Tag: disruption

Police Scotland ready to deliver one of Britain’s biggest ever policing operations during COP26 climate conference

Police Scotland is ready to deliver one of the largest policing operations undertaken in Britain as extensive planning for the COP26 climate conference reaches the final stages.

Around 10,000 officers will be deployed each day to support the safety and security of the event in Glasgow next month, at which around 120 world leaders and heads of state are expected to attend.

The planning operation, which has been under way for almost two years, has been the largest undertaken by Police Scotland.

Officers will be drafted from every division and department in Police Scotland, supported by a substantial number of colleagues from other UK police services as part of mutual aid arrangements. Deployments will include specialist resources such as firearms officers, dog handlers, mounted branch, search teams and the marine unit.

COP26, the United Nations 26th Conference of the Parties, is an annual summit organised by the UN where world leaders and thousands of delegates come together to tackle climate change issues.

This year’s event takes place from 31 October to 12 November at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.

Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr said: “Police Scotland is ready and well prepared to deliver this operation which will involve one of the biggest mobilisation of police assets the UK has ever seen.

“With around 120 world leaders and heads of state attending, along with thousands of delegates and those who wish to protest, the scale of the security operation cannot be overstated. It is a huge challenge but one we are ready to deal with.

“Police Scotland has an enviable reputation throughout the world for the policing of major events and I am confident that we will once again deliver a response which helps deliver a safe and secure conference.”

Police Scotland’s style and tone of policing will be friendly, fair and accommodating for anyone wishing to protest during the event.

All mutual aid officers will be under the command and control of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland and will receive detailed briefings on the style and tone of policing ahead of being deployed.

DCC Kerr said: “Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and has a duty under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest, balanced against the rights of the wider community.

“We will provide a proportionate policing response to any protests and have been engaging with known protest groups for some time to ensure their rights to peaceful assembly and protest are met.

“Those wishing to protest have a responsibility to do so within the law and I would remind the small minority of people who may be intent on violent disorder or causing damage that we will deal with them swiftly and robustly.

“The policing of protests is a particularly difficult balancing act when they are non-violent and peaceful but highly disruptive or unlawful.

“People at protests sometimes break the law in a number of ways that aren’t linked to violence or disorder, such as blocking roads.

“Some disruption is inevitable during the event, if someone is causing significant disruption by wilfully obstructing a main traffic route then officers may move through the various stages of our graduated response more quickly than they would during instances which are causing minimum disruption.

“A considerable part of our planning for COP26 has been to ensure that the communities of Scotland continue to receive the same high standard of service from policing that they have come to expect.

“Policing, so often the service of first and last resort, will never step away from people in crisis.

“There are pressures which exist across many other services, agencies and sectors, and when the health service, local authorities and other key partners come under significant strain, demand is diverted to policing.

“However, Police Scotland prioritises emergency 999 calls and these are answered within less than 10 seconds, on average. Our non-emergency response times continue to be affected by high demand.

“While an event the size of COP26 places considerable demands on policing, we already have contingencies in place and are taking steps to boost those over the coming weeks.

“Although there is potential for further disruption should pressure on other agencies and services persist and become more acute, particularly as the country prepares for COP26, I can reassure the public that if they need an emergency response from us they will get it.”

Six arrests made in day of action against county lines drug supply in Edinburgh

Detectives from Edinburgh have made a number of arrests in a day of action aimed at disrupting “country lines” drug supplies into the city.

Six men, aged 38, 30, 29, 24, 22 and 21, were arrested in Edinburgh and Wolverhampton today (Wednesday, 21 July) and charged in connection with various drug offences.

All are expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in due course.

Small quantities of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, along with a four figure sum of cash recovered during the operation.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “We are committed to identifying the supply chain which brings drugs into Edinburgh and disrupting the activity of people intent on bringing harm to our communities.

“The county lines model shows crime does not respect borders. “Activity such as this cross border operation shows the benefit of working closely with partner agencies in response to concerns raised by local communities.

“Intelligence is the lifeblood of investigations such as this. Communities should not have to tolerate the damage caused by drugs and I would urge anyone with information which can help us deal with those responsible to pass this on.”

“If anyone has any concerns regarding the abuse of controlled drugs, or anyone who may be involved in the supply of controlled drugs, they are urged to contact Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Three steps the UK Government must take now to solve the Brexit border chaos

The current trade disruption between the UK and the EU is the result of ignoring expert advice and a chaotic information campaign, which must urgently be solved in three steps, says leading London accountancy firm Blick Rothenberg.

