Category: Newhaven

Business case for Trams to Newhaven ‘remains on track’

An update to the final business case for the Trams to Newhaven project, which reflects the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, concludes that the economic case for the scheme remains positive.

The review aims to assess the impact any changes in public transport demand as a result of the crisis could have on the economic and financial case, first approved in March 2019. On Thursday (12 November 2020) members of the Transport and Environment Committee will be asked to consider the updated final business case (FBC) and to approve continuing with the construction of the project.

The Council’s economic advisers, have developed a series of possible scenarios to stress-test the findings in the original FBC. These range from a return to business as usual to a permanent reduction in demand, taking into account short-term COVID-19 impacts and views on future growth. In each of the scenarios, modelling suggests that the economic case for the project remains, with a benefit-to-cost ratio of above one.

Financial assessment has found that the project can still be delivered within the budgeted £207.3m and that, in all but one of the scenarios, the impact on Council reserves if the project is cancelled would be greater than continuing construction. While it is possible there could be a future call on Council reserves to support financing costs as a result of COVID-19, in each scenario the scheme will finance itself, albeit in different timeframes.

The refreshed FBC also highlights that the completion will play a key role in the future growth and development of the city. Delivering the tram line to Leith will unlock a large area of the city for housing and economic development, while providing a low-carbon, clean mode of transport to densely populated communities.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “It’s clear that the events of this year have had an unprecedented impact on the way we travel and that we’ll continue to feel the effects for the foreseeable future. In light of this, it’s essential that we assess the potential economic and financial impacts on such a significant transport infrastructure scheme.

“I’m pleased that the economic and financial cases for Trams to Newhaven hold up despite the ongoing pressures resulting from COVID-19. The delivery of this project is essential for the Capital’s green recovery, providing sustainable, low-carbon travel to one of the city’s most densely populated areas. We now have reason to be cautiously optimistic as we progress with construction.”

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “The Trams to Newhaven project is exactly the kind of investment we need post-COVID-19 to ensure Edinburgh is a thriving, forward-looking place for people to live and work in and to deliver much needed housing, jobs and investment into north Edinburgh.”

Work on the Trams to Newhaven project was instructed to stop on 25 March following guidance from the First Minister on COVID-19 and recommenced in June. While the site shutdown incurred costs, these have been covered by the overall budget and delays have been mitigated.

An updated programme shows that the project is still working towards Spring 2023 for completion and is forecast to be delivered within the agreed budget.

Over recent months, Edinburgh has experienced a significant drop in demand for public transport, with long-term consequences expected including a decline in income to the tram service.

The review of the FBC takes this into account, with even the most optimistic of scenarios projecting that passenger numbers won’t return to pre-COVID levels until the mid-2020s. Finally, the review of the FBC acknowledges the impact of COVID 19 on Lothian Buses and does not rely on any further payment of the extraordinary dividend which was anticipated in the original FBC.

Since March 2019 several local and national strategies have emerged to further support the introduction of high capacity, high quality public transport in the city. While Scotland’s National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2) envisions ‘sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport’, Edinburgh’s draft City Mobility Plan strives for a greener, safer and connected transport system.

The tram will support the delivery of transport policies such as City Centre Transformation, which proposes a series of interventions to provide a more liveable, people-friendly city centre and requires a mode shift to public transport to help deliver a 10-15% reduction in city centre car traffic in the medium term and a 25-30% reduction in the longer term.

Read the full report, Trams to Newhaven – COVID-19 Final Business Case Refresh, online. 

Watch Transport and Environment Committee live via webcast from 10am on Thursday, 12 November.

While the city council pushes ahead with the trams project, the Inquiry into the Edinburgh Tram project also continues – albeit at a snail’s pace.

The inquiry aims to establish why the original Edinburgh Tram project incurred delays, cost more than originally budgeted and through reductions in scope delivered significantly less than projected.

The inquiry, under Lord Hardie, was set up in June 2014 but is yet to report any findings.

Back in June a spokesperson for the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry told the BBC: “The findings of the inquiry into why the Edinburgh Trams project incurred delays, cost more than originally budgeted and delivered significantly less than planned will be made available at the earliest opportunity.

