Tag: environment

New Town Quarter update

Latest Updates From The New Town Quarter Project Team

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Proposals Nearing Completion

Ediston and Orion Capital Managers are working together to deliver one of the most complex city-centre developments in the UK. New Town Quarter is a £250 million development that has involved extensive local community consultation during the last 18-months.

Planning proposals have involved complex negotiations over major infrastructure matters as well as providing sensitive consideration to environmental concerns given the proximity of the much-loved King George V Park. 

Plans include creating 350 new homes as well as office accommodation that will support 700 jobs and add £35 million per annum to the city’s GDP. The construction work alone will generate nearly £27 million of economic development value and support 600 jobs.  

The final proposals are expected to go before the City of Edinburgh Council Planning Committee in the near future.  

Ross McNulty, Development Director of Ediston, said: “We’ve gone the extra mile to take the local community with us. We’re determined that this major development becomes a positive driver of significant economic activity for Edinburgh city centre.”

Clarification on Trees and Building Heights

We are aware that some of the information currently presented on a Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association backed-website is inaccurate and we welcome this opportunity to provide clarification. 

It is not correct to state that our three planning applications are a threat to many trees being removed, as part of the development. The largest single number of trees being removed is in Eyre Place which is covered by a previous Planning Consent already agreed by the Council. 
 
Some other trees are being removed due to the development, but the information on the website is inaccurate. In Dundas Street, trees are being removed for two important reasons. Firstly, they will not survive the demolition of the existing buildings, and secondly to restore Dundas Street’s original building line. 
 
In King George V Park there will be a small number of trees removed to create a new entrance to link the new route from Dundas Street to the park. The Council has confirmed these trees have a limited lifespan and would need to be removed in due course but we are also providing replacements for these trees within the same area of the park. 

Our team has also sought to protect the trees at Fettes Row and Royal Crescent as much as possible to protect the outlook in this location, and the continuous screen of tree cover will be retained.
 
We have also made a commitment to a 25-year Tree Management Plan throughout our site, as well as helping the Council deliver improved tree management within King George V Park.  The number of trees to be removed in the park is entirely a Council matter.

However, along with other investment in the park, we hope to carry out works that will improve both tree cover and the park itself.  It should be noted that any additional tree planting and park improvements are not being done to facilitate our development.
 
In total, 68 new trees are being planted – plus however many are needed for King George V Park. We have stated before that a number of the trees need to be removed on health and safety grounds, and some are internal within the site and have no impact on the local community. We expect the development to either have a neutral impact on tree removal – or potentially a positive one.
 
The other matter we would like to address is that great efforts have been made to minimise the impact of the development for residents in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. This includes keeping the buildings at the same height or lower than the adjacent buildings.

With regards to the impact on the park, we have conducted detailed and independent overshadowing studies that show the buildings closest to the park are not only fully compliant with Council guidelines but actually improve some aspects of existing overshadowing.

We appreciate that with any development there is change and we are acutely aware of the difficulties encountered with previous proposals and we respect residents’ right to comment on the proposals. All we are seeking is a fair hearing and a decision taken on the basis of Council and Scottish Government planning policies.  

We have extensively consulted with the local community and interest groups and we would like all residents to consider the facts regarding the proposals and view them in the context of the Council and Scottish Government planning policies. The information set out in the Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association-backed website does not accurately reflect our proposals.

Tree Cover on Fettes Row and Royal Crescent 

One of the main priorities for the development team was protecting the tree cover in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. New Town Quarter is well screened by trees to the south of the development and these are much appreciated by residents. The development team has worked hard to ensure that the tree screen is protected and maintained. Existing trees are largely being retained to ensure that views enjoyed by local residents can be enjoyed for a long time to come. 

New and replacement trees are being provided on the street and in King George V Park. Wherever possible the development team has sought to ensure that existing trees are protected. Ross McNulty said: “Preserving the character of Fettes Row and Royal Crescent has always been one of the key objectives for the development team and we’re confident that will be achieved with our proposals.”

