Forth Ports has today announced plans to fully repair the Category A Listed Victoria Swing Bridge located at the Port of Leith to conserve the bridge for the future and create a useable space for the local community.
The private six figure investment will see the bridge, which is the largest counterweighted swing bridge in Scotland, fully repaired, with a phased programme of specialist works which will protect the character and form of the bridge.
Forth Ports’ plans are outlined in a Listed Building Consent application which has been lodged with City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). The proposed repair programme is to be carried out in phases and includes:
The full refurbishment of the northern and southern walkways
Re-decking the central carriage way
Replacement of the decked turning circle areas
A full repair and repaint of metalwork on the bridge
The Victoria Swing Bridge was designed by Alexander Rendel and opened in 1874 to provide an efficient road and railway route for the port following the completion of construction of Albert Dock in 1869.
The bridge was originally B listed but was upgraded to an A listing in 2014. It is constructed of riveted wrought iron, timber and steel and originally carried a double rail track along its central deck (providing access for both trains and road vehicles) and features pedestrian walkways on either side.
Following receipt of Listed Building Consent from the Council, Phase I – the refurbishment of the north and south pedestrian walkways – is expected to be undertaken this year, with the remaining work anticipated being undertaken in 2022. Pedestrian access to the bridge for the local community will be maintained for the duration of the works.
Commenting on the project, Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive at Forth Ports, said: “The Victoria Swing Bridge is a well kent sight in Leith and it is an important and rare surviving example of our heritage.
“The plans we have submitted to the Council have been well thought through and will ensure that the repairs are appropriate for the conservation of this important landmark.
“We want to also create a useable space for the local community and we hope that once the bridge has been restored, people will be able to enjoy this historic space.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This is excellent news that Forth Ports are investing in a full repair of the Victoria Swing Bridge.
“The bridge is an iconic part of Leith’s history and has been in need of refurbishment for some time.
“I am pleased that the bridge is being preserved so that people can enjoy using it for generations to come.”
Alcohol related deaths highest in 16 years in NHS Lothian
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “My deepest condolences are with the families and friends across Edinburgh and the Lothian’s who have lost a loved one to alcohol.
“SNP Ministers have made it clear by their actions that supporting people with addictions is not a priority for them, which is why the Scottish Conservatives have called for a Right to Rehab across Scotland.
“Drug and alcohol professionals work very hard to support those with addictions, however services have not been properly funded by SNP Ministers.
“SNP cuts to drug and alcohol partnerships have impacted on alcohol recovery services across Scotland. We need a new approach.
“We urgently need to see the focus switch towards sustainable recovery and long term rehabilitation, to support those who are dealing with addiction.”
‘the reality is that the NHS is really struggling’
Responding to the latest set of performance figures released by NHS England for July 2021, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson, said: “The NHS has been running hot for months now and these figures show we are nearly at boiling point.
“We are worried that the public think that things are getting back to normal on the virtual eve of a further reduction in restrictions, and messages from the centre that says things are OK are disingenuous – the reality is that the health service is really struggling.
“Four-hour performance has sunk to its lowest ever level, we have levels of 12 hour waits we would usually associate with winter, and July saw the second highest ever number of attendances across emergency care units. Yet there is no sign of rescue ahead of winter. Despite our calls for action, crowding is back with us and is compromising patient care.”
there were 1,431,499 attendances at major Emergency Departments – the second highest on record
67.7% of patients waited less than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer, or discharge in Type 1 EDs – the lowest percentage on record
the number of patients waiting more than four hours after a decision to admit them stood at 89,768 – this is a 30% increase compared to June 2021 (66,619) and is the third highest ever
the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours after a decision to admit them stood at 2,215 – by far the highest July figure on record (second highest is 451 from July 2019).
Dr Henderson said: “The NHS was in a pretty dreadful state going into the pandemic – we were seeing record waits across the board, due to insufficient resourcing – but the sheer determination of an overstretched workforce, combined with a ‘whatever it takes’ approach, got us through.
“The problems that were with us before the pandemic have not gone away. Not only do they remain but are now much worse due to the impact of Covid, as these figures make crystal clear.
