PARENTS in Edinburgh have called for urgent action after new figures emerged it could take 25 YEARS to clear a road safety backlog unless budgets are increased.
Parent Councils from 53 primary and secondary school from across the city have written to all their MSPs and Councillors calling for an increase in road safety funding, which they say is needed to keep children safe.
The Freedom of Information (FoI) statistics were gathered after a child was killed on their way to school in North Edinburgh last year.
In the FoI response, parent council’s discovered that, as of June 2024, there are 96 red flag sites on Edinburgh City Council’s speed reduction list.
Shockingly, despite this, only 19 roads have been improved in the last five years. At this rate, it would take 25 years to act on all the Edinburgh roads currently on the list.
The Parent Councils have now written to Edinburgh and Lothian MSPs and City of Edinburgh councillors demanding that budget makers prioritise road safety around schools.
In that letter, they point out that it’s only a matter of time before another tragedy occurs.
The parents say that an increased road safety budget is needed to tackle the backlog and ensure that future changes are made within a year of a site being identified for speed reduction measures.
Another FOI response showed that, in 2023/24, the road safety budget was £1.5m which was just 1% of the total road and transport budget for that year.
Kim Pratt, vice chair of the Davidson’s Mains Primary School Parent Council, said: “A 25 year backlog in speed reduction measures is condemning every child in Edinburgh to navigating unsafe roads for the rest of their school days.
“No child should be risking their life when traveling to school and it’s unacceptable that safety recommendations are being ignored.
“We do understand that the council is under financial pressure but getting children to school safely must be a priority.
“The call from parent councils from across Edinburgh shows that this is a systemic problem. Politicians in Edinburgh have the power to protect our children by increasing road safety funding and by making road safety around schools a priority in all future road developments.”
Lynsey Houston, chair of Craiglockhart Parent & Carer Council said: “I know that since Craiglockhart parents first raised concerns about road safety, some of the children have now graduated high school!
“A potential timescale of 25yrs is ridiculous but highlights the desperate need for more resources. After all, when we ask for improvements, we are asking for our council and government to prevent a tragic outcome.”
THE LETTER READS:
Monday, 3rd February 2025
To all Edinburgh and Lothian MSPs and City of Edinburgh
Councillors,
INCREASE THE CITY’S ROAD SAFETY BUDGET TO KEEP EDINBURGH
CHILDREN SAFE
We represent parents of children who attend schools across Edinburgh and we are calling on you, as our political representatives with control over the City of Edinburgh Council’s budget, to increase funding for road safety.
Our children are being harmed on their way to and from school. Last year, a child was killed on their way to school in Edinburgh and we believe, in the current situation, it is only a matter of time before this happens again.
A response to a Freedom Of Information request has shown that, as of June 2024, there are 96 sites on the Council’s speed reduction list and only 19 roads have been improved in the Last five years. At this rate, it will take 25 years to act on
all the roads currently on the list.
This is unacceptable to many parents, whose children will grow up and leave school before changes are acted on. Our children are navigating unsafe roads now.
Whilst we understand that the Council is under huge pressure around funding, we believe that road safety, particularly around schools, should be more of a priority than it currently is.
Another FOI response showed that, in 2023/24, the road safety budget was £1.5m which was just 1% of the total road and transport budget for that year. You must increase Edinburgh Council’s road safety funding to reduce the backlog in speed reduction improvements and make future changes in a reasonable and responsible time period. We believe that, once a site is identified for speed reduction
measures, improvements should be completed within a year and the Council should be funded appropriately.
All road budget spending should consider how safety around a school can be
built into improvements.
We look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Kim Pratt, Davidsons Mains Parent Council
On behalf of the following Parent Councils of Edinburgh:
- Davidson’s Mains Primary School Parent Council
- Gilmerton Primary School Parent Council
- Craigour Park Primary School Parent Teacher Council
- Craiglockhart Parents & Carers Council
- Canaan Lane Primary School Parent Council
- Flora Stevenson Parent Council
- Cramond Primary School Parent Council
- James Gillespies Primary School Parent Council
- Nether Currie Primary School Parent Council
- James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council
- Royal High School Parent Council
- Preston Street Primary School
- Clermiston Primary Parent Council
- Trinity Primary Parent Council
- Duddingston Primary Parent Council
- Dalry Primary Parents and Carers Council
- Chomhairle Phàrant Bhun-Sgoil Taobh na Pàirce
- Bruntsfield Primary School Parent Council
- Longstone Primary School Parent Council
- Blackhall Primary School
- Forthview Primary School Parent Council
- Stockbridge Primary School Parent Council
- Pentland Primary School Parent Council
- Leith Walk Primary School Parent Council
- Granton Primary School Parent Council
- Castleview Primary School Council
- East Craigs Primary Parent School
- Craigentinny Primary School
- St Andrew’s Fox Covert RC Primary School
- Fox Covert Primary School
- Gylemuir Primary School Parent Council
- St Peter’s RC Primary School Parent Council
- Oxgangs Primary School Parent Council
- Roseburn Primary School Parent Partnership
- St Thomas of Aquins Parent Council
- Frogston Primary School Parent Council
- Royal High Primary School
- Bonaly Primary School
- Holyrood RC High School
- South Morningside Primary School Parent Council
- St. Catherine’s RC primary school
- Kirkliston Primary School Association
- Currie Community High School Parents in Partnership
- Sciennes Primary School Parent Council
- Wardie Family Forum for Wardie Primary School
- St Mary’s Primary School Parent Forum Council
- Broughton Primary School Parent Council
- Abbeyhill Primary School Parent Council
- Corstorphine Primary School
- Gilmerton Parents Council
- Portobello High School Parent Council
- Ferryhill Primary School Parent Council
- St Ninian’s Primary School Parents Council
Letter to MSPs and Councillors from parent councils, sent Monday 3rd February 2025