“Lord Hardie’s remit is to conduct a robust inquiry and it will take as long as is necessary to get the answers required to fulfil the terms of reference.

“We continue to make good progress, including managing more than three million documents on the inquiry’s evidence database for handover to National Records of Scotland.

“A relevant set is also being prepared to be made available on the inquiry’s website to accompany the published report at the appropriate time.”

A scathing review by Audit Scotland in February 2011 noted the original tram project had been undermined by poor planning, cost underestimates, contract disputes and a lack of clear leadership by the council – a lengthy catalogue of calamities which has cost taxpayers £ millions.

Campaigners seek Bathing Water Quality Monitoring at Wardie Bay

‘This is about protecting both people and wild places’

Wild swimmers and environmental campaigners are leading an appeal, which includes a campaign film, song and petition, for Wardie Beach to be included in Scotland’s list of designated bathing waters.

In 2019, the Wardie Bay Wild Ones and Wardie Bay Beachwatch came together to make an application to SEPA for designated Bathing Water status for north Edinburgh’s much-loved and increasingly popular bathing site, Wardie Beach, situated between Granton and Newhaven Harbours.

Evidence of over 150 beach users across the bathing season, from 1st June to 15th September, was provided. The decision not to designate was made, not by the review panel, but by the Scottish Government. Feedback cited issues relating to a lack of appropriate infrastructure and facilities.

On 28th August 2020, SEPA offered the group the opportunity to appeal the decision, and the #WardieBay4BathingWater campaign was born.

A petition launched on 25th September received over 1000 signatures in four days. The appeal document was submitted on Friday 30th October. The review panel meets to confirm 2021 Bathing Waters in December, and a decision will be made by the government early next year.

Karen Bates, volunteer organiser of Wardie Bay Beachwatch said: “The community works so hard to look after Wardie Beach, which receives marine litter and sewage related debris on every tide.

“We don’t believe we should be penalised for a lack of existing infrastructure and protection from these harms. We believe people need water quality monitoring and deserve the same safety protections in Granton that other similar local beaches are afforded.

“Large numbers of people come to Wardie Bay anyway, because of the semi-wild nature of this place not despite it. We saw a huge rise in the number of bathers in 2020 due to the pandemic. We don’t want the unintended consequence that Wardie Bay loses its special character and precious wildlife because of a perceived need to develop it.”

The group’s campaign film, shot by Carlos Hernan in recent weeks, includes interviews with swimmers, swim safety coach Colin Campbell, health and ecotoxicology experts Kate Swaine and Professor Alex Ford, and illustrator Alice Melvin who recently published her ‘Book of Swims’. Alice Caldwell also created a beautiful song for the campaign.

You’ll find the film HERE: https://vimeo.com/476234839

Kate Swaine, local wild swimmer and nutritionist, said: “One of my big concerns, when I’m swimming all the time is, what exactly is in the water? We know that when there’s been lots of rainfall, there will be an increase in the number of parasites, viruses, bacteria that can get into the water through sewage, and some of these have the potential to cause sometimes severe symptoms …

“I would like for Wardie Bay to be monitored as other beaches are in Scotland, so that the swimmers who choose to swim here, the paddleboarders and other people that use the water, have an idea of whether the water quality is rated poor, average, good.

“That would be really useful for people so that we can just enjoy being in the water and getting all the benefits from it: the mental health benefits, the physical benefits and just knowing that we’re not possibly putting ourselves at any risk.”

 A spokesperson for the Wardie Bay Wild Ones said: “It is a frequent occurrence that swimmers will ask one another in the group for advice or thoughts on water quality, either generally, or on a given day. At present the only thing anyone can do is guess.

“Even people who’ve been in the water that day have no way of actually knowing what the water quality is like, and how safe it is to swim. Having some kind of testing, or even informed estimates of water quality available publicly would make a huge difference to swimmers.”

Karen added: “There is remarkable biodiversity and natural history at Wardie Bay, especially for such a city location.

