environment – Page 90 – The NEN

A Geen Recovery?

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: have your say!

Community engagement to help develop proposals for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in three parts of the city has begun. The city council is proposing measures to make it safer and more comfortable to walk, cycle, wheel and spend time in Leith, Corstorphine and East Craigs.

Following public engagement and subject to committee approval the schemes would be introduced under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The council says this provides further opportunities for public involvement in refining measures, even once they’re in place:

‘We’re now seeking residents’ views on travel choices and spaces for movement and relaxation in the relevant areas. Feedback will be used to inform design proposals for each of the schemes, which are the first in a potential programme of low traffic neighbourhoods being considered across the city.

‘In Leith, we’re also developing a protected cycle lane between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal, which will complement the adjacent Trams to Newhaven project, as well as pedestrianizing Sandport Place Bridge and creating a bus-only section at the Shore. We’re seeking people’s views on concept designs as part of the engagement.’

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “As we look to make a green recovery from the pandemic, it’s important that we get back to work on our long-term plans to support sustainable, active travel and healthy communities, where children can play safely and air pollution is reduced.

“There’s a range of research to show the positive impact LTNs can have on reducing ‘through’ traffic and encouraging people to walk, cycle, wheel and spend time in local areas. We want to bring these benefits to neighbourhoods across Edinburgh and to make sure the changes work for everyone, which is why we want to hear from as many people as possible.”

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “We envision a much safer, more relaxing and ‘people-friendly’ Capital, which is why we’re developing LTNs for different communities.

“By introducing them on an experimental basis we want to involve the people that live here in their evolution, and their participation begins now, as we start to develop designs.”

LTNs are initiatives where motor vehicle traffic is significantly reduced in residential streets, limiting the volume of ‘through traffic’ while maintaining vehicle access for people who live there. This creates a safer, more pleasant and inclusive environment for walking, cycling, wheeling and playing, reducing air pollution, encouraging healthy, active travel and opening up space for improvements like pocket parks, seating areas and planting.

Various studies have demonstrated the positive impacts similar schemes introduced elsewhere in the UK have had on communities. In London, research has shown the ‘mini-Holland programme’, introduced in boroughs across the city, saw a trend toward reduced car use and an increase in active travel.

Data collected on the Walthamstow Village LTN found a drop of approximately 50% in traffic while a scheme in Dulwich Village reported a 96% increase in cycling, including a rise in the number of children on bikes.

Each of the schemes being put forward for Edinburgh responds to needs and issues specific to the neighbourhoods, including –

Corstorphine: Creating safer routes to school, addressing issues with speed and volume of traffic in residential streets, creating new public spaces and improving cycle routes, including links to the future West Edinburgh Link

East Craigs: Protecting streets from the impact of new developments in the west of Edinburgh, creating safer routes to school, addressing issues with speed and volume of traffic in residential streets and improving cycle routes, including links to the future West Edinburgh Link

Leith: Enhancing and promoting access to public transport, improving cycling provision in the area, addressing issues with traffic volume and speed in residential streets.

The city council says proposals being developed are ‘entirely separate and distinct from any temporary measures being implemented as part of the Spaces for People programme‘.

As part of the engagement process ‘community reference groups’ are being formed of representatives from community and interest groups in each of the areas, offering additional opportunities for residents to feed back. However, this will not supersede the responses gathered as part of the consultation process.

Following community engagement, design proposals will be developed for the three LTNs, which will then be shared for further public engagement.

Designs will then be refined and brought to Transport and Environment Committee in June for approval and permission to start the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).

Subject to committee approval, following ETRO consultation, changes would be implemented on a trial basis in October.

For the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal active travel improvements, further development of existing designs will follow feedback, with the aim of publishing Traffic Regulation Orders later this year and beginning construction in 2022.

Find out more and take part in the Leith Connections, East Craigs Connections and Corstorphine Connections consultations online.

Climate Collage workshop

Take part in the “climate collage” workshop on Wed 10th Feb 5:30 – 8:30pm.

