Disability campaigning groups have written to the city council’s Transport and Environment Committee to express concerns over controversial proposals to make changes to the capital’s streets permanent.
The Committee meets today to consider the findings of its recent ‘Retaining Spaces for People’ consultation, a review of how the Council has implemented the Scottish Government’s push during lockdown to reduce the number of cars and vehicles by creating more cycle-lanes and pedestrianised areas.
But the campaigners’ letter warns that measures put in place too hastily and without adequate consultation could inadvertently make going outdoors more hazardous for wheelchair users and pedestrians with other disabilities.
The letter, jointly signed by members of Edinburgh Access Panel and the sight loss charities RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland, says: “We want to reiterate our concerns about the implications of making temporary Spaces for People measures permanent.
“Any decisions taken will have serious and long-term implications for the citizens of Edinburgh in terms of how they access their city and its amenities.”
An online petition to ‘Stop Edinburgh council making dangerous road changes, cycle lanes & parking cuts permanent’ has attracted more than 16,800 signatures.
Guide-dog owner Ian Drysdale of Corstorphine said “The changes have taken away my independence and mobility. Before the Spaces for People changes, I had no problem getting out and about. But now the areas I feel safe in are getting smaller and smaller.”
Catriona Burness of RNIB Scotland said: “We are concerned that momentous decisions about changing the way we walk, wheel and cycle are being made before any of us know what the future, post-Covid, Edinburgh will look like.”
The safety of pedestrians, particularly those who are more vulnerable, must be the deciding factor when determining changes, the letter emphasises. “The current wave of temporary measures show a greater regard for the interests of cyclists than those of pedestrians,” says Anne-Marie Barry of Guide Dogs Scotland.
The campaigners are concerned that some of the measures introduced have made things more challenging and potentially dangerous for blind and partially sighted people and wheelchair users. For example, poorly designed ‘pop-up ‘cycle lanes which incorporate ‘floating’ bus-stops do not take account of disabled people getting on and off buses.
RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland are urging the Transport and Environment Committee to postpone making any decisions this week and to support having an independent, third-party national review of the Spaces for People initiative.
You can watch the Transport and Environment Committee live via webcast, from 10am this morning.