Efforts to save Leith’s much-loved Lindsay Road Bridge (also known as Pride Bridge) have moved a step closer thanks to a funding award through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme.
The 1930’s bridge, originally built for vehicular traffic, was closed off to motor vehicles in 2008 and has since served as a key walking, wheeling, and cycling route over Hawthornvale Path. In 2021 community members painted the bridge in rainbow colours, leading to it being named locally as the ‘Rainbow’ or ‘Pride’ Bridge.
In December 2021 the bridge, which is at the end of its lifespan, was closed due to concerns around health and safety.
Council officers have since made a successful application for Transport Scotland funding through Sustrans for the design of a replacement bridge deck, with £232,700 awarded. A designer will now be appointed to progress the design, to be developed in consultation with stakeholders and the community.
This process is expected to last a year and, once it’s complete, officers intend to apply to Sustrans for 70% of the construction funding required to build the bridge.
The work will be delivered alongside the Leith Connections project which is making improvements to community spaces and providing better connections for anyone walking, wheeling or cycling through the streets of Leith.
The Leith Connections project was awarded funding through Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure programme backed by Transport Scotland and administered by Sustrans.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: I’m delighted that this funding award gives new hope for the future of Pride Bridge.
“This structure is a local landmark, a link to Leith’s industrial past and a reminder of the pandemic, but above all else for me it is a celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride. It also provides a safe and convenient walking and cycling route between North Fort Street and Newhaven area.
“Thanks to all those involved who have campaigned for its preservation.”
Kasper Schwartz from Sustrans said: “The Pride Bridge serves as a vital walking, wheeling, and cycling connection for the people of Newhaven.
“It not only provides a direct and accessible link to local shops, businesses, and public transport in the area, but also stands as a vibrant symbol of community resilience.
“We’re excited to be able to support the design and development of a new bridge deck, and in due course, see this important link reinstated.”
Róisín Thérèse from the Save the Pride Bridge campaign said: “We are delighted to hear that Sustrans has agreed to fund a full design with community consultation.
“We believe the Pride Bridge to be a very important piece of local history and heritage, an essential safe and accessible active travel route, and a much loved community space.
“We also believe that, especially in light of rising hate crime statistics, it is really important for us to show both our solidarity with the LGBTQ community and our commitment to their safety and inclusion.
“The Save The Pride Bridge group is looking forward to working closely with the council to find a suitable solution to restore this important local landmark.”
Edinburgh’s Family and Household Support Service has prevented at least 350 households from becoming homeless, a council report has revealed.
At a meeting of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee this week, councillors heard how the service is providing a citywide approach to ‘getting it right for everyone’ – with the aim of helping vulnerable residents before it’s too late.
Through referrals from sources such as teachers, housing officers and social workers to police officers and politicians, it has been possible to intervene early in many cases to help households in Edinburgh access the right advice and support.
Around £300,000 in welfare has been sourced to support families referred to the service, alongside advice on issues as varied as parenting, addiction, employment and health and wellbeing, according to the council report.
Working directly with teams which handle antisocial behaviour complaints and neighbourly disputes, the service is also working to prevent repeat instances of antisocial behaviour by working holistically with those involved to assess any support needs.
The Committee also heard how the service is successfully helping tenants sustain their tenancy once they move into a new home. Edinburgh’s ‘Keys and a Kit’ programme as it has been dubbed features sessions on finances, health and local community resources and activities to help new tenants settle in, which can be particularly important following a long period of homelessness.
By making the best use of limited resources by working collaboratively with charities and others, it is also estimated that this preventative approach has provided a saving to the council of close to £6m since 1 April 2022.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Every day, our tenants are interacting with council services – be it for health care, school, or welfare. These services need to be joined up so that we can better support the whole life of a tenant and it’s great to see the difference this ‘getting it right for everyone’ approach is making.
“Thanks to early intervention from council workers and from our partners, we’ve prevented homelessness for hundreds of households. Families entitled to benefits have been helped and tenants moving into new homes have been supported.
“Plus an extra advantage of this has been £4.5m of costs associated with homelessness avoided in the last year alone, at a time when our finances are under immense pressure.
“I hope to see us build on this even further now that the Family and Household Support Service reports into the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee.
“I’m confident that we’ll be able to draw this work together even more and build in other measures, such as noticing when a tenant’s home may be suffering from damp or is in need of an essential repair.”