A fun, participatory & creative workshop on climate change, the Climate Collage workshop aims to raise awareness & understanding about climate change.

Book your ticket here: https://bit.ly/36xo3iP

Based on the IPCC report, it explains the climate functioning and the consequences of its disruption. It gives the opportunity to learn a lot in a very short period of time and addresses both novices and experts.

If the workshop is too expensive for you, contact us : contact@climatecollage.org

How the game works:

The workshop is based on a 42-card game. Each card represents an element, a cause or a consequence of climate change.

As a team, guided by your facilitator, you are to find the cause-effect relationship between the different components of climate change. Collective intelligence will get you from one deck of card to the next!

This step-by-step reconstruction provides keys to understand the complexity and develop an overview of climate change.

The workshop’s program:

A Brief History Of “The Climate Collage “
Icebreaker
Reconstruction of the Climate Collage guided by your facilitator
A little pause in between if needed
Creative phase
Debrief + time to share, express thoughts and feelings

REMEMBER: The workshop takes place online, a good internet connection is necessary.

Practical information:Make sure to have installed the zoom.us software, which will be the workshop’s communication platform.

You will receive an email with all the technical information you need, including the link to join the meeting two days and one minute before the workshop starts.

Please take your ticket only if you are sure that you can make it !

About our partner organisations

The Communities for Conservation project is run by Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council and is funded by the Climate Challenge Fund.

It aims to inspire Ethnic Minority communities in Edinburgh and Livingston to save carbon.

Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) is made up of individual members and representatives from a wide range of organisations and has a remit to work across the areas of City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian & West Lothian Councils.

Please contact event organiser Claire with any specific questions: mrn.claire@gmail.com

Councils to spend millions picking up face mask litter

But would YOU pick up a discarded face mask?

Face masks are highly effective in reducing the chances of catching and spreading Covid-19, however, inconsiderate litterbugs are leaving their soiled goods all over the place.

This problem has become so overwhelming that local councils will spend around £20,000-100,000 of council tax payers’ money per area to clear up littered face masks.

Waste collection specialists BusinessWaste.co.uk have seen this problem first-hand, and are urging people to make sure that face masks are binned correctly and not just dumped in the street.

“Wearing a face mask has allowed us to keep safe this year, and it’s fantastic how many people have adapted to regularly wearing one,” says Mark Hall, spokeseperson for BusinessWaste.co.uk “But would you pick up somebody else’s used mask?

“If people were as passionate about binning them properly as they are about wearing them in the shops, it would be much better for our environment and save our local councils time and money.”

The big problem

BusinessWaste.co.uk have previously reported that 50 million face masks are going to landfill each day across the UK, with face mask litter killing wildlife and ending up in our oceans.

But in our most populated areas, this problem has reached a boiling point.

More people mean more masks being used and littered, which is why local councils up and down the country are pledging combined millions to try and put a stop to this problem.

Hall: “We are incredibly grateful to the council’s for designating the money to help clean up this mess, but if people were able to stop littering their disposable masks it wouldn’t have had to come to such expensive measures.

“It’s a waste of money that could have gone towards more positive projects in the local area’s, but instead it’s being used to clean up borderline hazardous waste.”

So just how many masks are we talking about?

According to the latest report by the Office For National Statistics, 97% of people use a face covering when outside of their home.

And based on a recent survey, 51% of those wearing face coverings were using single-use masks.

Using these recent statistics, as well as looking at the current population size, Mark Hall at BusinessWaste.co.uk has estimated that 49%, of the total population, are using single-use masks.

Mark Hall went on: “If we assume these people are using a new mask each day, one a day for five days a week, that is a lot of masks and a lot of waste.

“Unless people make the switch to reusable masks, then we have to find simple and effective ways for people to dispose of these masks that won’t damage the environment.”

Time to properly dispose of masks

When BusinessWaste.co.uk asked 1,000 people if they would pick up a discarded facemask, 99% said no.