“The ambulance service saw thehighest ever number of ambulance callouts for life threatening conditions in July, and we saw ‘trolley waits’ in hospitals go up by 30% on the previous month. This means there have been delays offloading ambulances and patients have experienced long waits to be seen and moved to a bed if they need admission.
“Emergency Departments are very, very busy.
“There has also been a steady rise in Covid presentations and even though numbers are still low all the infection risk concerns remain in hospitals, further depleting capacity. Staff have had no let up and are worried about what the winter will be like if this is where we are in the summer.
“Demand is driven by multiple factors – difficulties accessing primary care, complications of chronic conditions, new presentations of significant illness and waiting list patients with on-going symptoms and no sign of getting their care sorted any time soon.
“NHSE recommends patients to access help via 111 but unless the system is responsive and clinically supported and other options available that advice too often defaults to go to the Emergency Department. Local health systems must ensure adequate urgent care facilities for their communities, letting Emergency Department have capacity to treat the seriously ill and injured.
“The other side of this is problems with supply – we do not have enough staff, beds, or equipment. There is still no plan for social care, which has a huge impact on the NHS. These have been issues for some time, but on top of this is the growing waiting list for elective care, staff absence due to a combination of leave and necessary self-isolation, and an even lower bed capacity due to infection prevention control measures.
“We fear for what winter may hold; we know it will be worse than now but a heavy flu season, another potential Covid surge and an understandable desire not to cancel elective care this winter could cripple us and put patient safety at risk.
“NHS Trusts must do all that they can to wring out every drop of capacity ahead of winter and the Department of Health and Social Care must extend ‘discharge to assess’, which made a significant difference freeing up beds during the pandemic. There has been a sustained rise in the number of patients experience long stays in hospital, and this funding is critical to freeing beds and maintaining flow in hospitals.
“We also need clarity in terms of performance – we are currently in a performance vacuum with Trusts uncertain about what they need to focus on. Implementing some of the metrics proposed by the Clinical Review of Standards is vital ahead of winter. We need to operationalise the metric of a maximum of a 12 hour stay from point of arrival. This will be a small step to reducing exit block, and allow timely ambulance offloads.
“While the NHS rollout of the vaccine has been an incredible success, parliament must not take its eyes off the ball regarding the state of the NHS. This autumn’s spending review – one which has not been put out to consultation – is an opportunity for the government to further signal it’s ‘peace time’ commitment to NHS funding and help prevent the NHS from boiling over this winter.”
The situation in Scotland is also giving cause for alarm. Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs is ‘very concerned’ A&E waiting times aren’t showing signs of improvement.
Miles Briggs MSP said: “NHS Lothian is in desperate need of an injection of funds to alleviate pressure on services.
“Years of chronic underfunding and a global pandemic has left staff on their knees, struggling to meet the increased numbers of patients attending A&E.
“SNP Ministers must take responsibility for allowing the situation to get to this point and immediately fund NHS Lothian properly to start getting services back to normal.”
A new residential rehabilitation facility to support families affected by drug use is to be developed in North Ayrshire.
Funding for the National Specialist Residential Family Service which will be run by the charity and housing association Phoenix Futures and based in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, has been agreed in principle. The facility will provide rehabilitation services for twenty families at any one time and will be based on an existing facility run by the organisation in Sheffield.
Once given final approval, funding for the development will be made available from the £100 million announced as part of the national mission to improve and increase the provision of residential rehabilitation.
Meanwhile following the publication of the latest drug-related death statistics, an urgent review has been ordered on the use of so-called street benzos after latest statistics showed the drugs were implicated in 73% of drug-related deaths in 2020.
Benzodiazepines are usually prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia however increasingly, illicit supplies of street benzos are being used with opiates such as methadone and heroin contributing to poly-drug use in Scotland.
The rapid evidence review will look at who is using the drugs and why in order that measures to reduce demand can be introduced. It follows work by the Drug Deaths Taskforce to develop guidelines on the consistent prescribing of benzodiazepines across the country so that people can be offered support for their drug use and any underlying mental health problems.
