Measures to keep the city centre’s streets clean over the festival period are under way. The city council has enlisted sixty additional street cleaning staff to assist the 24-7 cleansing service in the Old and New Towns. Continue reading Festival frolics: keeping it clean!
Police Scotland and Sustrans Scotland joined city council Transport Convener Lesley Hinds and mascot The Reducer today to mark the launch of the first zone in the Capital’s new 20mph limit rollout.
Phase 1 of the rollout of a 20mph speed limit on all residential, shopping and city centre streets in the Capital goes live on Sunday (31 July), when a Traffic Regulation Order formalising the reduction in the speed limit comes into force.
The Transport and Environment Committee approved a new speed limit network for Edinburgh in January last year following extensive public consultation with local communities, businesses and other stakeholders.
In becoming Scotland’s first 20mph city, Edinburgh follows a growing number of European and UK cities (eg Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cambridge and much of inner London) in introducing slower speeds. The project extends 20mph speed limits to approximately 80% of Edinburgh’s streets and the council says there is strong support from city residents for the move.
The new speed limits are aimed at increasing safety for all road users as well as creating a calmer, more people-friendly environment in shopping and residential streets. A network of key arterial roads across the city will be retained at 30mph and 40mph.
Slower speeds bring many benefits to places and people. They help to reduce the risk and severity of collisions, encourage people to walk and cycle and spend more time in an area, boosting trade for local businesses.
The reduced speed makes it easier to cross roads, particularly for children and older people.
In preparation for the ‘go live’ on Sunday, large 20mph signs have been erected in Zone 1 over the past few weeks, marking the entrance and exit of a 20mph area where the speed limit is changing. These are supplemented by smaller repeater signs or road markings with speed limit roundels.
As part of the 20mph programme, existing signage is being reviewed and reinforced. Any existing signage which is no longer needed will be removed and reused where possible.
Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “Slower speeds bring many benefits to the urban environment, making streets more people-friendly, promoting active travel (and thereby improving public health) and reducing the risk and severity of road collisions. The majority of Edinburgh residents support our 20mph scheme and we know that other local authorities in the rest of Scotland are closely monitoring our experience.
“We’ve been working towards this rollout for a number of years now and I’m delighted to see the first phase going live. Changing driver behaviour is not an overnight thing, obviously, and it will take a bit of time for it to become second nature. Experience here from our South Edinburgh pilot and from schemes elsewhere shows that support for 20mph increases after implementation as people welcome the benefits.
“We’ll continue to help people adapt to the new limit throughout the rollout, through awareness raising and education campaigns.”
Chief Inspector Mark Rennie of Police Scotland said: “We remain committed to casualty reduction on our roads and whenever we observe motorists disobeying the 20mph speed limit, or where the public tell us there is an ongoing problem, we will respond appropriately.
“Changes to road layouts, proper signage and continued engagement with the public are the keys to ensuring the speed limit is adhered to, however, police will give due attention to areas around schools to ensure public safety.”
With Scotland set to celebrate Recycle Week later this year Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Roseanna Cunningham is asking Edinburgh residents to get involved. Continue reading Pick up the recycling habit!
Sunday 31 July 10.30am – 1.30 pm
WATER OF LEITH CLEAN UP & Family Picnic
Why not come along to the ANNUAL RIVER CLEAN-UP (trousers and long sleeves to avoid the nettles recommended!) And so why not bring along a packed lunch and/or picnic stuff and sit and enjoy some friendly company after the clean up?
Meet at Canonmills Clock (Next to the bridge at the bottom of Brandon Terrace) at 10.15am
ALL WELCOME
Following the success of last year’s Hidden Gems walks PCHP are running another series of six walks discovering parts of North Edinburgh you never knew existed! Even people who have lived in North Edinburgh all their lives are guaranteed to find out new things about their local area.
“I can’t believe I learned so much about the area I lived in considering I have been here all my life” said Kathy, who joined in with last year’s walks.
All walks are led by PCHP’s award-winning walk leaders and will be at an easy pace. All walks start at 7pm except the first one (21 July) which starts at 6.30pm
The first walk takes you to Lauriston Castle. Meet up at Silverknowes Golf Course at 6.30pm on Thursday (21 July). The walk will take about an hour to an hour and a half.
