Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans are calling on the City of Edinburgh Council to clarify how the funds allocated for improving the junction of Telford Road, Hillhouse Road, and Strachan Road will enhance pedestrian safety.
Labelled ‘Deathtrap Junction,’ this is one of the busiest junctions in the capital, yet its pedestrian crossing facilities are woefully inadequate. The complex layout, coupled with fast-moving traffic, makes it dangerous and inaccessible for all pedestrians and nearly impossible to navigate for most blind and partially sighted individuals.
The pedestrian crossings lack audible signals and revolving cones, with many in need of basic repairs. The limited protective barriers at the junction increase the vulnerability of all pedestrians, while Strachan Road is particularly hazardous, as it has no pedestrian crossing facilities at all despite the constant flow of fast-moving traffic.
The charities, along with local Inverleith Ward Councillors, are concerned that the limited budget allocated for improvements will do nothing to enhance pedestrian safety.
Caroline Hedley, a Rehabilitation and Mobility Worker with Sight Scotland, expressed her concerns: “While we appreciate the Council’s acknowledgment that the junction needs upgrading, I am left very disappointed by the limited funding being allocated.
“I struggle to see how this will significantly improve safety for pedestrians, especially those with vision impairments. We’re talking about people’s lives here. This is a densely populated area where residents need to cross these roads to reach the only local doctor’s and then again to get to the chemist for prescriptions.
“With schools and a mosque nearby, it’s clear that upgrading this junction is essential, even if it’s costly and causes traffic congestion.
“People’s safety should never be compromised, and I worry that the Council is prioritising traffic flow over pedestrian safety. I have clients living close to this junction and I need to explain to them that it’s just not safe for them to cross on their own, which is unacceptable.”
Local Inverleith Cllr Hal Osler (Lib Dem) expressed appreciation to Sight Scotland for bringing attention to the well-documented issues at the Farmers junction: “The Council must do better and prioritise projects like this, as providing safe, accessible crossings for the most vulnerable benefits everyone in our society.
“The funding allocated for this upgrade is far too low, and more must be done. While the Council claims to prioritise pedestrians over traffic, their actions don’t reflect this commitment.
“Ensuring that everyone can safely navigate this junction shouldn’t be up for debate—it’s a necessity. It’s great the Sight Scotland campaign has made the Council start listening, but it’s not enough, and once again, the most vulnerable are being overlooked.”
Fellow local councillor Cllr Max Mitchell (Conservative) adds: “I have been proud to support Sight Scotland’s campaign, and while the inclusion of this junction among the prioritised projects is a step in the right direction, it’s also a clear acknowledgment of the significant safety issues here.
“Although I welcome the funding allocated to address some aspects of Strachan Road, I am deeply concerned that the £40-50k budget will barely make a difference given the numerous dangers across the entire junction.
“People with vision impairments cannot cross this junction safely, and by failing to address these issues adequately, we are once again excluding them from our community. Safety must be our top priority, and it cannot be compromised.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “We recognise that a full upgrade of the junction will require more funding in the long term, but immediate interim measures—such as installing tactile paving, cones, audible signals, and light boxes, particularly at Strachan Road—are essential and must be implemented as soon as possible.
“There are blind and partially sighted people in the local area who we support who are currently not able to get about independently because of this junction. It is simply too dangerous to cross. Without basic upgrades, we’re risking people being left housebound.”
Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans are urging people to join their campaign to push the City of Edinburgh Council to upgrade the crossing at Strachan Road, Hillhouse Road, and Telford Road.
You can support this campaign by writing to your local Councillor and calling for urgent action to fix this dangerous junction.
Follow this link to take action: https://sightscotland.eaction.org.uk/Fix-Deathtrap-Junction.
