Free online event will look at impacts of pandemic on children and how best to support families in Edinburgh

Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online event being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.

The virtual event has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.

Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the event, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.

Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.

Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling. There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.

“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This event will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”

Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “We know that even as we move out of lockdown, people will continue to experience the impact of the pandemic on their lives.

“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.

“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”

Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.

In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown. 

This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.

The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.

The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus.

To sign up for the online event visit bit.ly/3w3UCjK or email allofus@safefamilies.uk.

For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.

Shelter Scotland shops opening up to receive donations

Selected Shelter Scotland charity shops are set to open their doors next week to accept donations ahead of opening to the public on April 26th.

The first wave of stores opening up for public donations (on 12th April from Monday to Friday) are as follows:

  • Forrest Road (39 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QP)
  • Morningside (104 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4BY)
  • Stockbridge (104 Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, EH4 1HH)
  • Stockwell Street (Granite House, 37-43 Stockwell Street, Glasgow, G1 4RZ)
  • Botanics (679 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8RA)
  • Paisley (6 High Street, Paisley, PA1 2DQ)

All other Scottish shops will be accepting donations from 21st April when the teams return to work.

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Like so many other charities, the pandemic has been tough on our fundraising efforts, so we are delighted to announce today that some of our much-loved shops will be opening up next week in order to receive donations from the public.

“The hope is that people will have spent a least a little time during lockdown doing something of a spring clean and they may have a bag or two of unwanted items that we’d love for them to donate to us. We are fighting every day to end Scotland’s housing crisis and the public’s support for our shops up and down the country is a vital part of that fight.”

Police Scotland: Break the chain of labour exploitation

Businesses across Scotland, here and now, are directly, or indirectly, involved in the exploitation of workers. Labour exploitation is a very serious criminal offence. Victims suffer psychologically, physically, emotionally and financially.

Labour exploitation takes many forms. Wages are deducted at source for obscure or unjustifiable reasons. People are forced – through threats, intimidation and violence – to work long hours with few or no breaks. Workers’ ability to move between employers is restricted or completely controlled. They are forced to work without appropriate equipment in potentially dangerous situations. Employment rules are ignored, rules that other legitimate businesses have to follow by law.

Business owners, managers, employees – and the wider public – all have a role to play in reducing, and ultimately ending, labour exploitation. The information here is designed to give you the tools to identify and act upon the signs of exploitation and abuse in the workplace.

Labour exploitation occurs in many different industries, in every part of the country. But sectors regarded as being particularly at risk include farming, fishing, food processing, packaging and fulfilment. Police Scotland saw a 135% increase in labour exploitation case referrals in 2019.

Victims of exploitation can be Scottish nationals or workers from elsewhere in the UK and other countries. Research suggests that labour exploitation is a significantly under-reported crime.

Labour exploitation is a form of modern slavery. The primary motivation of offenders is financial gain, regardless of the human cost to victims.

Any business can be affected, although those with high ongoing or seasonal labour needs will always be at higher risk. It’s the responsibility of owners, managers and employees to make sure their business does not become involved in labour exploitation, either intentionally or through poor practice.

Ending workplace exploitation isn’t just the responsibility of business owners and employees. We ask you to play your part by:

  • Staying alert
  • Learning to recognise the signs of exploitation and abuse
  • Reporting suspicions to police
  • Reporting known cases of abuse to police.

Majority of pupils to go back after Easter break

Nearly all pupils will return to full-time school when the Easter holidays end. However, children who are on the shielding list are advised to stay at home until 26 April, in line with advice from the Chief Medical Officer. All other pupils, will return to school once the summer term starts.

Strict 2 metre physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools will be removed and schools will consider how they can strengthen other mitigations.

Following the national expansion of lateral flow testing, twice-weekly tests are available for all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools and for secondary school pupils.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This I know, will be a huge relief to many children and young people – and of course to many parents and carers.

“I know though that the return to school, particularly for older pupils, will cause concern and anxiety – to pupils, to parents and of course to teachers and others who work in schools. So let me give an assurance that we will continue to give paramount consideration to safety.  

