Motorists: Waverley Bridge diversions from Tuesday

Waverley Bridge one way only for four weeks

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Vehicles heading south will be diverted away from Waverley Bridge from next week so that further work can begin on pedestrian access improvements around Waverley Station. For four weeks from 6am on Tuesday (24 February), Waverley Bridge will become one way to northbound traffic only.

This is to allow the construction of a setted raised table, or an elevated section of road, on Waverley Bridge between the north and south ramps of Waverley Station.

The works are part of a £1 million programme to improve pedestrian access around Waverley Station.

The first phase of works on Market Street was completed in mid-2014 and included the creation of a temporary taxi rank, new loading areas and a cycle lane.

The second phase, which is ongoing, involves carriageway resurfacing and the widening of footways on Waverley Bridge, as well as the installation of upgraded drainage, kerb realignment, laying of sandstone and Caithness paving and improved pedestrian crossing facilities.

The raised table is designed to act as an informal or uncontrolled pedestrian crossing, encouraging traffic to slow down and making it much easier for pedestrians to cross the Bridge to and from the Station ramps.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “We appreciate that these works will inevitably cause some inconvenience for traffic heading south and we would ask for the public’s patience while we get this much-needed improvement work completed.

“The new raised section will create an informal pedestrian crossing so that people leaving or arriving at the Station on foot can feel much safer about crossing Waverley Bridge.”

Diversion routes will come into effect for southbound traffic, namely:

Princes Street – North Bridge – High Street – Jeffrey Street – Market Street

or

Princes Street – South St David Street – Queen Street – Hanover Street – The Mound – Market Street

Advance warning signs have been installed on site informing the public of the upcoming works and local businesses have been informed.

The Airlink bus service will remain on Waverley Bridge and the tour buses will be relocated to Market Street.

The taxi rank on Waverley Bridge will remain in its current position with access and egress only in a northbound direction.

 

Tom’s award set in stone!

Edinburgh war veteran and charity worker Tom Gilzean has been getting ready to become the eighth recipient of the Edinburgh Award.

Tom Gilzean Edinburgh Award handprints
Tom Gilzean Edinburgh Award handprints

Like previous titleholders, Tom has had a cast of his handprints taken by local Edinburgh stonemason Nic Boyes. The handprints will be carved onto a flagstone outside the City Chambers, where they will sit alongside those of previous Edinburgh Award  recipients.

Friends and family will join the Lord Provost at a special ceremony on 17 March, when Tom will be presented with a certificate and an engraved Loving Cup. Edinburgh Makar Christine de Luca will recite a poem written especially for Tom.

The former Royal Engineer was announced as the recipient of the 2014 Edinburgh Award accolade in December from a shortlist of nominations cast by the Edinburgh public. He has raised more than £100,000 for local causes, and continues to dedicate his time fundraising at the age of 94.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “The Edinburgh Award enables the people of Edinburgh to pay a lasting tribute to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the city. Tom is an inspiring man who devotes his life to raising fantastic amounts of money for charity, and we are extremely fortunate in this city to have people like him who so selflessly give up their time for the good of their community.”

Find out more about the accolade and previous recipients at the Edinburgh Award

Thinking caps on for LifeCare Quiz

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We are holding another Pub Quiz as the last one was so much fun! We are very fortunate to have Robert the Bruce quizmaster at the helm again.

It’s on Friday 27 February from 8:30 – 11.30pm

(18+ only) here at LifeCare.

Tickets cost £5 each. Lots of fabulous prizes to be won. Bar and snacks.

Get your friends together and make a team!

Funds raised will help LifeCare with their work with the frail elderly and people without dementia throughout Edinburgh

lifecare logo

Letter: heed the lessons of the last five years

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Dear Editor

When it comes to voting in May we must choose somebody who we think will work to make society much fairer to everyone.

At the moment we live in a capitalist society in which the Conservatives absolutely believe, whereby the owners of wealth more or less decide what will happen through their ability to invest in industry and business to maximise profits, moving their money out of industry and business if the profit is not enough.

This ability or power to close places of work dies cause dreadful hardship to an individual and their families; also the knock-on effect damages society as a whole.

99% of the population should not be at the mercy and whims of the very wealthy 1% deciding if we work or not. Elementary fairness should mean all wealth produced be used for the benefit of all.

Everyone must choose carefully in May to avoid a repetition of the last five years.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

Screen Education Edinburgh rolling out new Cashback projects

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Screen Education Edinburgh are running the next round of CashBack for Creativity film projects, with the first target areas being North Edinburgh and West Edinburgh …

Aged 14-19? Interested in learning how to make your own short film?

This 8 week course will introduce you to the basics of storytelling, camera, sound, acting, directing and editing. You will then have the opportunity to shoot your own short film using professional cameras and with the support of our filmmaker tutors. No previous experience is required and it’s free to take part!

This course is accredited with an Explore Level Arts Award (eqv. to SCQF Level 3)
Any questions? Contact Laura McBride – laura@screen-ed.org – 0131 343 1151


Taster Sessions

Come and find out more about the course, meet others who are interested and have a go at writing, shooting and editing a 1 minute film in a 4 hour taster session.

