Cole-Hamilton presses Transport Secretary on Echline Slip Roads

Edinburgh North-Western MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton, has today contacted the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, Stephen Flynn, urging him to reconsider the Scottish Government’s 2018 decision to restrict the A90 slip roads at the Echline junction.

The restriction has seriously altered traffic movements into and out of Queensferry. 

Almost overnight, there was a substantial increase in traffic using Station Road, Bankhead Road, and the B924 – roads that were never designed to accommodate such high volumes of traffic.

Since then, Builyeon Road became the principal route for vehicles entering and leaving the town, which has seriously decreased the safety of the road.

The new housing development in Queensferry at Builyeon Road will cause another diversion at the beginning of 2027, with traffic being re-routed through the residential development and past the new primary school.

Alex has urged the Cabinet Secretary to reverse the previous decision and open the slip roads to all traffic, cutting congestion and, crucially, improving road safety – especially for the young people who cross the road to get to school.

Speaking on the issue, Alex said:The traffic flow in Queensferry has been a burden on residents for too many years now.

Many are having to wait in traffic, with my constituents also telling me how unsafe the road is to cross. This is all while a solution sits ready to be actioned.

Restoring these connections would provide a valuable alternative route for motorists, relieve pressure on the local road network, and reduce the volume of traffic which will pass through a residential neighbourhood and alongside a primary school.

I hope the Cabinet Secretary takes my concerns seriously, and we see a change soon.’

Man arrested following series of incidents in North West Edinburgh

Police are appealing for information following a series of incidents which occurred in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 23 March).

Around 4.30pm police received a report of a road crash on Telford Road and a man causing a disturbance before making off from the scene in a stolen grey Volkswagen Golf.

A short time later the Volkswagen Golf crashed on the A90 northbound, near the Dalmeny slip road.

The driver is then understood to have approached a number of cyclists in the Dalmeny area before being apprehended by police.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with these incidents and enquiries are continuing.

Detective Sergeant Todd Rutherford from Corstorphine CID said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding these incidents and I am appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

“In particular, I would like to speak to a family of cyclists who are believed to have been approached by the man shortly after the second crash in Dalmeny. I would urge the family to please get in touch and assist with our investigation.

“I would also ask any motorists with dash-cams who were in the area on Tuesday afternoon to check their footage in case they have captured anything which could be of importance.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 2116 of Tuesday, 23 March, 2021. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”