“The return to school will involve the removal, where necessary, of strict 2m physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools – but we are asking schools to consider how they strengthen other mitigations. Twice-weekly lateral flow testing is already available for all school staff, in primary, secondary and special schools and also for all secondary school pupils and I would encourage as many staff and pupils as possible to make use that testing.

“We will, of course, continue to study and assess the data, in order to quickly identify and limit any outbreaks that do arise, and make sure that we are also learning from them. For now, let me thank everyone who is working to make this return to school possible. For many teachers and school staff, I know, this  has been the hardest year of your professional lives. I am very grateful for the way in which you have adapted to such difficult circumstances.”

Edinburgh’s education leaders have welcomed confirmation from the Scottish Government that schools will fully reopen in Edinburgh on Tuesday 20 April.

All pupils will be back in school on that day except for those shielding who are advised to return on Monday 26 April, in line with the advice of the Chief Medical Officer.

Cllr Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is the news that families of our high school pupils have been looking forward to hearing and it’s great that they have confirmation their children will be back in school full time after the Easter holidays.

“There’s been excellent home learning involving our young people, teaching staff and parents taking place but everyone knows there’s no better place for children than being back in school with their peers and learning face to face.”

Cllr Alison Dickie, Education, Children and Families Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: I’m delighted that our young people will be back in school after the school holidays.

“These are really challenging times for many families and it’s so important for children’s learning and development that they’re back in school where they belong.

“We will make sure our schools continue to be safe learning and teaching environments for all our young people and staff by following the latest health advice.”

The First Minister’s confirmation that there will be a full pupil return post-Easter is of little surprise but the EIS continues to urge great caution.

The removal of physical distancing between pupils, particularly older pupils, represents a heightened risk that more pupils will be infected and the larger numbers in classrooms also creates more risk of airborne transmission, which is why face coverings remain important, including the provision of medical grade face masks for staff.

Whilst some Councils have made progress in relation to monitoring and improving ventilation, others have dragged their heels.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The full return of pupils needs to be treated with great caution. It will undoubtedly lead to an increase in school Covid outbreaks which will require to be dealt with quickly, particularly for senior pupils who will be in the final stages of their qualification work.

“If we had made more progress on the EIS demands of ventilation, vaccination, and facemasks, we would be in a stronger position. Improving such mitigations is still possible.

“Notwithstanding their concerns, however, teachers will be keen to engage positively with pupils to support their well-being and their progress in learning. There will be a particular challenge for senior pupils as lockdown has squeezed the time available for the alternative certification model.”

Celebration: Booker Prize winner joins call for Scotland’s stories

Scottish Book Trust opens annual Your Stories for submissions

Booker Prize winner and Glasgow born author Douglas Stuart has joined forces with national charity Scottish Book Trust to encourage people of Scotland to submit their real-life stories.

The ‘Your Stories’ campaign is open to everyone, regardless of writing experience.

This year’s theme is Celebration, with the hope of shedding light on the positives of an otherwise difficult year. The submission can be about celebrating yourself, celebrating a loved one, or sharing how you celebrate.

Douglas Stuart won the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel, Shuggie Bain (Picador), set in Glasgow in 1981, exploring love, poverty and pride.

Douglas Stuart said: “As someone who grew up in a home without books, I understand the importance of stories. They bring together families, friends and communities.

“Your Stories is an opportunity for the people of Scotland to pick up their pen and share their experiences: from the small steps to the bigger milestones. Our nation is rich with culture, language and traditions, and this is the perfect time to celebrate and treasure them.”

Submissions can be made in English, Scots, or Gaelic in any form – story, poem, comic strip, play or letter – of up to 1,000 words.

Every entry will appear on Scottish Book Trust’s website and a selection of pieces will be published in a free book distributed to libraries, community groups and schools during Book Week Scotland (15 – 21 Nov 2021) – the national celebration of books and reading.

Scottish Book Trust has also commissioned authors to share their stories to mark Celebration. Author Elle McNicoll will explore her journey writing Show Us Who You Are (Knights Of)during lockdown, and the overwhelmingly positive response she has had from the neurodivergent community.

Poet Courtney Stoddart will celebrate writing as a form of resistance. Author Ross Sayers will share fond memories of his English teacher, reflecting on school as a writer now himself.