  • Edinburgh North and Leith
    • Friday 6 March – 2pm-6pm @ Out of the Blue
      36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH6 8RG – Click HERE for directions
    • Saturday 7 March – 1pm – 5pm @ Screen Education Edinburgh
      30 Ferry Road Avenue, EH4 4BA – Click HERE for directions
  • Edinburgh West
    • Friday 6 March – 2pm – 6pm @ Venue in Gorgie TBC
    • Saturday 7 March – 1.30pm – 4.30pm @ Wester Hailes Library
      1 Westside Plaza Edinburgh, Midlothian EH14 2ST – Click HERE for directions

Further dates will be announced for Edinburgh East and Central, Edinburgh South, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian and Forth Valley. Sign up below and we’ll get in touch when we’re in your area!

Get Involved!

For more information and to sign up to register your interest, go to: http://screen-ed.org/filmintro/

Cats abandoned in Muirhouse stairwell

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Male_cat_cover_imageThe Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after two cats were abandoned in a stairwell at a block of flats in Muirhouse.

The cats were rescued yesterday after they were discovered on the 11th floor of Fidra Court. The male and female cats are now in the care of SSPCA’s Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

Senior Inspector Stuart Murray said, “Sadly it seems the cats were abandoned as we’ve not been able to identify anyone in the stairwell they might belong to. The male cat is in okay condition but the female has a very nasty wound on her neck where a makeshift collar has been rubbing against her skin. They are exceptionally friendly cats and the vet has estimated them to be around six years old.

“If anyone has any information we would ask them to get in touch. We’ll soon find these lovely cats a suitable new home.”

Anyone with information is being urged to contact our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.

PEP’s minibus fleet attacked by vandals

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Drivers turned up at Pilton Equalities Project’s yard for work this morning only to discover the organisation’s minibus fleet had been wrecked by vandals overnight. 

Minibuses were broken into and goods were stolen during the incident. At least three minibuses are now off the road awaiting replacement back windows – drivers and volunteers have made running repairs to others to ensure essential pickups can go ahead today.

PEP manager Helen Tait said: “I am angry and I am upset. This is so pointless, there is nothing to be gained by doing things like this. We now have to get three buses out to Newbridge today to get their windows replaced – if we don’t, we will be forced to cancel jobs and let people down next week.

“As well as the inconvenience, there is the cost involved – like all voluntary organisations money is tight and this is expenditure we could well do without. We’re now forced to spend a lot of money – hundreds of pounds – on repairs, that’s money that should have been spent on improving services for our clients. It’s sickening.”

If you have any information on the incident please contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Skate parks and car parking on Drylaw Telford agenda

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The proposed priority parking scheme in Telford and an update on Drylaw skate park feature on next week’s Drylaw Telford Community Council meeting agenda.

The meeting will be held in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday 25 February at 7pm. All welcome.

Clear out those unwanted clothes

A Spring clean could support charities

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£2.4 billion worth of unworn and unwanted clothing is lining Scotland’s wardrobes and could instead be used to help vulnerable people across the country, according to housing charity Shelter.

They say the average household has up to £1,000 worth of clothes that have not been worn for at least a year, most often because they no longer fit.

Shelter is encouraging people across Scotland to rummage through wardrobes, drawers, cupboards and attics and donate any unwanted items to one of their shops to help support the fight against bad housing and homelessness.

Last year 36,457 households made homeless applications to their local council in Scotland. Meanwhile, 150,500 households are currently on waiting lists for a home of their own.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “The total cost of unworn clothes is a staggering £2.4 billion in Scotland. Even a very small fraction of that could help Shelter Scotland to continue our fight against bad housing and homelessness.

“It costs just £10 for one of our expert advisors to help a family or individual at risk of losing their home – we can raise that money by selling an unwanted jumper or pair shoes. £45 is enough to train an advisor to protect children at risk, and that money could be raised from selling an unwanted winter coat that’s taking up space in someone’s wardrobe.

“We hope that the people of Scotland will continue to support us, because without their help and generosity our fight to end bad housing and homelessness would be so much harder.”

Research by WRAP shows that the annual footprints of a household’s new and existing clothing are equivalent to the weight of over 100 pairs of jeans or the water needed to fill over 1,000 bathtubs.

WRAP says that extending the average life of clothes by just three months, such as donating them to charity, would lead to a 5-10% reduction in each of the carbon, water and waste footprints.

It is estimated that £140 million worth (350,000 tonnes) of used clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year – clothes which Shelter Scotland says could be donated to charity.

Graeme Brown added: “We’ve all got clothes we no longer wear or need. If every person in Scotland donated just one item to a Shelter Scotland shop it would make a world of difference. Shelter Scotland believes that everybody deserves a home. Our work won’t stop until there’s a home for everyone.”

Motorists: beware scam emails

DVLA warns the public of an email scam that asks drivers to verify their driving licence and vehicle tax details via an online link …

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The email, which wrongly claims to have been sent from DVLA, appears to be an attempt to trick drivers into providing personal details. DVLA have NOT sent out an email asking customers to update or verify their details.

We’re aware that some members of the public have received these emails and we strongly advise anyone who receives one of these or any similar email, to ignore it and not to follow the instructions given.

The government, led by Cabinet Office’s Government Digital Service (GDS), will continue to investigate reports of organisations which may be actively misleading users about their services or acting illegally, taking swift action when necessary. By using the online driving licence or vehicle tax transactions on GOV.UK you can be sure that you are dealing directly withDVLA.

You can find the online driving licence and vehicle tax services in the driving licence and vehicle tax sections of GOV.UK.