Contractors will start installing signage around the LEZ city centre boundary from October to help drivers plan their journeys in advance of enforcement beginning on 1 June 2024.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which support enforcement, will be installed in late 2023/early 2024 and a mobile enforcement vehicle will be active from June 2024 onwards.
In early 2024 there will also be changes made to some street layouts and signals around the LEZ boundary to cut congestion and improve safety for everyone.
Independent market research carried out in June indicates that a majority of drivers in Edinburgh continue to support the LEZ and think protecting public health is important. Awareness and understanding of the LEZ has improved since 2022, highlighting the success of the local and national communications campaigns.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “It may seem some way off, but we are beginning to approach the start of enforcement of the LEZ, and we want to make sure drivers are prepared.
“Air pollution harms both our physical and mental health, so by restricting the most polluting vehicles in the LEZ we will create a healthier place for everyone, reducing inequalities and making the city centre a more welcoming place.
“I’m pleased that compliance with our emissions standards continues to increase, driven by the upcoming LEZ restrictions and support funds, and that support remains high. Lothian Buses are now LEZ ready, and the Council fleet will be soon.
“There’s still work to be done though to ensure everyone else who enters the zone is compliant. As we begin preparations for enforcement, I would encourage all drivers to check if their vehicle is compliant through the online vehicle checker tool, and find out more about the support funds available.”
A city centre LEZ was introduced in Edinburgh on 31 May 2022, along with LEZs in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, restricting the most polluting vehicles and benefiting everyone’s health. In Edinburgh, a two-year grace period is in place, meaning no penalty charges will be issued during this time.
Compliance is particularly high amongst the local buses (97%), with Lothian Buses being 100% compliant. Petrol cars (95%) and lorries (86%) also have high compliance rates yet diesel cars are only 50% complaint.
Restricting the most polluting vehicles will significantly reduce harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from vehicles by up to 50% within the LEZ. Further air quality improvements are expected beyond the boundary, improving public health around the city.
LEZ restrictions will apply to motor vehicles, except motorcycles and mopeds. Vehicles must meet the minimum emissions standards to drive within the zone, though national exemptions apply including for blue badge holders and emergency vehicles.
Edinburgh’s LEZ will issue penalty notice charges, or fines, in line with Scottish regulations, from 1 June 2023. Penalties start at £60, for non-compliant vehicles driving within the Zone though this is reduced by 50% to £30 if paid within 14 days.
Penalties escalate and surcharges will be issued if drivers repeatedly enter the LEZ within a 90 day period. These surcharges are capped at £480 for cars and vans, and £960 for buses and lorries.
An exclusive documentary screening alongside a Q&A session with artist Peter Howson will take place this Friday (September 29) to mark the closing of the exhibition ‘When the Apple Ripens‘.
Hosted at the City Art Centre, ‘When the Apple Ripens: Peter Howson at 65: A Retrospective’, traces the illustrious career of Peter Howson, from his early days to the present, featuring over 100 works over three galleries, painstakingly assembled from both public and private collections across the UK and Europe.
Directed by Charlie Paul, and produced by Lucy Paul, Prophecy is an evocative exploration of a single oil painting and the first major film to reveal the motive and techniques behind each stroke of paint as the artist creates.
Released in 2019, the 90-minute feature documentary transports the audience into the darkly comic, obsessive mind of Peter Howson, seeing directly through the artist’s eye. What begins as a blank canvas, emerges as Howson’s monumental oil painting, ‘Prophecy’.
Prophecy reveals what it takes to create a large oil painting, the techniques, the materials, the skills, the thinking behind creation, and the intentions and difficulties that push Howson to achieve this ambitious, masterful, and detailed 6ft x 8ft canvas.
The painting is currently on display at When the Apple Ripens.
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said:“This Friday’s screening and Q&A session represents the culmination of one of the most unique, harrowing, and powerful exhibitions we have ever hosted at the City Art Centre.
“Peter Howson has made an indelible impact on British and Scottish art, and we have been truly fortunate to be able to display his life’s work in the heart of Edinburgh.
“Prophecy provides a rich and unique perspective on the arduous and painstaking process of creating work of this calibre. I would encourage residents and visitors to book their tickets now to bot the documentary screening and wider exhibition and experience the full power and fury of Howson’s work”.
Talk PANTS is a partnership between the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland. The aim is to protect children from sexual abuse by encouraging parents, carers and professionals to have conversations with children in an age-appropriate way about how to stay safe.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the PANTS rule across the city. PANTS helps children understand that they have a right to say no and if they need to speak out about something, someone will listen.