Morag Law, author of Cuibhle an Fhortain (Wheel of Fortune, Luath Press), describes the pleasures of a new garden built during lockdown, and poet Eòghan Stewart will explore celebration in a poem about joy, salvation and the many nuanced translations of the Gaelic word gàirdeachas.

His first collection, Beum Sgeithe (Wing Beat), will be published by Acair Books later this year.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Sharing stories is a great Scottish tradition: whether over a drink or around the dinner table, we have a long-established culture of telling tales for comfort or entertainment.

“For many, Your Stories has been the tentative first step of sharing their writing. At Scottish Book Trust, we look forward to hearing about what you have celebrated over the last year, from the small successes to the bigger milestones.”

Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said: “This year’s theme challenges us to find reasons for celebration in the midst of adversity.

“We hope Gaelic speakers will embrace the invitation to celebrate their language and tell their own stories – with some to be published alongside Morag and Eòghan’s pieces in this year’s Book Week Scotland publication.

“We are delighted once again to be working with Scottish Book Trust to encourage everyone to love reading and try their hand at writing.”

Scottish Book Trust will share a variety of prompts through their website and social networks to help inspire those hoping to submit.

There will also be free, digital workshops run by poet Alice Tarbuck, writer Samina Chaudhry, playwright and poet Hannah Lavery, and film and TV writer Michael Lee Richardson.

The digital nature of the workshops will allow the writers to engage with an audience no matter their location, allowing the opportunity to be as inclusive as possible.

Given the current climate, online workshops can provide the public with a safe space to be creative, supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

For more information and to sign up to a workshop, visit Eventbrite 

Scotland Gas Networks: Helping people stay safe from abuse

SGN has partnered with crisis charity Hestia, their ‘UK Says No More’ campaign and Royal Mail Group to provide Online Safe Spaces for victims of domestic abuse to access specialist support and information through our website.

Online Safe Spaces is a portal that you can access via the logo in the footer of our website. By clicking on the Safe Spaces portal, you will access the Online Safe Space, which holds a directory of national domestic abuse helplines, a directory of local specialist domestic abuse services, and an assessment questionnaire. It also leaves no trace in the user’s browser history.

The portal is accessible in a variety of languages and has a quick exit button, taking the user back to the original page they were on, thereby providing a degree of safety to the user.

It comes at a crucial time for keeping people safe during the pandemic. Recent figures show that:

  • One in five offences recorded by police during and immediately after the first national lockdown in England and Wales involved domestic abuse.
  • In the year ending March 2020, 2.3m adults are estimated to have experienced domestic abuse over twelve months.
  • In Scotland, there were 30,718 charges reported in 2019-20 related to domestic abuse. It’s the highest since 2015-16, and is 5.7% higher than the year before.

Around 20 organisations have signed up including eBay, Royal Mail Group including the Post Office and Parcelforce, Ministry of Defence, and Thames Water. It’s estimated that in the last four months of 2020, there were nearly 4,000 visits to Online Safe Spaces every single day.

Claire Barnett, Executive Director of UN Women UK, said: “Covid-19 has led to increases in violence against women that threaten to roll back achievements in gender equality by decades.

“UN Women has been working with local partners to create safer public spaces for the past ten years, including through our project Safe Spaces Now. I am delighted to see the Online Safe Space initiative innovating by using existing platforms and partners to share critical information on women’s services.”

Maureen McIntosh, our Head of Customer Experience, added: “We regularly provide additional support and help to our customers who are living in vulnerable circumstances, and I’m pleased we’re going even further now by providing important information to also help people who are experiencing abuse.

“Sometimes people don’t know where to turn to for help, in what can be really difficult or dangerous situations, and I hope we can help people further and they are able to find the extra safety and security they need.”

Lyndsey Dearlove, Head of Domestic Abuse Prevention at Hestia said: “Businesses have a unique role to play in breaking the silence around domestic abuse and ensuring victims can access the help and support they need.

“Lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19 have provided an opportunity for businesses to step up their response to domestic abuse for their staff and customers through digital platforms. With the launch of Online Safe Spaces, we are delighted to work with SGN to provide their first online safe space to provide a vital lifeline to victims of domestic abuse.”