“Environmental monitoring isn’t just for the many children and adults that use the water for swimming or playing, vital though that is. It is also an indicator of the environmental harm that untreated sewage does to our coastal ecology.”

Dr Alex Ford, Professor of marine biology, ecotoxicology and parasitology at the University of Portsmouth, who took his PhD at Napier University, said, “The general public have been very good at adjusting their behaviours to how damaging plastic pollution can be.

“But one of the problems we have with the chemicals coming out through our storm water overflows is that they can’t be seen and they don’t need to be there in very high concentrations to damage wildlife and the many species we use for food.

“Within that effluent, you’ve got fertilisers, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals as well as the organic matter from faeces. With that pollution comes disease but also abnormalities in those coastal organisms’ development. There are also suggestions that us humans are suffering as well.

“During Covid-19, there’s been an extraordinary number of people to have taken up water sports which is absolutely fantastic for health and wellbeing, but that combined with this increase in sewage going into the water; it may have detrimental effects on our health as well.”

A designated bathing water profile would be a holistic investment for both our environment and society. It would result in Wardie Beach visitors receiving water quality monitoring across the bathing season, daily water quality predictions, information on the potential pollution sources and risks to water quality as well as feedback on the measures being taken to improve water quality at the site.

Karen added: “If the issue is under-resourcing of our Environmental Protection Agencies, we must emphasise that we need them now more than ever. Rainfall is going to intensify with climate change and consequently, damage to our oceans due to infrastructure that is increasingly unfit for purpose.

“Unless we monitor, record and report on environmental issues we can’t do anything to protect ourselves and perhaps more importantly, marine habitats.”

“What we are looking for is environmental protection, not just for swimmers, but for everything else that lives in these waters and might be affected by pollutants”, says swimmer Vicky Allan, member of the Wild Ones, and co-author of Taking the Plunge.

“Many of us swimmers love this bay not just for its access to water, but for its wildlife. This is about protecting both people and wild places.”

PICTURES: Karen Bates, Dr Mark Hartl, Carlos Hernan

CCTV appeal following Newhaven assault and robbery

Police have released CCTV images of two men they believe may be able to assist them with their enquiries following an assault and robbery which took place on Newhaven Place last year.

The incident happened shortly after 12am on Wednesday, 24 April 2019.

A man sustained minor facial injuries as a result of the incident, during which his Shih Tzu Westie Cross dog was stolen.

The first man is described as a white man, aged between 30 and 40, around 5ft 9ins to 6ft tall and of stocky build. He was wearing a black jacket with a white logo on the left sleeve, black trousers, black shoes and a black beanie hat. He spoke with a Glaswegian accent.

The second man is described as a white man, aged between 20 and 30, of medium build with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark grey long-sleeved top with black sides, black joggers and red trainers.

Detective Constable Ryan Lee of Edinburgh’s CID said: “I would urge anyone who may recognise these men, who knows the whereabouts of the dog or who has any information which could be relevant to this enquiry to report it as soon as possible.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0087 of 24 April 2019, or report this anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Heart of Newhaven: Now what?

NOW WHAT?

Both words are important in answering that question.

This 20 day Update is always about where we are now. It is not about where we hope to be one day when the keys are delivered and, like any prospective purchaser, we move in to see what state the previous owner has left us to clear up before we can move our own things in.

Don’t worry: that is not being neglected, but it would be boring to describe all the steps that are being taken to get us to that point. You can safely leave the tedious things to the SCIO board, who will make sure all the necessary tasks are done in the right way.
There are much more exciting things to share now, not least because we know that moving-in day could be around a year away.

So what? What about now? What can you be expected to do other than to wait patiently? Is there a child in your house – or can you imagine a child after being cooped up with nothing to do – saying, “I’m bored! I don’t know what to do.” Well be bored no longer: There is something to do. It really will make a difference to the future and it will make it better.

There are two things that fit together:
What troubles you as you cope with Covid 19?
What ideas do you have that are worth sharing in order to help others cope?

As simple as that. Here is how we propose to match the need with the thought. It’s about sharing, which is the hallmark of community.