The most common response for leaving littered face mask, was not wanting to touch something they feared would be contaminated with Covid-19.

Mark Hall again: “It’s perfectly understandable that people wouldn’t want to pick up discarded masks on the street, especially when we’ve had the importance of hygiene drilled into us all year.

“It just highlights that we need to tackle the problem at the source, stopping masks from being littered rather than requiring people to go around picking them up.”

The simplest answer would be to install pop-up PPE bins, which BusinessWaste.co.uk suggested earlier in the year.

These bins would make it easier for people to dispose of masks while out and about, whilst also following government guidelines about separating personal waste from general waste.

Mark Hall concluded: “PPE bins are the best chance we’ve got to protect both people and the planet from the effects of this pandemic, while keeping our streets free from face mask litter.

“Without them, towns and cities around the UK will see local councils spending a small fortune clearing up after this mess.”

Mother and daughter on a mission to make the world a better place

Edinburgh based enterprise Sustainably is crowdfunding to transform ‘giving tech’.

Sustainably, voted Richard Branson’s Start-Up of the Year in 2019, have announced the launch of their crowdfunding campaign on crowdcube.

The mother-daughter team are looking to raise £300,000 which will enable them to market to new users and charities as well as improve functionality and launch a B2B platform.

Now supporting 40 charities, including Macmillan, Shelter and the British Heart Foundation, Sustainably is a free app that lets people easily and safely give to their chosen good causes by rounding up cashless transactions and donating spare change automatically, every time they shop.

Loral Quinn, Co-Founder and CEO of Sustainably, said: “We believe that many of us want to support charities but don’t want to commit to one cause and face the hassle and guilt of later cancelling.

“People want convenience, flexibility, transparency and control. With services such as banking, transport and music becoming more automated and frictionless, we aim to do the same for giving.

“86% of Gen Z and millennials (the UK’s biggest givers) want to donate via mobile and see their impact. And while 50%+ of donations are still made in cash, we live in an increasingly cashless society.”

Inspired by fintech, augmented reality, gamification, the internet of things and big technology businesses who had become part of everyone’s daily lives, Loral and her daughter Eishel merged their combined experience in FTSE100 digital strategy and ethical retail, to come up with the idea of Sustainably.

Current investors include Skyscanner’s co-founder, Lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman’s Founders Factory. The duo also won the WeWork’s Creator Awards – judged by Ashton Kutcher and Monzo’s co-founder scooping £140,000 further investment.

Sustainably’s app lets individuals and corporates effortlessly make a positive impact every day and sends charity updates showing you the difference you’ve made. You set your donation limits and can stop, start, pause or change them at any time. We’ll never pressure you or share your details. Simply connect your card or device to the app and shop as usual.

Eishel Quinn concludes:“We’re not just the co-founders of Sustainably, we’re also mother and daughter, and we started Sustainably because we wanted to make a difference.

“We exist to enable people around the world to have a positive impact every day. We’ve created Sustainably so that every financial interaction can have a positive social, environmental and economic impact.”

For more information visit: https://www.sustainably.co/

City tranport transport projects to benefit from national investment

Edinburgh’s ‘pioneering approach’ to delivering sustainable, accessible transport connections has been recognised under national plans for investment.

Accelerating economic recovery and laying the groundwork for an inclusive, greener transport network will be at the heart of future transport investment in Scotland.

The second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) will help to deliver the vision, priorities and outcomes for transport set out in the National Transport Strategy (NTS2). Phase One has been published which, together with conclusion of Phase Two in autumn this year, will set out Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the next 20 years.

Phase One recommendations for national investment priorities in the short-term include:

Supporting smart and sustainable travel across Scotland, with development of active freeways and expansion of 20mph zones
Improving public transport, with reallocation of road space for buses and improved accessibility at train stations
Supporting the transition to low carbon transport, with investment in alternative fuels and progression of decarbonisation of rail
Enabling larger loads to be carried by our railway network, encouraging freight to shift from road to rail transport.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “As we continue to navigate our way through an unprecedented global health emergency, the investment decisions we make have never been so important.