We’re proud to be the first energy network to launch the portal on our website.

Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to doing all we can to keep our people and the communities we work in safe in as many ways as possible.

Edinburgh College student named runner-up in Scottish Nature Photography competition

An Edinburgh College student was named runner-up in a national photography competition for a selection of images he created as part of his degree programme.

BA Professional Photography student Stephen Rodger took second spot in the student category at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards 2020 for his portfolio titled Swan Lake on Fire, which depicts a number of swans swimming on a lake in the early morning sun.

The Scottish Nature Photography Awards was launched in 2010 to provide a platform to celebrate Scotland as a key destination for nature photographers and to acknowledge the excellence of the photographic work that is undertaken here.

The annual competition invites entries of images taken in Scotland by professional or amateur photographers from around the world.

Stephen said: “It was tremendously exciting to be told I’d been awarded second place in the Student category this year. I’m now in the final year of my BA Professional Photography course at Edinburgh College.

“As I write this, none of my class have yet stepped onto campus and so being awarded this prize is especially valuable for one’s spirits in times such as these.

“All three pictures were shot in April last year. As the seasons change, you can on occasion get these incredible mornings where the mist rises from the loch and is spectacularly backlit by the very first rays of the sun.

“This mute swan was out for the first leisurely paddle of the day. The light was incredible, but fleeting, lasting not much more than half an hour.”

Edinburgh College curriculum manager for Performing Arts and Photography Ethelinda-Lashley Scott said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Stephen on gaining this recognition from the Scottish Nature Photography Awards for his Swan Lake on Fire portfolio. 

“We are very proud of all the hard work and dedication that Stephen has demonstrated throughout his studies. Our photography department has a strong record of award success which is a testament to the breadth of talent studying here, as well as the hard work and dedication of our lecturing staff.” 

47% rise in Scots cycling

Scotland has seen a surge in the number of people cycling in the past 12 months, according to data from the nation’s cycling organisation.

Statistics released today (Tuesday 6 April) by Cycling Scotland show 47 per cent more cycling journeys were recorded between 23 March 2020 and 22 March 2021 compared to the same period 2019­–2020.

Since Covid-19 restrictions first came into force on 23 March 2020, the nation’s cycling organisation has released regular updates on the number of people cycling in Scotland, using its nationwide network of automatic cycle counters to compile the data.

Increases of 68 per cent in April, 77 per cent in May, 63 per cent in June, 44 per cent in July and 33 per cent in August were recorded, compared to the same months in 2019.

September saw a rise of 32 per cent, followed by October (22 per cent), November (7 per cent) and December (4 per cent). During bad weather in January this year, cycling numbers decreased 14 per cent before rising 20 per cent in February.

And today (Tuesday 6 April 2021), Cycling Scotland also announced its latest monthly figures, using data from 47 automatic cycle counters nationwide.

The statistics reveal a 52 per cent increase in the number of people cycling across the nation between 1 and 22 March 2021 versus the same three weeks in 2020 – before the first Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in Scotland.

Twenty counters saw a year-on-year increase of more than 100 per cent, with counters in Girvan (Victory Park Road), Callander (Glen Gardens) and Dunoon (Victoria Parade) showing hikes of 256, 179 and 113 per cent respectively.

The information was collected as part of the National Monitoring Framework, managed by Cycling Scotland, to monitor cycling rates across the country.

Latest figures from the Bicycle Association show sales of bikes, bike parts, accessories and services increased by 45 per cent across the UK in 2020, with the trend set to continue.    

Cycling Scotland Chief Executive Keith Irving said: “It has been a horrendous year, but one of the few bright spots has been more people getting back on their bikes.

“Cycling has a key role to play in people getting exercise and fresh air, managing the ongoing pressure on our transport system and, crucially, tackling the global climate emergency we face.

“We’re delighted at the massive increase in cycling and it’s vital we see it continue and expand. 

“To get even more people cycling, we need to invest more in infrastructure so people feel safe to cycle. We need more dedicated cycle lanes, separated from vehicles and pedestrians. We need to reduce traffic, especially on residential and shopping streets. And we need to increase access to bikes and storage to tackle the barriers too many people face so anyone, anywhere can enjoy all the benefits of cycling.