STREET PARTY PROGRAMME EXPANDED FOR 40,000 REVELLERS
ARTISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 30th ANNIVERSARY STREET PARTY CELEBRATIONS
Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay today announced that cultural icons PULP will headline the 30th Anniversary Concert in the Gardens on Sunday 31 December, welcoming party-people from around the globe to dance their way into 2024 at the world-famous New Year festival.
Following a surprise 2023 reunion and run of sell-out summer shows, Pulp’s headline appearance at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay marks the Sheffield band’s first live show in the capital for over 20 years, where they will perform the last show of 2023 and first of 2024, bringing in the bells beneath the majestic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.
Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, Pulp has provided the soundtrack to a generation, and Concert in the Gardens promises a hit filled set of career spanning pop anthems including Common People, Disco 2000, and Do You Remember the First Time?
Performing beneath the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle amidst one of the world’s greatest New Year firework displays, Pulp will once again help make Edinburgh the best New Year party on the planet.
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker said: “When your grandkids ask: “Do you remember the first time Pulp played Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?” What will your answer be? Come along and start 2024 in the very best way possible. Oh, yes!”
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party (31 December) also welcomes 40,000 revellers into Edinburgh city centre and Princes Street, to party their way into 2024 with friends old and new from around the world, counting down to the spectacular Midnight Moment.
Street Party revellers won’t miss out on Pulp’s headline set, with the full performance and DJ soundtracks being broadcast to screens throughout Princes Street in the Pop Zone with spectacular effects, to create one massive city centre party.
The Tartan Zone on Waverley Bridge, presents a night of foot stompin’ music from across Scotland, headlined by the award-winning Elephant Sessions, joined by the incredible Kinnaris Quintet, and opening with an exhilarating hour of energetic ceilidh dancing from the islands with the Hannah Fisher Band.
The Disco Zone hosted by Silent Adventures will see 4,000 participants enjoy a giant outdoor Silent Disco with tunes from across 30 years of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, battling alongside the biggest floor fillers from a host of DJ’s throughout the night. And to celebrate 30 years of the Street Party, the best in live Street Theatre, drummers, pipers, vintage funfair rides, food and drink, will once again create a carnival atmosphere throughout the city centre leading up to the bells.
Directors of Unique Assembly, who create and produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, said:“Reaching the milestone 30th anniversary for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a phenomenal achievement, which which since 1993 has welcomed millions of party people to celebrate at the Home of Hogmanay.
“We wanted to make sure that this year was extra special for our audiences and are thrilled to welcome Pulp to the party.
“This will be the hottest ticket in town, and we recommend people grab their tickets fast to make sure they don’t miss out”.
An expanded four-day programme of world-class events will run from Friday 29 December 2023 – Monday 1 January 2024, kicking-off celebrations on 29 December.
The full Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme and ticket details will be released in the coming weeks, but other confirmed events taking place over the four-day Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2023/24 festival include the return of the Torchlight Procession (29 Dec) with presenting partner EventScotland and in support of homeless charity Social Bite, the Night Afore Disco Party (30 Dec) beneath Edinburgh Castle, and a packed programme of free New Year’s Day events for young and old, with the return of the First Footin’ culture trail, welcoming artists from across Scotland to perform in landmark buildings, pubs, cafes and venues throughout the city centre, and Sprogmanay family events in the Old Town.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2023/24 is supported by Principal Funding Partners City of Edinburgh Council and Major Partners EventScotland, Creative Scotland through the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Essential Edinburgh, all working together to create spectacular Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 30th Anniversary celebrations for Scotland.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The excellent news that pop-pioneers Pulp are set to headline the 30th Anniversary Concert in the Gardens, as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations, is testament to the international reputation that our city and festivals command.
“After the difficult years of the pandemic, I’m overjoyed that our festivals are back to their brilliant best and providing such high calibre cultural offerings for our residents and visitors.
“I would like to thank Unique Assembly and all our other fantastic partners who have worked so hard on delivering our winter festivals. This year’s New Year’s Eve festivities are set to be some of the finest that Edinburgh has ever seen,
“I’m sure we’ll all fondly remember the first time that Pulp will see Princes Street Gardens and Edinburgh into 2024.”
VisitScotland Director of Events, Paul Bush OBE said: “Edinburgh’s world-famous Hogmanay celebrations are the perfect way to ring in the New Year.