“We want to lock in the changes to the healthy, green travel options we’ve seen during the pandemic, while supporting interventions that will aid and help accelerate economic recovery.

“We are conducting a thorough, evidence-based review of the performance of Scotland’s strategic transport network across active travel, bus, ferry, rail and the trunk road network and my thanks go to everyone who is engaged in that process, particularly our Regional Transport Working Groups.

“Phase One sets out some of our transport investment priorities for the next few years, which will support a fair and sustainable economic recovery from the pandemic, while working towards our longer term goals of making Scotland more accessible for residents, visitors and businesses; improving connectivity and highlighting the vital contribution that transport investment can play in enabling and sustaining Scotland’s economic growth.

“STPR2 will help us to deliver the vision, priorities and outcomes set out in our National Transport Strategy as well as aligning with other important national plans such as the Climate Change Plan, Infrastructure Investment Plan and National Planning Framework.”

Recommendations for national investment priorities in phase one of Transport Scotland’s second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) focus on the country’s economic recovery and providing an inclusive, green transport network.

Amongst priorities for spending are the extension of Edinburgh’s Mass Rapid Transit system, including the tram network, and its potential to support the region’s economic growth and carbon-neutral ambitions by providing an attractive travel choice between the city and satellite locations.

Under recommendations, spending on public transport prioritisation measures, reallocating more road space to cycling and walking and the redevelopment of Waverley Rail Station would also be progressed.

The review also highlights the success of Edinburgh’s 20mph roll-out, following which road traffic collisions have been seen to fall in the Capital, and commits to supporting other local authorities to follow suit.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “The need to invest in sustainable and accessible transport is essential for our city’s green recovery from the COVID crisis, and to meet our long term goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

“This report acknowledges the central role clean, integrated transport will play in the city and region’s economic development, improving the environment and progressing social equality amongst the people who live here.

“Amongst the schemes highlighted, the progress of mass rapid transit is key to our forthcoming City Mobility Plan, supporting people to make convenient, sustainable transport choices as well as connecting to areas of future growth.

“Support in this Scottish Government report for reallocation of road space for walking and cycling, expanding on work through our Spaces for People project, City Centre Transformation and our ongoing, ambitious active travel programme, will help us create a truly people-friendly city.

“I’m very pleased that STPR2 recognises and builds on the importance of these strategic projects, as well as highlighting the effectiveness of our 20mph roll-out, and will be of great support as we work towards a greener, fairer future.”

Transport Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “We’re already focusing on a great many schemes to support sustainable transport, from measures to prioritise public transport and investing in Trams to Newhaven to major cycling and walking improvements around the Capital.

“The themes and recommendations within this report very much reflect and bolster our own aspirations to encourage modal shift away from private car journeys, responding to the climate emergency, minimising air pollution and supporting healthy lifestyles.

“We look forward to working with Transport Scotland to progress the recommendations, to the benefit of the city.”

Find out more about the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) on Transport Scotland’s website.

Venture Trust and Arc’teryx partnership connects people to the transforming power of nature

Scottish charity Venture Trust is partnering with global design and outdoor equipment company Arc’teryx to deliver improved mental, emotional and physical health for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people through the power of the outdoors.

Arc’teryx’s Outer Peace initiative centers around the benefits of nature, and how being immersed in it can have measurable, long-lasting impacts on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The $CA1 million commitment will support partners working to remove barriers and protect nature, so everybody – including those traditionally excluded – can access and benefit from spending time in nature.

Venture Trust has been making the outdoors accessible to disadvantaged groups in Scotland for more than 35 years as part of the organisation’s proven programmes of personal development.

Their work in the outdoors and wild areas creates time and space away for development and learning. Individuals explore how different choices and behaviours can help meet their needs in a positive way. This aligns closely with Arc’teryx’ values and their belief in the transformative power of nature.