Other actions include:
commissioning research on the role and risks of methadone in drug related deaths
awareness campaign on the increasing availability of naloxone and its benefits
awareness campaign on stigma and its negative effect on people seeking treatment
consider whether alcohol and drugs services should be included in new National Care Service as part of the consultation
setting of a target for the number of people in treatment for 2022
Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “Once again, Scotland drug-related death statistics are a national disgrace and my heart goes out to all the families who have lost a loved one.
“We announced a national mission on this crisis in January and we have been taking a range of actions to tackle this national tragedy backed by an investment of £250 million over the next five years.
“Of that, £20 million each year is being spent on increasing capacity and improving access to residential rehabilitation and to that end, we have approved in principle an application for a development in North Ayrshire which will create a new national specialist service for families. It is vital that we make it easier for parents to access treatment by removing any barriers such as a lack of childcare and this project, run by Phoenix Futures will do exactly that.
“Though men are more likely to use and experience harms from drugs, there has been a disproportionate increase in drug related deaths among women and there is a strong link between women having children removed from their care and risk of drug related death.
“Poly-drug use – the use of more than one drug at a time – is an increasing concern with benzos implicated in almost three quarters of deaths last year and I have asked for an urgent review of benzo use so we can fully address the rise in popularity of this type of drug and reduce the demand.
“To tackle the number of drug deaths in this country we must increase the number of people in treatment and we will shortly be announcing a target so we can measure the impact of the introduction of the Medication-Assisted Treatment standards. These include the roll-out of same-day support services for anyone asking for help.
“We know there is much work to do and that the investment we are making must reach those directly affected by drug use and I am absolutely determined to make every penny count.”
Phoenix Futures Director of Operations CJ Williams said: “The Scottish Government’s Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme (Recovery Fund) announcement that it has agreed in principle to fund a National Specialist Residential Family Service in Scotland has been well received by all at Phoenix Futures Scotland.
“There is a clear and defined need for a service that supports families to stay together in a safe residential setting. Phoenix Futures have decades of experience of providing services for families to draw from in establishing and operating this new project.
“The Specialist Family Service will create fairer access to residential rehab for the whole family, and is a welcomed start to the commitment of investment from The Scottish Government as part of its mission to reduce drug related deaths and harms.
“We look forward to working with all involved to open Scotland’s National Specialist Residential Family service.”
Lothian Tory MSP calls for local residential rehab to be utilised
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has called for local residential rehab to be utilised, following the announcement that a national rehab centre is to be developed in North Ayrshire.
The facility will provide rehabilitation services for twenty families at any one time and will be based on an existing facility run by the organisation in Sheffield.
Once given final approval, funding for the development will be made available from the £100 million announced as part of the national mission to improve and increase the provision of residential rehabilitation.
Scottish Ministers agreed to increase funding for rehabilitation beds earlier this year, following a campaign by the Scottish Conservatives to secure the funding.
Last week figures were released showing that drug related deaths in Scotland had reach a new record high, having risen consecutively in each of the last seven years.
The number of drug related deaths in Lothian rose to 159, an increase of 4 deaths from 155 in 2019. The number of drug related deaths in Lothian has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
The Scottish Conservatives are calling for the Right to Rehabilitation to be made into law, so that anyone needing drug and rehabilitation support has a legal right to access it.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“Scotland used to have a national rehab centre in the form of Castle Craig Hospital which used to provide vital residential rehab to NHS patients across Scotland.
“It is fundamentally clear that the drug deaths crisis needs to see all available services utilised. That is why Scottish Conservatives have led calls for a Right to Rehab.
“Castle Craig Hospital sits just 20 miles south of Edinburgh. But currently only 2 of the 60 patients are NHS funded.
“I have visited Castle Craig Hospital and was hugely impressed with the residential rehab services they offered and the person centred care which was helping people mostly from the Netherlands to get their lives back on track.
“There are growing questions being asked why SNP Ministers not using the rehab beds available on NHS Lothian’s doorstep ?
“I have raised the opportunities which Castle Craig Hospital could present with SNP Ministers for years – we’ve seen no action as the same time as drug deaths have escalated to the shocking level we see today.