“Helping far more people to cycle is key in delivering a green recovery from Covid and supporting a just transition towards a net-zero Scotland. Every journey cycled will make a difference.”

Claire Sharp is a charity worker who lives on Glasgow’s south side. She started cycling again last year. “I live next to a main road that leads into the city centre to my work; it’s an easy route but the traffic there is so heavy. I was too scared to attempt it in the past,” she said.

“I knew lockdown was going to happen and thought it would be good to get a bike. Partly as the roads would be quiet, which would be good for a beginner, and also for exercise as the gyms would be closed. Luckily, I managed to get one the weekend before lockdown started.

“Apart from being able to get out and exercise, it’s improved my mental health as it’s given me confidence to do something I didn’t think I could do. It’s made me feel empowered. I’ve also found going for a cycle after work helps me process things that have happened during the day and makes me less stressed.”

She added: “I’m hoping to be brave enough to start cycling to work when all the Covid-19 restrictions are removed, although I might need some more persuasion in the winter. I’m looking forward to more cycling for exercise and bike-ride day-trips with my friends.”

Asif Sattar (45) is an IT worker from Motherwell. He said: “I played football all my days and as there was a lockdown I took up cycling. Cycling was a way for me to break free of the lockdown gloom. 

“As I was working from home, getting out on my bike helped me exercise, clear the mind and refocus on my health during the pandemic. 

“Me and a group of friends now go out every week and have even planned a cycling holiday once the restrictions ease.”

Community Council slams Spaces for People consultation

New Town & Broughton CC has responsed to the city council’s ‘retaining Spaces for People measures’ consultation – and has given the process a scathing thumbs-down:

Executive Summary

As noted below, the New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) considers the consultation to be deeply flawed.

The inclusion of questions about measures not yet implemented is highly questionable. Until there has been an opportunity to evaluate the success or otherwise of any particular measures, it is impossible to make any valid judgment on whether they should be retained or removed.

Many of the questions group cycling and walking together but the needs of these two groups are quite different making it impossible to properly judge the merits of specific measures for each of these groups.

The survey is designed to encourage simple yes/no answers to questions about whether measures should be retained and does too little to obtain any insight into the consequences both favourable and otherwise from the implementation of the measures.

The Commonplace Mapping tool would have been a far more effective means of obtaining genuine and considered feedback on the various measures that have been introduced. This lack of qualitative feedback will hamper any decision making by Council officials and Councillors.

Edinburgh Council and its citizens deserve better than this hastily prepared and poorly designed survey.

With regard to the specific schemes already implemented in our area:

  • We are in favour of continuing with the changes to The Mound and Princes Street East with some provisos.
  • We are opposed to the measures on Waverley Bridge and London Road being retained and indeed believe that they should removed before the end of the current TTRO’s.
  • We do not agree that any of the measures yet to be introduced in our area including those to Broughton Street, Broughton Roundabout, Bellevue, Rodney Street or Canonmills should be considered for retention until there has been an opportunity to better assess their effectiveness.
  • We are also very concerned about the impact on traffic in our area of the planned changes to South Bridge and would urge that implementation is delayed until the consequences of the planned restrictions to vehicular traffic can be better understood.