The global pandemic and lockdown restrictions have made us realise how important the outdoors and being out in the nature can be for mental, emotional, and physical health. Looking ahead to the end of the current lockdown in Scotland, Venture Trust is ready to support people to make positive changes through funding from the Outer Peace initiative.

With this investment Venture Trust will be able to support more people to improve mental health and wellbeing by connecting to and benefiting from Scotland’s natural environments. The organisation will work with 120 disadvantaged young people through Venture Trust’s new Outdoor Therapy counselling service. Additionally, over 300 young people and adults will benefit from enhanced outdoor work throughout core programmes nationally.

Venture Trust Clinical Manager Andy Hardie said the organisation was delighted to be partnering with Arc’teryx: “The Outer Peace campaign aligns closely with our ethos at Venture Trust – how meaningful connection with nature and time spent outdoors supports positive mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

“Arc’teryx’ approach to partnership goes beyond just a donation. They have invested time in understanding what we do, what the impact of their support means, in sharing information and making useful connections, and in developing mutually beneficial solutions.”

Dan Walker, Social Impact Lead at Arc’teryx Equipment, said: “Arc’teryx was founded upon a desire to connect people with the outdoors. As advocates for the transformative power of nature we seek to collaborate with those who share our purpose.

“Venture Trust is an invaluable partner in this work. Applying a thoughtful and diligent approach, Venture Trust has been able to inspire many wonderful stories of personal growth through connection to nature. We’re proud to be considered a partner in their journey.”

*Name has been changed.

Edinburgh Tories: Road changes should not be made permanent!

Cllr Sue Webber is the Edinburgh Conservatives’ Transport Spokesman in Edinburgh Council and candidate for Edinburgh Western in the Scottish Parliamentary elections:

In May 2020, the SNP-Labour Council used emergency Covid-19 powers to rush through several road closures, an unnecessary Low Traffic Neighbourhood in East Craigs and the widespread introduction of segregated cycleways along Comiston Road and Duddingston Road.

These schemes were first introduced as a temporary measure during the pandemic. But the SNP-Labour Council now intends to make these changes permanent.

Local opposition has been substantial but the SNP-Labour Council have continued to ignore residents. One group, Get Edinburgh Moving (GEM), had to resort to threats of Legal Action against the Council to stop the introduction of the LTN in East Craigs.

I have led opposition on the Council, consistently voicing the public’s concerns about the negative impact these immensely unpopular measures are having on livelihoods and local businesses.

From the outset, I demanded greater community involvement and political scrutiny on the schemes. I too have been ignored.

If you oppose the SNP-Labour Council’s undemocratic and reckless changes to our city then please sign below to fight back against the permanent imposition of these measures.

Sincerely,

Cllr Susan Webber

New Town campaigners call for More Trees, please

Fettes Row & Royal Crescent Association (FRRCA) is stepping up its campaign against plans to redevelop two key sites adjoining the New Town conservation area and removing scores of trees as well as encroaching upon the community amenity of George V Park.

The city council’s Development Management Sub-committee will hold a hearing on February 17 on Ediston’s plans to demolish the old RBS IT centre on Dundas Street and build some 400 flats, offices and maybe a hotel on one of the biggest such sites in the capital.

The developer plans to remove mature trees surrounding the site, including alongside and within the nearby park which is especially enjoyed by large numbers of families with children. It recently applied to remove a further four trees on Fettes Row and severely prune others as they are considered “dangerous” in an unspecified manner.

This is on top of earlier plans to remove 84 trees on the site – and build offices/flats 5m taller and 6m closer than the current IT centre in a way that will heavily overshadow the park. The developers say they will replace trees – but there is no guarantee they will.

Separately, there are plans to demolish Centrum House at 108-116 Dundas St and replace current offices with 44 flats (and three more retail units), with the proposed building reaching as far as the footpath and removing all the current trees, with no replacements. Consultation on these plans ended on January 29.