This Community, as you know by now, has a HEART. ❤️

Not merely a lot of boxes called houses or flats, in which we all keep ourselves to ourselves and suffer in silence.

We are about to launch an interactive programme of questions and suggestions, ideas and activities, encouraging you to become involved NOW with other people like you, helping each other create a better normal around our three themes you may know by heart:

Well-Being
Learning & Enterprise
Culture & Heritage

Health Business Leisure Sport Puzzles Gardening Entertainment Advice

You can add to the list which is as long as you want to make it, because above all it is about YOU – which is US, ALL TOGETHER, helping each other.

Invite your friends to join in as well. Look out for details about to appear on our website and social media channels.

And don’t forget:   if you have not already responded to the invitation to become a member of our Charity Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO making all this possible, do that NOW too, using the link here and following instructions.

Also keep checking the website and socials!
In another 20 days we’ll tell you more precisely what we are going to do next.
 
Rodney Matthews
Chair and Vision Facilitator
The Heart of Newhaven Community

Be sure to sign up to our newsletters at www.heartofnewhaven.co.uk

There’s so many ways you can get involved with the project and we’d love to have as many of you on board as possible!

Dreams to Reality: Heart of Newhaven latest

Where have the past two years gone? On 4th October 2018 in Victory Primary School there were lots of ideas on what the Community could do here once the children moved to their new school, then still in the planning stages.

We were warned that our dreams would take time and effort and there were delays. The new school building, first scheduled to be opened last August, will be completed one day despite, like so much else, being affected by Covid 19. We are working steadily on ways to promote a better normal as soon as we can. More on that next time.

Meanwhile the Heart of Newhaven Community with our iconic logo is steadily growing with people like you keen to support our programme of ideas.

This update comes hard on the heels of one you may have just received about Membership of our SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It’s a bit technical, so I’ll try to explain.

We registered the Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO SC049919, as the first step to qualify for the Community Asset Transfer of Victoria Primary School.

Our SCIO constitution allows different categories of membership and the letter sent recently showed which one we think fits you as you register, as I hope you will.

Depending on which category you fall into, membership will give you a vote at meetings and so enable you to have your say in deciding what happens.

The “Asset” (the whole of the current school site) to be “Transferred” will belong to the Charity on behalf of the whole community: so the name Heart of Newhaven Community is apt.

But it’s not just a place. The beating pulse of the whole community already exists in people – YOU! – living human beings. A really good way to help create what the name shows is to register on the form you’ve hopefully been sent.

If you have any questions about membership, haven’t had a letter, or think you received the wrong one, then you can find out more HERE on the website. If you’re still in doubt, please feel free to contact me directly at  chair@heartofnewhaven.co.uk and I’ll try to help.

But you will also continue to receive this more general Mailchimp email at least every month unless you unsubscribe if you no longer want to be bothered. Surely not! This is how you can keep up to date.

I hope the next one will be more exciting but we are definitely not just dreaming the time away and the next two years should be very impressive.

Rodney Matthews
Chair and Vision Facilitator, The Heart of Newhaven Community

TRINITY INCIDENT UPDATE: INJURED WOMAN IDENTIFIED FOLLOWING APPEAL

Police Scotland is pleased to confirm that a woman found seriously injured in Laverockbank Road, Edinburgh, around 5.30pm on Sunday, 27 September, has now been identified.

Officers would like to thank everyone who got in touch as a result of our appeal to find out her identity.

Enquiries are continuing to find out what happened and anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3537 of Sunday, 27 September, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Yesterday’s Appeal:

Police are trying to identify a woman found seriously injured in Laverockbank Road in Trinity.

Around 5.30pm yesterday (Sunday 27 September), the woman was found injured by a member of the public lying on the pavement.

Emergency services were called and she was taken to hospital, where her condition has been described serious.

Detective Inspector Jon Pleasance, Edinburgh CID said : “We are trying to establish the identity of the woman and are needing the assistance of the public in doing so.

“The woman is described as being about late 60s, between 5’ 5” and 5’ 7” in height with short grey hair. She has a dental plate with four teeth.