General Comments

  1. Despite the deadline for submissions being delayed to 5 April, it still appears that the whole process is being rushed. We do not agree with consulting on the retention of measures that have not been implemented yet. Until stakeholders including the public and local businesses have had an opportunity to evaluate the success or otherwise of any particular measures, it is impossible for them to make any valid judgment on whether they should be retained or removed. It is suggested that the results on any planned measures are discounted and that a new consultation, if required, is held after the measures have been in place for at least six months. This would allow counts of the number of pedestrians and cyclists using these temporary measures to be taken to support or otherwise their retention.
  2. There are three separate but almost identical surveys (for the Public, Businesses and Stakeholders) with the main difference being the number of words that the respondents can submit as comments. As a result, many of the questions do not make sense for someone completing the survey on behalf of a business or stakeholder group. There are clearly issues that will affect businesses and wider stakeholder groups that the survey is not able to capture. It is therefore difficult to understand how the results of such a survey will be used for any future decision-making.
  3. Many of the questions group cycling and walking together. The needs of these two groups are quite different and as such it will be impossible to properly assess the significance of the answers and thus draw any conclusions about the merits or otherwise of specific measures for each of these groups. There are also no specific questions about the needs of those using public transport. The implementation of segregated cycle lanes has introduced new hazards for bus users at bus stops. Asking questions about the experience of bus users would have been useful in better understanding these hazards and in identifying suitable mitigation measures.
  4. The questionnaire requires simple yes/no answers about which schemes should be retained or removed with limited opportunity to comment on the specifics of particular measures. It is unlikely that the responses will provide a valid basis for understanding which specific elements of the schemes are working or not. There is no requirement for adding comments and therefore someone completing the survey may vote in favour or against a series of measures in an area but 100% agreement or otherwise with a particular scheme should not be inferred. There should have been greater emphasis on understanding why the responses were for removal or retention. For example the closure of Waverley Bridge has required the buses that normally terminated there to be relocated mostly to St Andrews Square or Regent Road. In neither location are there any facilities for buses to wait until commencing their return journeys. The pavement on Regent Road where the buses stop is very narrow and it is impossible to social distance without stepping on to the carriageway creating new hazards for pedestrians.
  5. The survey encourages all or none responses, which may therefore overwhelm any more specific responses. Given that the survey is covering the whole of Edinburgh it is inevitable that awareness of the various measures will not be uniform among respondents. The views of a community most directly by specific measures may be swamped by the responses of others. The Commonplace Mapping tool that was used to establish where many of the measures were required would have been a better tool to gain feedback on which schemes were working or not.
  6. There is nowhere in the survey to record general points on the various measures including for example the conservation/heritage arguments, the continued presence of street clutter, the additional hazards associated with pavements which include sections partly at a lower road level, the lack of progress on increasing pedestrian priority at crossings. Our comments on each of these issues is shown below:
    1. Heritage Issues – we understand that given the emergency nature of many of the measures especially those introduced in the first period of the pandemic that it was not possible to ensure that the measures met requirements for such infrastructure changes to satisfy the normal expectations for a World Heritage Site but this can no longer be used as an excuse to perpetuate the sub-standard designs that have been implemented in many areas across Edinburgh. Any continuation beyond the current period of the TTRO’s should be subject to full heritage assessment.
    2. Street Clutter – the result of many of the measures introduced across the City has been to increase the level of street clutter that is not only unsightly but creates additional hazards particularly for pedestrians. Any extension of the current measures should be accompanied by a campaign to reduce the level of street clutter to improve the public realm. This again would have been a good use of the Commonplace Mapping tool to help identify any surplus street clutter.
    3. Pavement Hazards – the extension of pavements into the carriageway with wands to separate that space from the main carriageway or even no separation apart from road markings from adjacent cycle paths results in significant additional hazards for pedestrians due the changing levels and proximity with other road users. Where such pavement widening is retained it must be achieved with a single level of pavement of properly maintained paving and drop down kerbs at any road junctions. Cyclists and pedestrians should not be expected to share space. Any cycle lanes that are retained should be fully segregated from any pedestrian areas and of sufficient width to ensure proper separation.
    4. Pedestrian Crossings – there are many examples within our own area and also highlighted by Living Streets across Edinburgh of crossings at traffic lights where the time that pedestrians are expected to wait before crossing is too high and the time allowed for them to cross is too short. This does not reflect the stated priorities of the Council or the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy that should put greater emphasis on pedestrian movement. Again the Commonplace Mapping tool could have been used to great advantage to identify specific problem areas. Given that changing the timing on traffic lights would not incur any significant financial cost, the problems already identified by Living Streets and others should be addressed now rather than wait for the completion of this review.

Existing Schemes

There are a number of schemes within our area and we have focussed our feedback on these measures.