21st July Meander Round Lauriston Castle Gardens 1 mile
NB this walk starts at 6.30pm not 7pm
Meet Roundabout Silverknowes Golf Course Silverknowes Rd, EH4 5ET
28th July All that Sparkles Art Walk 2 and ¾ miles
Meet North Edinburgh Arts Centre 15a Pennywell Rd, EH4 4TZ
4th August Discovering Granton’s Industrial Past 1 mile
Meet north side Granton Square by Lochinvar Drive EH5 1HE
11th August Long Gone Schooldays 1.4 m
Meet north side Granton Square by Lochinvar Drive EH5 1HE
18th August North Edinburgh’s Lost Medieval Walled Garden 2m
Meet Prentice Centre 1 Granton Mains Ave, EH4 4GA
25th August Foraging for Free 3 miles
Meet North Edinburgh Arts Centre 15a Pennywell Rd, EH4 4TZ
For more details please contact 0131 551 1671 or email admin@pchp.org.uk
Clare Symonds (Development worker – Physical Activity)
Move It, Pilton Community Health Project
73 Boswall Parkway, Edinburgh EH5 2PW
0131 551 1671
There are five simple actions you can take to help make our environment more friendly for bees, butterflies, moths and other insect pollinators, says DEFRA:
Did you know here are at least 1500 species of insect pollinators in the UK? These are insects that help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from flower to flower as they feed. They include bumblebees, honey bees, solitary bees, hoverflies, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies and moths. Continue reading Bees’ needs? Just food and a home!
The Reducer will champion city 20mph initiative
Edinburgh is the first city in Scotland implementing a citywide 20mph network. The new limit aims to reduce the risk and severity of road collisions, encourage travel on foot and by bike and help make the city’s streets more people-friendly.
Continue reading Meet The Reducer!
Hinds welcomes improved recycling figures
Two pilot projects to improve recycling provision for city tenements and flats have seen the amount of some materials recycled increase by up to 300%. Continue reading (High) rise in tenement recycling!
On Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June go explore Edinburgh with the FREE Power of Food Festival!
Discover hidden gems of Scotland’s beautiful capital and take part in a wide variety of activities in any of the 16 community gardens who will be opening up their gates to the public
The Festival is hosted by some of the numerous community gardens that grow food in Edinburgh. Community gardens are everywhere: from West to East and South to North, no part of Edinburgh lacks its own. They can be any size from 12 square meters to 4 acres. And they can take any form: a food-growing corner in a public park, reclaimed former waste land, the backyard of a library…
Visit community gardens and let the gardeners tell you their stories and entertain you with various workshops, music, children’s activities, and gardening tips. Many gardens will offer refreshments and some will offer food – both on a pay-as-you-feel basis.
More information about places, times, and activities here: https://
What about a guided cycle tour to visit more than one garden? Sustrans is organising two led rides on Saturday, info and registration here (places are going fast!): http://
The Festival is entirely free and volunteer-run. Donations will be welcome on the day, and if you wish to support us, why not become a member?https://
Power of Food Festival programme:
A vision for George Street is set to be considered by councillors tomorrow. The outcome of a year-long trial to increase pedestrian and cycling provision will be heard by the Transport and Environment Committee on Tuesday.
Members will also discuss a series of design principles for the development of the thoroughfare, drawn up by independent consultant Ironside Farrar.
Amongst the consultant’s proposals to improve the local environment and encourage mixed use of the street are a segregated cycle route, widened pavements and outdoor dining opportunities, while retaining parking and public transport capacity. It is intended that these high level guiding principles could be used to inform and support a fuller, more detailed design.
Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “The point of the trial was to create a more accessible, enjoyable atmosphere for all those who use the street.
“By working closely with residents and stakeholders we were able to assess which changes worked and which didn’t. The lessons learned have enabled Ironside Farrar to create a series of all-inclusive design principles, and I look forward to seeing these developed further.”
The concluding report notes the benefit of using a trial approach to help inform design discussions for the project.
In September 2014 the Council introduced a dedicated two-way cycle lane, additional pedestrian space and a one-way traffic system for cars as part of a one-year-trial.
This was used as a starting point for a detailed design discussion, involving regular feedback and suggestions from stakeholders as a means of developing a long-term design for the street.
By using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to run the trial, it was possible to make changes based on key learning points as it progressed, in collaboration with the public.
Following the trial, Ironside Farrar drew up design principles based on feedback gathered through more than 1200 on-street interviews carried out during the year, as well as two public meetings and the opinions of a dedicated steering group. This comprised representatives from the New Town and Broughton Community Council, Essential Edinburgh, Cockburn Association, Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, George Street Association and the Council’s Planning and Transport divisions.
Ironside Farrar’s report builds on lessons learned, recognising the need for George Street’s design to enable seasonal, flexible use while focusing on the needs of retail, hospitality and local residents.
Additional proposals, which prioritise pedestrians and cyclists, include an adaptable streetscape, designed to suit seasonal events and festivals held in the street, and fully accessible facilities to address the varying needs of users.
If design principles are approved, a detailed design for the future layout of George Street would be developed.
Read the full report: George Street Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, Concluding Report and Design Principles, on the Council website.