“Whether it’s taking part in the Torchlight Procession, dancing away to pop heroes Pulp or First Footin through the city centre, this year’s expanded four-day programme offer the chance for friends and family to connect, enjoy and share in a number of memorable experiences.
“EventScotland is proud to be continuing its support of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay as it celebrates it 30th anniversary. Having events of this scale in our calendar reinforces our position as a world-leading events destination and reinforces Scotland’s place as the perfect stage for events.”
Concert in the Gardens with Pulp and special guests to be announced, takes place on Sunday 31 December 2023 in West Princes Street Gardens, from 9pm to 12.50am. Tickets go on general release Friday 29 September at 10.00am from www.edinburghshogmanay.com priced from £75.00 inc. booking fees and 50p charity donation.
A limited Concert in the Gardens pre-sale is available to those registered with www.edinburghshogmanay.com and will begin Thursday 28 September at 10am.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party tickets are on-sale now priced £28.50 inc. fees and charity donation, and discounted EH Postcode Resident Street Party Tickets £23.50 inc. fees and charity donation.
Tickets for the Street Party Silent Disco with Silent Adventure are priced £7.50 inc. fees and require a full Street Party ticket to purchase. Spaces for the Silent Disco Zone are limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis.
50p from every Concert in the Gardens and Street Party ticket purchased will be donated to homeless charity Social Bite, and additional online donations can be made when purchasing tickets.
Tickets for both the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party and Torchlight Procession events are available from 10am, Friday 25 August from:
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, writes about the opportunity to consider green, healthy ways to travel this Car Free Day:
Today we’re marking World Car Free Day, which is an opportunity to think about greener, healthier ways to travel for everyday journeys, and the benefits these can have for our quality of life and our capital.
Here in Edinburgh, we’re celebrating alternative modes of transport with everything from cycle training in Sighthill Park to nature storytelling at Bridgend Farm. In fact, there will be a whole month of events, coinciding with Love to Ride’s biking challenge, Cycle September, helping people to explore the benefits of walking, wheeling, cycling and travel by public transport.
Of course, it takes more than one day, or even a month, to change travel habits, and to make sure people feel safe and able to make the leap to new modes of transport.
In Edinburgh, we’ve committed to supporting safe, sustainable and fair travel as part of the City Mobility Plan to 2030. Transport is the largest producer of carbon emissions in Scotland, so if we are to reach our Net Zero 2030 targets, as well as reducing congestion, improving air quality and helping to encourage healthier lifestyles, we need to improve the way people move around, to and from the city.
Luckily, the wheels are already in motion. Across the city we’re implementing changes, small and large, which will help to deliver attractive, reliable and sustainable transport options.
Perhaps the most high-profile development in recent months has been the landmark completion of the Trams to Newhaven project, which is now providing a high capacity, low emission route to Leith’s densely populated heart.
In fact, our award-winning Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses services are the reason public transport in Edinburgh is so good – indeed, if you are on a bus in Edinburgh look out for Gary Black (Lothian Buses) and Thomas Gilhooley (East Coast Buses) – both won recognition as Scotland’s best bus drivers at the UK Bus Driver of the Year Competition. We want to continue to make these services even better and more reliable through the Public Transport Action Plan.
It’s about the way we manage the city too – strategies such as our review of parking will have a real impact on creating walkable streets, while road safety actions are helping people to feel confident to choose travel by foot, wheels or bike.
Work to create and enhance School Travel Plans for every school will address the barriers to children and families making active, healthy journeys. School Travel Plans are key, as I feel good habits start early in life.
I know that for some people, particularly those with mobility issues, travel by car is the only option and we don’t want to stop that. In fact, many of the measures we’re working to introduce will free up space for those who really need it, while creating welcoming places for people of all abilities.
This Car Free Day, we’ll be joining towns and cities around the world in reimagining our streets for people.
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, supported by the City of Edinburgh Council, will be held at Edinburgh College (Granton Campus) and Lauriston Castle on 30 September and 1 October 2023.
The programme features a diverse range of performers and visual artists telling their stories through creative writing and visual literacy workshops, artwork, poetry, storytelling, music, theatre, and dance.
There are also family activities, including arts and crafts, puppetry, living statues, reading sessions, and drumming workshops facilitated by Visual Literacy Matters and other artists. The festival truly has something for everyone.
This year’s musical acts include Los Chichanos, Mio Shudo, Motown Brothers, The Spinning Blowfish, Elaine Cheng, dance artists – Sam Vaherlehto and TuFlamenco as well as theatre makers – Catherine Bisset, Flavia D’Avila, Luntu Masiza and Olivier Van Den Hende.