FRRCA has launched a dedicated website, www.more-trees.info with its own blindfolded teddy bear logo and the message “more trees, lower heights” as part of its campaign to persuade the council to reject the two applications and replace them with new plans more sensitive to the world heritage nature of the area and to environmental concerns.

For further info, please contact: Judith Symes, FRRCA chair via judith.symes@gmail.com and visit our Facebook page

Crash statistics raise concerns over volume of cycling casualties

Figures released by the Department for Transport have revealed that UK traffic collisions in the 12 months up to June 2020 are down 16 per cent and road deaths have reduced by 14 per cent compared to the equivalent period in the preceding year.

The research indicated that there were 131,220 casualties of all severities (compared to 156,034 previously) and 1,580 road deaths (down from 1,827 the previous year), representing significant reductions.

The decline in UK road deaths and casualties is directly linked to the reduction in traffic as a result of national lockdown restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, for example, during the first lockdown which commenced on 23^rd March, casualties fell by 67 per cent as road traffic reduced by 49 per cent.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy & Research at the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, said: “Despite fears that speeding has increased substantially during the first lockdown it does now look as if the number of casualties has gone down in line with falling traffic numbers. This is certainly good news as it shows that the vast majority of car, van and lorry stuck drivers to the rules.

“However, the only way to confirm these trends and measure the true impact of local traffic closures and temporary cycle lanes is for the government to publish more details on what has happened throughout the rest of 2020.

“IAM RoadSmart thinks that it is unacceptable that we may have to wait until June 2021 to get the full picture for UK road safety during the pandemic. Other countries seem to be able to produce crash statistics much more quickly, allowing planners to deal with safety issues as they emerge and not after the event.”

While the reduction in overall casualties is good news for road safety generally, the reduction in casualties for cyclists were however less impressive, with the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured down just four per cent in the period covered by the DfT’s report, compared with 26 per cent of car users and 25 per cent for all other road users in the same period.

Neil concluded: “While motor traffic reduced as a result of national lockdowns, cycling traffic increased and there has unfortunately not been the same positive impact on cycling casualties when compared with other road users.

“We therefore urge all road users to continue to be extra vigilant for cyclists as more people take to their bikes during lockdown.”

The full report from DfT can be found here.

Early green light for city centre cyclists

The council has installed new advanced green lights for cyclists in the city centre to help improve cycle safety around tram tracks.

The lights, which have been introduced at a number of locations around Princes Street, St Andrew Square and the West End, give cyclists more space and time at key junctions.

This is the latest in a series of measures to improve safety for people cycling near the city centre tram route over recent years. These include red-surfaced cycle lanes at key points to make it easier to cross the tram tracks, more advance stop boxes and additional warning signs for drivers and cyclists.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Cycle safety is of utmost importance to us, and in recent years we have worked to introduce several changes to help protect cyclists travelling near the tram tracks.

“By introducing early release green lights for cyclists we are giving anyone travelling by bike more space at a number of busy junctions around the city centre.”

Drivers are being advised to look out for the early release green lights for cyclists. Drivers must wait for their own green light and are encouraged to give people cycling a lot of extra space around tram tracks.

The council has recently introduced several measures to create safer spaces for walking and cycling in the city centre as part of the Spaces for People programme.

Amongst these are temporary segregated cycle lanes between Forrest Road and the Mound, the closure of Waverley Bridge to motor traffic at the junction with Princes Street and widened pavements on East Princes Street and South St David Street.

Advanced green lights for people cycling have been installed on specific approach arms at the following junctions:

North St Andrew Street / St Andrew Square
South St Andrew Street / St Andrew Square
Princes Street / The Mound
Princes Street / Frederick Street
Princes Street / Lothian Road
Shandwick Place / Princes Street
Atholl Place / Manor Place
West Maitland Street / Palmerston Place
Dalry Road / Haymarket Junction

Find out more about tram safety on the Council website.