“I have written to Drugs Minister, Angela Constance, to ask why SNP Ministers are not utilising this local residential rehab facility and instead will expect patients across the East to travel Ayrshire when local rehab opportunities already exist.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has said that SNP Ministers need to get a move on in delivering improvement works at Hillend junction, to make the junction safer.
A road survey in 2019 recorded over 5,500 “conflicts” at the junction over a four day period and made a number of recommendations to improve safety at the junction, including an option to reconstruct the junction for £5 million.
Written Answers from Michael Matheson, Graeme Dey’s predecessor, at the end of last year stated that :
‘We are continuing to engage with Midlothian Council on further analysis of options aimed at reducing conflict at the A702/A703/Old Pentland Road junction. These potentially involve prohibition of certain movements and / or traffic signalisation, and we are currently discussing the output of traffic modelling with the council prior to finalising a preferred option.
‘We are continuing to analyse a number of options around signalisation and prohibition of movements in order to understand the wider impacts of this on the surrounding local and trunk road network. This is a complex task, which aims to balance the need to reduce conflict at this location along with minimising any reduction in operational performance of the A702 corridor. It is expected that this work will be concluded in summer 2021.‘
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“SNP Ministers really need to get a move on making Hillend Junction safe, because it is only a matter of time before there is a serious accident.
“It is now well over two years since I met the previous Transport Secretary at the junction to highlight how hazardous the junction is and approaching two years since the survey, with recommendations, was carried out.
“It is important we get a decision soon on which option to proceed with, so that works can begin to make Hillend Junction safer.”
The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership have launched a new app to connect those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction to local support services.
The Addition Recovery App (ARC) is the first to offer a personalised emergency button, quickly connecting users to help when things get tough.
The app offers easy access, at any time, to a range of professional support services and help from others dealing with drink and drug problems. There is also a calendar to help plan recovery time, the capability to track mood, prompts for motivational exercises and inspirational quotes.
Today the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership have launched the new Addiction Recovery Companion (ARC) – an app that puts drug and alcohol recovery into people’s own hands.
The app is the first to offer a personalised emergency button, making it even easier for Edinburgh citizens to reach out to the people most important in recovery when things get tough, or something goes wrong.
The app also provides live information from all drug and alcohol support services in Edinburgh including:
Information about local recovery networks in Edinburgh, keep you motivated and help you manage your time
Live information on recovery meetings taking place every day across the Capital, where people can meet and share their experience, strength and hope
Up to date information on professional services available
a calendar function to help people plan their day, stay motivated and manage your time
a diary to keep track of recovery progress and record the ups and downs of recovery
Inspirational quotes and exercises aimed at those who need a mental boost
The ARC app provides a personalised experience for every user, as everyone’s recovery journey is different. It allows users to make a plan that is right for them alongside giving them the opportunity and the space to reflect on their journey and follow their progress.
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The recovery community is a huge force in Edinburgh. There is lots of professional support available across the Capital, but more importantly, people are also increasingly helping each other to deal with drink and drug problems.
“That’s why the Addiction Recovery Companion app is so important. It is filled with information to support and guide people in their recovery, alongside tools to immediately connect them to those who can help if things get tough.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“I welcome the launch of the new Addiction Recovery Companion App to support people accessing services for drug and alcohol recovery.
“Using technology to improves access to drug and alcohol services, for people recovering from addiction, is a clever initiative from Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership.
“Edinburgh and Scotland face a real challenge to reduce the number of drug related deaths in Scotland and this tool can be part of a bigger strategy for peoples road to recovery.
“It is important that people who do not have access to a smart phone are still able to easily access these services.”
When asked about the benefits of the app, users have said:
“It’s such a useful tool. I can see me using it more and more the further we go back to normal.“
“I’m quite disorganised and the calendar/map is great. I like that, when I’m in town, I can just pull up the map to find out what’s happening nearby.”
“It’s a clever app. The inclusion of the reflection section is useful for the days where I need some motivation.”