Current View

Proposed View

King George V Park

King George V Park is a much-loved local park. Since the early stages of the public consultation, elements of the proposals for pathways and cycling have been scaled back following feedback. We have also had further consultation with the Council to highlight the need to manage pedestrians and cyclists at the interface with the park.

The development team is also working closely with the Council to finalise additional investment in the park to help take account of the new development, as well as helping safeguard its future quality and longevity. The proposals for park investment will be finalised through a Section 75 agreement, which is currently being negotiated with the Council. Once signed, this will be a legally binding agreement. 

Ross McNulty added: “We would like to thank the Friends of the Park group for engaging with us throughout the consultation process. The discussions have been thorough and complicated at times but hopefully, everyone will see the results  – including replacement trees,  improved pathways and investment in the park for the long-term benefit of the local community.” 

Eyre Place Update

There is a separate planning application to change the site area initially proposed as a hotel to housing. The timing of this application will run behind the main application. Being aware that Eyre Place residents had concerns about overlooking from the proposed new homes, the development team has been looking at ways to address the concerns, and we believe a solution has been agreed. 

Even though the current proposals would have been entirely within planning guidelines, the proposed solution has been shared with interested residents.

Ross McNulty said: “We were left in no doubt how concerned residents were regarding this aspect of the proposals and we wanted to help if we could. The housing proposals, as with the hotel, will result in improved daylighting for Eyre Place, which should also help reassure residents that we are sensitive to their interests.”
 

Business Benefits For the City Centre

If the New Town Quarter development progresses, it will be the first major project in Edinburgh to move forward since the start of the pandemic. As such, it has a critical role to play in boosting the regeneration of the city centre as it recovers from the crippling effects of economic lockdown.

The local area around Dundas Street brings together an interesting mix of mainly independent traders – including cafes, restaurants, bars, hairdressers and guest houses – and a recent survey of 32 local businesses which surround the New Town Quarter area showed overwhelming support for the development plans.  

Many of them were hit hard when RBS vacated their premises in 2017 and are now suffering further following the ongoing trading restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The New Town Quarter will bring much-needed investment to the city centre – and most importantly, bring people back to the local area to create a vibrant and exciting new destination.

Here are some of the comments posted by local businesses who support our planning application: 

“The RBS site was always a highly visible focal point for visitors and activity and all the businesses in this area benefited from it. Now, more than ever, as we recover from lockdown, we all need the site to once again be an attractive destination for both living and visiting, to both help recovery in the immediate future and over the longer-term.” – Guest House, Eyre Place

“I have gradually built up my business following the RBS relocation, but have also now been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown. We are all desperate to stay trading in the area but need a commitment that something significant is going to be happening to transform an ugly empty building and gap site right opposite us into a thriving and busy neighbourhood that will bring people back to the area.” – Barber, Dundas Street
 

Feedback & Contact

For more information on New Town Quarter, contact:
Ross McNulty, Development Director, Ediston.
 

ross.mcnulty@ediston.com
Mobile: 07651 207402

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Millions of used Covid-19 tests ‘piled high’

The UK’s testing capacity for Covid-19 may be helping to avert a further rise in case numbers – but the waste produced means a disposal disaster is looming.

According to Government figures, the UK is now testing over 580,000 people per day – or over 4 million people per week – for the Covid-19 virus which is circulating amongst the population.

This number includes tests taken at Covid testing centres, door-to-door tests, and the quicker lateral flow tests being used in workplaces and schools – but does not include antibody tests, which check if a person has had the virus previously, so the true number of daily test kits used is likely to be much higher.

Rubbish removal experts Divert.co.uk have raised the alarm over the sheer volume of testing kits being used daily and concerns of the accuracy as low as 57.5% making this a very dangerous problem. There is a mounting problem for testing centres and facilities: what to do with hundreds of thousands of used tests daily?

As the Covid-19 testing process involves either nasal or throat swabs (or, for antibody testing, blood samples) the kits must then be disposed of as clinical waste, in incinerators. In the past, individual hospitals often had their own incinerators to dispose of medical waste, but this idea was short-lived as the resulting pollution was a concern, and private contractors have handled the waste since the 1990s.