  1. Princes Street East – this scheme places bus gates at the east end of Princes Street and on South St David’s Street, which operate during the daytime to restrict unauthorised vehicles from entering this part of Princes Street. It was initially proposed that the pavement on the south side of this section of Princes Street (between North Bridge and Waverley Bridge) would be widened but this did not happen (despite the Council’s own website stating that it has). There is also clearly an issue with compliance as many non-authorised vehicles are still entering Princes Street, which will require improved signage and more effective enforcement. We are in favour of this measure but the original plans for pavement widening should proceed, as it is very congested in this area due to the station entrance and a number of bus stops.
  2. Waverley Bridge – we considered that the closure of this road was unnecessary when first proposed, as the pavements were already very wide. Closure of this road to the many buses that terminated here has resulted in their relocation to St Andrews Square and Regent Road. In the latter case as many as eight buses at a time are waiting here before starting their return journeys blocking parking bays and creating additional hazards for pedestrians walking to and from Princes Street. We are against this measure being made permanent and indeed believe that it should be removed as soon as possible.
  3. The Mound – we are in favour of the segregated cycle lanes being retained but on the understanding that by creating a permanent north south segregated cycle route from the city centre that North Bridge should not have any restrictions imposed on vehicular traffic so that there remains a north south vehicular route on the east side of the City for private and commercial vehicles. This route is critical for the effective management of traffic on this side of the City, which may be expected to increase once the St James Quarter reopens later this year. There are no obvious diversion routes for traffic that would otherwise use North and South Bridge. We are in particular concerned that any restriction to traffic on this corridor will increase the volume of traffic using the roads around Holyrood Park that is such an important areas for exercise for many residents in this part of Edinburgh. Also given that there will remain a number of bus services using the Mound the safety of bus stops needs further consideration.
  4. London Road – we were against the introduction of a fragmented section of segregated cycle path for westbound cyclists only along the south side of this road from Easter Road to Leith Walk, as it would encourage cyclists into an area where the construction activities for the Tram work would be most active over the next 18 months. We are also concerned that until the Tram works are complete there will not be any connection to the existing cycle network on Leith Walk around Picardy Place. Based on our observations most cyclists are avoiding using this section of cycle path as the road surface is poorly maintained close to the kerbs where the cycle path is located and there is a frequent need to leave the lane to negotiate the bus stops along the route. We proposed that an alternative route should be implemented along Regent Road to better connect with current and planned cycle infrastructure and this remains our view. We are against this measure being made permanent and unless the current deficiencies are addressed it should be removed immediately. We would welcome discussions on creating an alternative cycle route along Regent Road.

Planned Schemes

There are a number of planned schemes within our area and we have focussed our feedback on these schemes but the proposed scheme for South Bridge has the potential to cause significant disruption to traffic flows in our part of the City and this is included below.

  1. Broughton Street – the lack of any measures at the top of Broughton Street is a major deficiency of the planned scheme as is the lack of any traffic calming or improved pedestrian crossings. We have made our views clear on the small section of cycle path and the movement of the loading bays to the side streets.  For all these reasons we are opposed to the measures being retained with the exception of the pavement build out at Barony Street. Indeed we would like to see further pavement build outs at junctions along Broughton Street to increase pedestrian space and slow traffic turning into these side streets.
  2. Broughton Roundabout – we do not know what will be eventually approved for this junction but apart from the widening of the pavements none of the proposed measures address the key issues identified by the Commonplace Mapping. We are against these measures being made permanent but that we are strongly in support of a radical improvement to this junction that prioritises the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. This should be part of a review of all of the streets leading to and from this roundabout and in particular East London Street.
  3. Bellevue/Rodney Street/Canonmills – while it is too early to make any decisions about the measures on this route, we would be in agreement with replacing the planned TTRO with an Experimental TRO to allow further evaluation of the measures to be made.
  4. South Bridge – this measure will introduce a bus gate restricting traffic entering South/North Bridge and effectively closing off this side of the City centre to private and commercial traffic during daytime. Traffic will therefore need to find diversions around this blockage, which will mean increased traffic congestion on small side streets and increased traffic through Holyrood Park neither of which is desirable. As with the other planned measures it is too soon to make any decisions about whether the intended measures are retained permanently but for the reasons stated we are opposed to this measure being retained and indeed would prefer to see the plans for a bus gate cancelled.