“For me, structure is important, and the Arc App helps with that.“
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is disappointed that the project to transform the Powderhall Railway path into a green corridor has been delayed due to the Spaces for People initiative.
In a letter to the MSP from Edinburgh Council, the Active Travel Department said that “Progress on this has been delayed by the need to re-allocate staff resources to develop and deliver temporary Spaces for People (SfP) schemes”.
The feasibility study into transitioning the disuses railway line into a green corridor is due later this summer, with Network Rail amendable to amendable to the “repurposing of the Powderhall spur line into high-quality urban green corridor for people to walk, cycle and wheel on”.
Network Rail have said the railway line is still classed as operational railway, because the track that leads there is still connected to the wider rail network.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“I am pleased that talks with Network Rail are going well and they are open to transforming the Powderhall spur line into a high quality green corridor.
“It is disappointing that the project team looking at the Green Corridor transformation has been delayed due to working on Spaces for People schemes.
“This is a great opportunity to create a safe green space to connect Powerhall to Meadowbank and beyond.
“The new Powderhall Green Corridor will be excellent for people to walk, cycle and wheel on, as well as fitting in with Edinburgh’s Active Travel strategy.”
Vaccine drop-in centres for the over 40s will be launched across NHS Lothian as part of the battle against COVID-19.
Clinics will be rolled-out in mass vaccination sites, from today (Wednesday 9 June), for people aged 40 and over, who require a first or second dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Anyone over the age of 40, who have not yet had their first dose – for whatever reason – can attend the clinic without an appointment, while those who are waiting for their second dose can turn up as long as they received their first injection of the Astra Zenaca vaccine at least eight weeks before.
The clinics will run at Lowland Hall (Ingliston) and West Lothian’s Pyramids Vaccination centres from tomorrow (Wednesday) through to Sunday 13 June. Starting from June 14, they will run at every centre except Lowland Hall.
People will be seen on a first come first served basis, and the centres will run for 10 hours every day.
NHS Lothian has joined up with the British Armed Forces as part of this key stage to accelerate the programme and provide increased protection for more people as quickly as possible.
A total of 36 Army personnel have been deployed into Lothian to help deliver vaccines across all of the centres.
That extra capacity – which equates to more than 3,500, appointments each day – will allow the vaccination team to target people who have not yet had the vaccine and may also speed up the process for those waiting for a second injection.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said the clinics, which will run for two weeks, were an important step. He said: “This is a really exciting step for us because it means we can reach a lot of people really quickly to help give them some protection, which is obviously vital to help beat new variants and keep people well.
“We are delighted to team up with the British Armed Forces again. Our teams have previously worked with them in two of our vaccination centres and we invited them to return to provide extra capacity across our centres as part of this race. They will join our teams at the routine appointment clinics and in the drop-in clinics.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This is an excellent idea and people in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, who are aged 40 and over waiting on their first or second dose, will welcome this move.
“NHS Lothian have used their initiative to launch vaccine drop in centres and they will be an important part of the strategy to speed up the vaccination process.”
Responses to a major consultation and market research exercise on perceptions of Spaces for People measures, and whether they should be retained, have been published by the city council.Lothians MSP Miles Briggs says the results show the SNP-Labour ‘Capital Coalition’ has made a ‘total dog’s breakfast’ of the Spaces for People scheme
More than 17,600 people responded to our public consultation in March, which asked respondents about their familiarity with schemes introduced to help people walk, cycle and wheel safely during the COVID pandemic, and whether they would like to see them kept longer-term.
Alongside this, market research was carried out by independent market research consultants on our behalf, providing a statistically representative sample of opinion from a cross section of residents.
Officers are assessing each scheme for retention using a set of criteria agreed at January’s Transport and Environment Committee, including whether they encourage walking and cycling, how they impact businesses and whether they affect public transport. The longer-term contribution to the Council’s strategic transport objectives will also be considered.
Feedback gathered through consultation and market research will be taken into account as part of the assessments and will help guide recommendations on which schemes to keep beyond the pandemic, which will be considered by Transport and Environment Committee on 17 June.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Firstly, I want to thank all those who took the time to complete the consultation. The changes we have introduced reach across Edinburgh, so we wanted to hear from as many different people in communities around the city as possible.