But these contractors are now raising the alarm that their incinerators are at full capacity, and have been for a while, with medical waste quite literally piling up, as a result, the instantly-recognizable yellow medical waste bins overflowing. In turn, this has angered those in the industry who say they have been warning the government ‘for years’ about the need for increased capacity.

NHS chiefs admitted in 2018 that there was a national capacity issue amid growing backlogs of medical waste and clinical waste management firms being forced to store waste above their permitted allowance as a result. Despite this, waste management firms are once again warning of mounting problems as Covid-19 testing places unexpected stress on the system.

Firms, fearful of repercussions like those seen by waste management businesses who were penalised during the 2018 crisis, are turning away contracts for Covid-19 test centre waste, leading many to call the issue a public health ‘emergency’.

Spokesperson Mark Hall of Divert.co.uk said: “It’s important to note that, of course, the huge scale of Covid-19 testing in the United Kingdom is a good thing – it allows us to track the spread of the virus, which is enormously important in tackling the pandemic and allowing us to return to pre-Covid life.

“However, the sheer number of testing kits being processed each day without adequate disposal capacity to handle the waste generated, combined with the accuracy of some lateral flow tests being as low as 57.5% makes it a serious cause for concern, and we hope it will spark further conversations in the medical manufacturing industry about the way in which we approach the issue of medical waste.

“Hundreds of thousands of pieces of single-use plastic are disposed of daily by the medical industry, from syringes to gloves to the Covid test kits, and many of these seem unavoidable.”

Experts in the field such as Tony Capon, director of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute – speaking to the BBC – are clear that there are long term steps that could be taken to reduce unnecessary medical waste.

He said: “When I was beginning my medical career, it was standard practice for things to be cleaned and autoclaved. Medical equipment was routinely cleaned up, sterilised and reused.”

Others note that changes in practices – such as encouraging handwashing rather than glove use, where appropriate – could help decrease excessive waste.

Mark Hall continues: “We’d like there to be a greater focus on ensuring sustainability in the healthcare field overall. Firstly, by promoting a more sustainably-minded culture where medical workers actively choose to take safe steps to reduce waste, and secondly by minimising waste in the design and manufacturing of single-use items.

“Creating items which can be safely sterilised and re-used could, over time, lead to huge shifts in how we tackle medical waste as a problem – and it is, in its current format, undeniably becoming a problem.”

Greenpeace launches Edinburgh Art and Photography Competition

Edinburgh Pupils Celebrate Low Traffic Initiatives

We are asking Edinburgh pupils from 5 to 18 years to take part in our local Greenpeace competition to show Edinburgh councillors how much they love green accessible spaces and what they think the future of active travel should look like.

The Greenpeace Art and Photography Competition runs until 13th February. Posters and photographs should be emailed to greenpeace-edinburgh@live.co.uk.

This competition gives younger generations the chance to have their voices heard and celebrate what they like about the changes made so far.

Categories are age appropriate and entries will be judged by Councillors on the Transport and Environment Committee alongside local artists and representatives from cycling and wheeling organisations in Edinburgh.  The winning pictures will be used in future Greenpeace campaigns to highlight local transport improvements.

Full details are available on the Edinburgh Greenpeace Facebook events page at https://tinyurl.com/y35oyzls.

When – now until 13/02/2021 – pictures can be submitted until February 13th, 8pm

Where – Online – Posters and photographs should be emailed to greenpeace-edinburgh@live.co.uk

Why – Transport is the UK’s single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace Edinburgh Local Group is calling on the local council and the Government to invest more money into walking, cycling and green public transport, rather than building new roads. 

The pandemic has helped us to appreciate our city with less cars on the streets and the corresponding reduction in noise, air pollution, or danger to cyclists and pedestrians. We want children to engage with this important topic as it will shape their future living spaces. 

During February half-term, we are hosting an art competition to celebrate our existing low traffic neighbourhoods, cycling paths and other active travel infrastructure. Pupils are asked to submit their ideas, solutions, or simply their favourite active-travel locations as a photo or in form of a poster.

Get in touch – greenpeace-edinburgh@live.co.uk

More information is available on the Edinburgh Greenpeace Facebook events page at https://tinyurl.com/y35oyzls

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