Alex Altmann, a partner and head of the firm’s Brexit advisory group, says: “We warned about serious disruptions many months ago and advised the Government to introduce an implementation phase for businesses to cope with the new customs formalities.

“The foolishness and amateurism of the Government’s approach has created existential threats to many businesses on both sides that currently struggle to trade with each other. The disruptions must urgently be solved in three steps.

“First, the Government must temporarily relax the requirement for EU traders to have an office in the UK to import goods, and subsequently ask the EU commission to do the same. The most serious problem today is that businesses without a presence in the other market cannot import their goods without appointing a customs agent.

“ This is how the new customs rules have been designed by the UK and the EU as part of the Brexit deal. This is a serious flaw. Customs agents are rare and very expensive and the UK currently requires about 20,000 more agents to meet demand. The Government should take this step very urgently to avoid a major supply chain disaster in the weeks ahead.”

Altmann added: “Second, the Government needs to admit that their expensive Brexit information campaign has not prepared businesses well enough for the new trade relationship with the EU. The guidance provided by the UK Government contains conflicting information, not enough detail, and to some extent, wrong advice.

“This has become particularly apparent with regards to the new border situation with Northern Ireland. It has become clear that the Government’s guidance has not been drafted by trade and customs experts, which is a serious shortcoming.

“The Government must take a step back now and relax the rules for the time being, while redrafting guidance and advisory papers based on the final Brexit deal arrangements. This is the only way to overcome the misinformation and provide traders and freight carriers with the confidence they need to sell cross-border.”

Altmann, who is also a Chairman at the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany said: “  “Thirdly, there are some serious flaws in the Brexit trade deal that the Government must put high up on the agenda to clarify and potentially renegotiate with the EU.

“ One area that continues to create confusion among traders and their freight carriers is the new rules of origin provision. The Government presented the Brexit deal as a tariff and quota free agreement. This is only partly true. Tariffs still apply in the normal way for manufactured goods which contain more than 40 percent of ingredients with origins outside the UK or EU.

“There is no guidance of how businesses should calculate and document the origin analysis. This is causing major disruptions to supply chains. Again, we recommend that the new rules of origin are temporarily paused until there is sufficient guidance and expertise available to work this out.”

Spend £5 get £10 on Leith Walk as business support scheme begins

A voucher scheme encouraging people to visit shops, cafes and restaurants on Leith Walk will launch on Monday (24 August) as part of the Trams to Newhaven project, the city council has announced.

The council is offering shoppers and diners £10 for the price of £5 to spend in a range of participating venues through the itison deal, which is part of our £2.4m Support for Business measures during construction works.

They will also be relaunching the offer for businesses on Constitution Street next month, where vouchers sold out within days when they were first introduced in November 2019.

Main Trams to Newhaven construction work began on Leith Walk in June, following a pause to comply with Government guidance and to protect the safety of workers and residents during the coronavirus outbreak.

The council says they have worked closely with local traders along the route to develop the Support for Business package, which aims to maintain the area’s appeal, drive footfall and minimise disruption throughout construction.

This includes logistics hubs to help businesses get goods into and out of their premises, on-street customer service staff providing advice to customers and businesses and a digital ‘Open for Business’ marketing campaign. They are also working with Sustrans to introduce cargo bikes for service deliveries and moving goods around. 

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “We’re excited to be launching this phase of the itison voucher scheme, which will give an added incentive to visit the range of independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants on offer in the area.

“We know that any disruption can be challenging for businesses, particularly paired with the trying circumstances in which we find ourselves in now. We want to do everything we can to help them to continue to operate, and flourish, over the years to come.

“This project is critical for the city’s carbon neutral future, where transport is sustainable, connected and accessible. We want its benefits to be felt by everyone and we’re working hard to make this happen.”

Over 70 Leith Walk bars, restaurants, cafes and shops have signed up to the itison voucher scheme, which lasts until 31 August. Customers can buy up to three vouchers at a time to use in any of the participating businesses. Vouchers for Constitution Street must be bought separately, and for specific businesses.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is an excellent initiative to encourage customers to continue visiting businesses on Leith Walk and promote trade.

“Shops on the walk have been hit hard by the double blow of lockdown and the tram extensions, so making efforts to support businesses is very welcome.