“Officers have been assessing each of the schemes for retention using a set of criteria agreed by committee and responses to the consultation and market research will be part of this process, helping to form recommendations for the best way forward.
“I look forward to constructive debate with fellow councillors on the future of these schemes, and how they can benefit residents and visitors to Edinburgh longer term.”
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “Over the last year we’ve introduced many measures to help people physically distance and travel safely during the pandemic, and there have been a range of opinions shared on their effectiveness and impacts on the people who live here.
“Thanks to the feedback gathered in March, we’ll now be able to take people’s comments and ideas into account as we assess each scheme, meaning a rounded approach as we move beyond the pandemic.”
Far from a ’rounded approach’, Tory Lothians MSP Miles Briggs has branded the council’s handling of the scheme ‘a total dog’s breakfast’.
Miles Briggs said that 60% of Edinburgh residents are opposed to the scheme, and added: “The people of Edinburgh have spoken and it is clear that residents across the Capital have lost confidence in Spaces for People.
“From the outset many local representatives have expressed concern at the total lack on consultation and the introduction of schemes which have had a negative impact on all road users – yet the Council knowns best approach has prevailed.
“It is inconceivable for Edinburgh Council to continue with Spaces for People with a significant majority of people against the scheme.
“There have been countless issues and risks with Spaces for People and Edinburgh Council must now start to listen and reverse these changes immediately.
“There has been an overwhelming amount of opposition and the plan to make Spaces for People permanent must be taken off the table.
“It is clear that the SNP / Labour coalition running Edinburgh City Council have made a total dog’s breakfast of the Spaces for People scheme and if they will not act this is set to become a major campaign issue at the Council elections next year.”
Questions in both the consultation and market research focused on how much people supported or opposed retaining changes in place, what they considered to be the main benefits or disadvantages of retaining measures and which schemes people would especially like to see retained or removed.
While there were differences in the level of support or opposition for schemes between consultation and market research results, in general, for both, participants shared the strongest support for measures at schools, followed by schemes in the city centre.
Both reported lower rates of support for town centre interventions and protected cycle lanes, with the lowest levels of support for leisure connections and Quiet Connections, with many market research respondents saying they weren’t aware of these changes.
The council began introducing Spaces for People measures in May 2020 in order to ‘help people physically distance, travel safely and exercise during the COVID pandemic’.
In January 2021 it was agreed to explore the potential for retaining some of the schemes longer-term, in recognition of their impact on Council objectives to encourage walking and cycling, improve air quality, reduce congestion and achieve net zero carbon emissions, amongst other commitments.
Three separate surveys aimed at residents, businesses and stakeholders were conducted for the consultation. This was made available in a range of formats including regular print, large print, braille and translation into other languages. A British Sign Language video was also displayed on the project website to further widen access to people with hearing loss.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes has written in yesterday’s Edinburgh Evening News (Wednesday, 2 June) on the aims of Spaces for People, and plans to move forward with the programme – see below.
We’re working to get the balance right
It’s now more than a year since we began introducing Spaces for People measures to help people to make journeys by foot, bike and wheelchair safely while physically distancing.
It was inevitable that introducing changes in so many parts of the city would give rise to differing reactions, with people expressing both concerns and positive comments.
We’re now considering the results of a major consultation and market research on the changes we’ve made, and whether people would like any of them to be kept more permanently. Before we move to the next stage, I want to take this opportunity to comment on some of the key issues that have arisen since the start of the pandemic.
Some people have asked us why we’ve been making these changes. Last year, in the depths of lockdown, we had very little choice. As the nation came to terms with a ‘new normal’ where 2m physical distancing is needed, the way we moved around the city changed drastically. People were stepping on roads to give one another space, cycling along busy routes to avoid public transport or squeezing onto narrow pavements to take daily exercise.