The festival celebrates the cultural diversity of the Capital by bringing together local and international artists and creating experiences to be shared by all communities.
This year marks the 5th birthday of the festival, which has provided platforms, both on stages and digitally, for over 150 local and international artists of diverse backgrounds, and generated over 60k worldwide views since its inception.
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said:“It’s fantastic to see the return of the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival later this month. I’m incredibly proud that we are supporting local artists of all backgrounds to get involved with a truly unique festival. We all want to see as many of our residents as possible expressing themselves and adding to Edinburgh’s already excellent cultural sector.
“Edinburgh’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths and this festival is just one fantastic example of our outstanding year-round cultural offerings. I want to wish the best of luck to all the organisers, performers and participants and I’m sure that this fifth year of the festival will be a great success.”
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival Director, Morgan Njobo said: “We are grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council for their support, thanks to which we can create opportunities for local diverse artists to share their work and cultures. As a South African artist based in Edinburgh myself, I value how welcoming the city is to the international talent.
“The festival is a celebration of cultural diversity in Edinburgh that is representative of the increasingly more diverse population in the city. This year we feature local artists of African, Asian, Caribbean, European, and South American origin thus creating a world stage at your doorstep.
“The festival has gone from strength to strength since 2019 as we continue to attract more participation in the arts in Edinburgh. Partnering with Edinburgh College in Granton and Lauriston Castle in Cramond allows us to create unique cultural experiences for audiences and participants of all ages and backgrounds while appreciating the hidden gem locations in Edinburgh.
“Let’s enjoy being able to be back together and support diverse artists and creatives here in Scotland.”
Council Leader Cammy Day has responded to the publication of the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry. He said: “As a Council, we’ve co-operated fully with Lord Hardie’s Edinburgh Tram Inquiry since its announcement nine years ago and have always maintained that its outcomes will be beneficial in informing investment in similar major transport infrastructure projects, both here in Edinburgh and by other local authorities.
“We’ll consider our response, and any actions required, based on the findings and report back to Transport Committee in November and then our Council meeting in December.
“From a first reading of the report it’s clear that serious mistakes were made and that this had a significant impact on the city. There’s no getting away from the fact that the original project caused a great deal of disruption to residents and businesses, as well as damaging the city’s reputation and on behalf of the Council, I want to apologise for this.“
The scathing 959-page report lays the blame for the tram fiasco – years late, millions of £ over budget and delivering only a single line, far less than was promised – at the door of TIE (the council’s tram firm), the council itself and the Scottish Government.
Cammy Day went on: “I won’t, however, apologise for building a tram system, or for our ambition to develop it further.
After all, creating a better connected, environmentally friendly transport system is essential for a modern, successful city and we need to transform the way people move around if we are to achieve our net zero goals.
“Equally, we shouldn’t forget that, in the nine years since the line between Edinburgh Airport and York Place was built, the service has flourished to become a hugely successful transport route for thousands of residents and visitors each day.
“We’ve now launched passenger services on the completed line to Newhaven, the success of which was down to the hard work of the in-house project team and partners, but also thanks to lessons learned from the first project.
“Prior to the announcement of the Inquiry, and towards the closing stages of the first project, we’d already introduced a raft of changes to project management and governance, which also proved crucial to the succesful implementation of the current Trams to Newhaven project.
“In developing the Trams to Newhaven route, clear, timely communication has been key, both between project managers, contractors and elected members but also residents, businesses and other stakeholders. The final business case built on months of extensive consultation on the designs and plans, updating and amending them in response to feedback so that they meet the community’s needs.
“We’ve drawn on the experience of skilled project managers throughout, with a particular focus on securing independent oversight and expert advice at every stage. The establishment of a tram board incorporating independent members, for example, has allowed effective scrutiny, while taking on board the advice of industry experts, such as Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, helped us to take full account of the risks involved.
“We made every effort to minimise disruption and, throughout construction, kept local people, businesses and elected members informed through regular updates, responding to concerns and questions.
“The new route’s already proving to be extremely popular, with passenger numbers doubling in the first few weeks and August clocking in as Edinburgh Trams’ best ever month, with more than 1.2m customer journeys recorded.
“We’re already looking at options for expanding the network further – to the north and south of the city, and potentially also to neighbouring authorities – and it’s encouraging to see this is very much part of the Scottish Government’s plans too.”