“I encourage everyone to make the most of this offer and support local businesses.”

Find out more about Trams to Newhaven on the project website.

More Queensferry Road disruption ahead

SGN Gas Network Upgrade – Queensferry Road, Edinburgh

Scottish Gas Network:

Our work in the Queensferry Road area will begin on Thursday 13 February and last approximately four days. (Sun Feb 16)

During this project it will be necessary to close the following roads to ensure everyone’s safety:

Cammo Road at the junction with Queensferry Road.

During this time traffic will be diverted via Cammo Gardens and Maybury Road.

Queensferry Road will be down to ONE lane in both directions and may cause delays.

Signed local diversion routes will be in place for motorists, commuters and pedestrians.

This project have been planned to coincide with the school holidays, and when traffic is likely to be quieter, ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum.

We’ll be working extended hours to complete our works within the timeframe. We know that this is a busy area and wish to assure you that work will progress as quickly as possible and we’ll be doing everything we can to limit delays and disruption.

Please feel free to share this information with your stakeholders, colleagues and anyone else who may be impacted by our work. All local residents have been notified.

If you have any specific enquiries about this project, please call us on 0131 469 1728 during office hours (8am to 4.00pm) or 0800 912 1700 and our customer service team will be happy to help.

I’d like to thank you in advance for your support and understanding during this time.

EXPECT LONG DELAYS: D’Mains roadworks to last into March

More local traffic disruption is inevitable next week when Cityfibre undertakes cable connection work in Davidsons Mains, Silverknowes and Cramond.

Commuters have been warned to expect long delays when work starts on 3rd February – and the work is not scheduled to complete until 1st March.

Among the anticipated delights are a temporary one-way traffic system on Quality Street at some times during the works.

Can hardly wait …

Council ‘doing as much as we can’ to support Leith businesses during latest trams disruption

Cargo bikes to support deliveries and special vouchers for local shops are part of a £2.4m package of Support for Business measures helping local traders along the Trams to Newhaven route.

A Trams to Newhaven cargo bike

 

Work started in Constitution Street and Leith Walk on 18 November and the Council’s Trams to Newhaven project team has been working very closely with local traders to maintain the appeal and vibrancy of the area.  Continue reading Council ‘doing as much as we can’ to support Leith businesses during latest trams disruption

Local MSP calls on shoppers to support businesses on Constitution Street affected by tram work disruption

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, 7 DECEMBER

Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson has called on Leithers and people across the city to support the excellent shops, bars, cafes and restaurants that are open throughout the tram works on Constitution Street.

The local MSP is encouraging people to visit Constitution Street and Bernard Street on ‘Small Business Saturday’ (7 December), and throughout the tram works, to enjoy all that the businesses have on offer. Continue reading Local MSP calls on shoppers to support businesses on Constitution Street affected by tram work disruption

Scottish Government acts to cut disruption on roads and pavements

Communities will face less disruption with new standards to manage road works and speed up the installation of fibre broadband. A national code of practice will see the standardisation of faster and more modern techniques for trench digging for improving utility services.

The development of more compact cables has seen modern techniques, such as requiring narrower holes and less excavation required, increasing the speed of delivery. The technique also safeguards the roads by reducing the need for return visits to repair failed trenches.

As well as broadband cable installation, this will mean shorter periods of disruption for power, water and gas works who use this technique.

Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse (above) visited a Virgin Media dig to see a new broadband installation taking place and discuss the new code with the installation team. He said: “The Scottish Government has listened to the views of companies who tell us that narrow trenching can help companies deliver fibre broadband faster and with less disruption to communities.

“We understand that utility companies operate in a competitive market. They are therefore constantly looking for ways to improve their efficiency and to reduce their costs in order to keep ahead of their competition. This has led to innovation in how infrastructure, such as broadband, is deployed.

“We have updated the code to enable narrow trenching to take place consistently, and in a manner which protects our pavements and road network, and this has the added benefit that will result in the faster deployment of broadband across Scotland and a reduction in the disruption communities face during the roll out itself.”

Julie Agnew, Regional Director for Scotland at Virgin Media, said: “As Virgin Media continues to invest in bringing ultrafast broadband to more areas of Scotland, this new code gives much needed clarity for networks to be built in a fast, flexible and efficient way with minimal disruption.

“We thank the Scottish Government for working with us and creating an environment that encourages and supports broadband builders like Virgin Media.”

The Code of Practice comes into force immediately.