Throughout the course of the last year our approach has evolved with the changing situation, and strands of the programme reflect that. From the beginning, when we created Spaces for Exercise, so people could get to places like Silverknowes prom safely (and they did, in great number), to our city and town centres schemes to add space on busy high streets. Restrictions outside schools helped limit crowding as pupils returned to full-time learning and Travelling Safely measures provided much-needed cycle space on busy roads as alternatives to congested off-road networks, along with a scheme to remove obstructive street clutter from our streets.
Both the Scottish and UK Governments have encouraged and funded local authorities across the country to make temporary changes to facilitate active travel. Through the Scottish Government, via Sustrans, we’ve been awarded £5.25m in total specifically to provide additional space for physical distancing in the pandemic – and I want to be clear that we can’t spend this money on filling potholes or elsewhere.
To those who question Sustrans’ influence over our decisions – Sustrans is a respected, national charity and we value their input highly. But these decisions are very much our own. It’s our responsibility to protect citizens’ safety, to support businesses to thrive and to give children and families space to enjoy safe, pollution-free routes.
This is an entirely new situation, and I know that some of the road layouts have taken time to adjust to. But we’re also in the midst of a crisis. We’ve followed guidance set by the Scottish Government to help us get these emergency changes to protect public health on the ground quickly – in fact, we’ve gone further than expected to engage with key stakeholders on every single scheme. As a result, we’ve tweaked and improved many of the measures along the way.
It’s thanks to the efforts of our dedicated Spaces for People team that we’ve been able to respond to community concerns. Each intervention is carefully risk assessed, taking blue badge parking and loading into account, and is closely monitored once in place. People’s safety is our priority, and we notify emergency services about every intervention, addressing any access issues if necessary.
As restrictions are eased alongside the rapid rollout of vaccinations across the population, some may ask why we still need interventions like these in place. While there is much to be grateful for, we’re not out of the woods yet. The fast-spreading Indian variant of the COVID virus still threatens to set back best laid plans to fully exit lockdown. Large sections of society, many of whom don’t own a car, still feel nervous to set foot on public transport. And as businesses reopen with restrictions in place, queues will become commonplace on our streets.
That these changes are helping to people to walk, cycle and wheel more easily aligns with our strategic policy goals too. Our ambitious ten-year City Mobility Plan focuses on sustainable travel, while projects like City Centre Transformation will facilitate travel by foot, wheelchair or bike. Our commitments to become carbon neutral by 2030, to significantly improve air quality and to encourage healthy, active travel will benefit from people choosing to walk or cycle over private car journeys.
Of course, we recognise some schemes have caused disruption and we want to minimise that for residents and businesses. This is a difficult balance but we’re trying again to get it right.
We have no intention of pushing through any permanent schemes under the cover of Spaces for People. We want to bring the people of Edinburgh along with us. That’s why we would be using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders to implement any longer-term changes, meaning we can continue to involve local people in their operation and evolution once in place.
Many of the changes we’ve made, it’s worth noting, are as a result of our Commonplace consultation last year and have been informed by residents’ suggestions for improvements. The 17,600 responses we received to the latest consultation, along with the findings of in-depth marketing research conducted with a representative cross-section of residents, will be invaluable as we progress to the next stage of the programme.
This insight, along with the expertise of our officers, who are working to a defined set of criteria approved by elected councillors in committee, will help us to understand where we can make schemes better, how they can be changed to suit more people and where, in some areas, they can be scaled back.
Recently appointed Scottish Conservative Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Spokesperson, Miles Briggs, has today called for a statement in the Scottish Parliament on a post pandemic homelessness strategy, ahead of summer recess.
Today at Holyrood, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs brought to the attention of the First Minister concerns from constituents, that their emergency pandemic accommodation in guest houses and serviced apartments will be terminated as of this week.
Mr Briggs has called for an urgent statement to find out what contingency plans are in place for those who have no information on where they will go, with emergency accommodation being ended.
The First Minister agreed to look into the issue and where the Scottish Government could provide support.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“During the pandemic welcome steps were taken to provide accommodation for homeless individuals and families.
“We all need to work to make sure that we do not see a return to the homeless crisis and look to how we can work to end homelessness and rough sleeping.
“It is important that SNP Ministers have a plan for those who have been given accommodation throughout the pandemic, which will shortly no longer be available.”