“She was wearing navy coloured trousers, a white coloured vest top, a teal coloured cardigan all from Marks and Spencer.  She had a navy coloured raincoat and was wearing black shoes with a Velcro strap.

“She was wearing was a yellow and white metal ladies watch – Lorus brand. The only other possessions she had were four keys, two mortice and two padlock type keys on a brown leather fob with the word ‘Traidcraft’ written on it.

“At present we are trying to establish how this woman came about her injuries. We need to find out who she is so we can let any family  members know where she is and that she is very unwell. I would appeal to anyone who can assist in identifying her or was in the area of  Laverockbank Road area of Edinburgh yesterday afternoon to come forward.”

Information can be passed to Edinburgh CID via 101 quoting reference number 3537 of Sunday 27 September. If you wish to remain anonymous, then call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Annette tackles Kiltwalk challenge to support RNIB

Leith resident Annette West has helped to raise £2,250 for sight loss charity RNIB Scotland after taking part in the Virtual Kiltwalk last Sunday.

Annette (above, left)was one of eight people who walked six miles along the Water of Leith, in two groups of four to maintain social distancing.

“I have experienced sight loss for over 30 years but have always been helped and supported by RNIB Scotland,” says Annette (60). “I just wanted to do the Virtual Kiltwalk to help give something back.

“I found the walk very easy and relaxing. I also found that pathway easy to get around as there was not too many steps. Socially distancing was only a problem when the path was narrow and when people in the opposite direction were trying to pass by. I think the route is very popular for walkers on Sundays.

“It was really good to meet up and spend quality time with friends before we all went back to our own lockdown homes. It gave me a sense of freedom by being out in the open. I also felt re-connected with nature and that it was great to meet other human beings.

“After the walk I felt that my spirits had been lifted and that going back home, I was mentally and physically in a good place.”

You can still donate to Annette’s fundraising page for RNIB Scotland until Monday 21 September:  https://edinburghkiltwalk2020.everydayhero.com/uk/netwalk2020

Edinburgh locals encouraged to take part in Great British Beach Clean

This year marks two decades of the Marine Conservation Society surveying and cleaning Edinburgh’s Cramond beach, with volunteers showing up year after year to support the charity’s efforts.

The Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean is a crucial event that helps the charity keep track of plastic pollution, monitor the condition of coastal areas, and campaign for important policy changes. The work done by volunteers along Cramond beach, and the data collected, has contributed to a number of successful campaigns and policy changes to stop litter at source.

This year, the Marine Conservation Society needs more people than ever to organise their own small, private and local beach cleans. The Great British Beach Clean starts this week, running from 18th – 25th of September.

Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said: “Our waste teams are all working really hard throughout Edinburgh to keep the city clean so we really appreciate seeing local people getting involved in these events and taking ownership of and responsibility for the environment they live in.

“Our staff will be supporting the event and making sure they have the equipment they need to be safe and we’ll dispose of the waste collected. We’ve noticed people have been dropping masks and gloves in the street as well as other litter, which can end up on our beautiful beaches, so please everyone, bin your litter or take it home with you.”

Max Coleman, Chair of Edinburgh Biodiversity Partnership: “Edinburgh’s shoreline provides a wonderful opportunity for contact with nature. As the problems of marine litter are now widely understood I hope record numbers of people will get involved with the Great British Beach Clean this September.”

Cramond’s coastal area is vulnerable to a build-up of plastic waste and debris given its position along the coastal causeway to Cramond Island. Commonly collected items have included thousands of wet wipes, plastic bottles, disposable barbecues and dog waste bags.

Over the last 20 years of beach cleaning and surveying at Cramond, over 1,200 dedicated volunteers have removed 197 bags of litter weighing over 950kg. This year, with the events running for a full week, even more litter can be collected and surveyed.

Calum Duncan, Head of Conservation Scotland at the Marine Conservation Society: “Whilst the ongoing tide of rubbish and plastic could be demoralising, over the years there has been a huge swell in public support for our projects. To see the public pushing for, and enthusiastic about, transformative change has instead been inspiring and motivating.

