’s Questions, the First Minister responded to my question about the attack on Mr Ali by saying that, ‘We want Scotland to be—and to be seen to be—a refuge from war and persecution… The Scottish Government will do what we can, with the local authority in Edinburgh and other groups, to provide as much reassurance and support as possible.’ Clearly that means providing appropriate accommodation.

“However, the difficulties faced by Mr Ali’s father yesterday (Monday) suggest that the City of Edinburgh Council is failing in its duty to house vulnerable refugees. Why did Mr Ali’s father face so many unnecessary barriers when all he wanted to do was to create a safe and welcoming environment for his son to recover from this most malicious of criminal acts?

“The current systems in place to house vulnerable people, including refugees, in Edinburgh need to be rapidly re-assessed. I am shocked by reports of the treatment Mr Ali’s family received yesterday and I urge those responsible to act swiftly to uphold Mr Ali’s human rights in this situation.”

Council leader Cllr Adam McVey said yesterday that access to the flat will be available today and that the council will be doing all it can to support Mr Ali and his family. 

An online fundraising appeal Shabaz Ali Appeal – Scotland Says NO To Racism has so far raised over £11,000. You can contribute at https://mydonate.bt.com/events/saynotoracism/464056

It would be good to think this story might yet have a happy ending …