“As a result of the data collected by our incredible volunteers we have helped secure Scotland’s carrier bag charge, a ban on plastic-stemmed cotton buds, Scotland’s Marine Litter Strategy and the Deposit Return Scheme for cans and bottles due in 2022.”

To become a Beachwatch Organiser please visit the website here.

Find information on the Source to Sea Litter Quest here.

For more information or to contact the Marine Conservation Society please visit www.mcsuk.org

Heart of Newhaven’s on the box!

An STV item about our plans went out on the 6 O’Clock news bulletin on Friday (11th September).  It included an on-site interview filmed outside Victoria primary School and was very upbeat.

Please pass the word around so that those who haven’t seen it can watch it on whatever catch-up services they have available.

We need you! Now the Hard Work Begins !

Anyone under the impression that it’s all over bar the shouting must think again. We’ve barely started!

In my last Update I was delighted to confirm that the City of Edinburgh Council had agreed to our request for the Community Asset Transfer of Victoria Primary School. But that word request is crucial. Without the Council’s agreement under the Community Empowerment (2015) Scotland Act no one could do anything.

Now no one can prevent us succeeding unless we ourselves fail – and we certainly don’t intend to fail. The important word here is WE because that includes YOU.

Why has the Council granted our request? The official statement on their website says:The community benefit is substantial compared to the value of the asset.The request will make a significant positive contribution to The City of Edinburgh Council’s aspirations and values.

We can now reveal “the value of the asset” – £785,000. But the Council can’t give it away. They need money from its sale to build the new school in Western Harbour. However, before they could put it on the open market they were required by the 2015 Act to offer it first to “the community”.

If we could show we would use it to meet their aims they would give us a discount. So they reduced the price by £85,000. 

The £700,000 we will pay will help build the best Primary School in the Edinburgh whilst we go on to create Scotland’s first specifically dedicated Multigenerational Community Hub. That should make YOU feel very proudand very determined to succeed in the huge challenge ahead. 
We’ve already started fundraising. We had to begin our Business Plan long before we succeeded in our CAT application – and before the challenge of a global pandemic.

Our charity, The Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO, has already applied to the Scottish Land Fund for the entire cost of purchase and fees. This Fund is provided by the Scottish Government to make grants for exactly the kind of thing we are doing.

But it is not a bottomless purse and there are many applications. We will know the degree of our success before the end of November but in addition to buying the site we need money for changes – including a lift to make the imaginative Heritage Suite more accessible. 

We are working NOW so that if by next March the purchase is complete, an arrangement can be made for the children to continue to use it until their new school is ready.

Every stage needs planning, so we are preparing ways for the Heart of Newhaven Community to grow together, supporting each other to create that Better Normal that is going to characterise life after Covid19.

You will shortly receive a personal invitation to become closely associated as a MEMBER of our dedicated SCIO SC04419.  But you needn’t even wait for that.
A growing number of people are volunteering and asking “Is there anything I can do now?” You won’t be left waiting for long for an answer!

In fact, you could answer the question for yourself and tell us what you would like to do. Look at our developing website heartofnewhaven.co.uk to get a bright idea and tell us what you think.

Rodney Matthews

Chair and Vision Facilitator, The Heart of Newhaven Community

Police seek witnesses to Pier Place motorcycle accident

SERIOUS ROAD CRASH – PIER PLACE, NEWHAVEN

Officers at Edinburgh Road Policing Unit are appealing for information after a road crash in Pier Place, Newhaven on Tuesday (8 September).

At around 3.20pm on Tuesday afternoon, a 56 year-old woman was crossing the road in Pier Place when she was struck by a Triumph motorbike being driven by a 61 year-old man.

Police and Ambulance attended – the woman was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she is being treated for leg injuries. Her condition is described as stable.

The 61 year-old man was also taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was released after treatment for a leg injury.

Officers at Edinburgh Road Policing Unit are appealing to any witnesses to the crash, or anyone with information to contact them. They would also like to hear from anyone driving on the road who has dash-cam footage.

Information can be passed to officers through 101 quoting reference number 2039 of Tuesday, 8 September, 2020.