Tag: Roads

Shedding some light on community concerns

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Inverleith councillor Lesley Hinds has asked officers to carry out an urgent appraisal of new street lights following complaints from local residents.

Councillor Hinds chairs the city council’s Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Commitee, which has responsibility for street lighting. She said last night: ““Following a very successful pilot project in 2012, the Council is replacing street lights across the city with new, more energy-efficient and more environmentally friendly lighting. In particular, this will result in brighter and clearer lighting throughout the night.

“A number of residents have been in touch regarding lighting in certain streets and, having now visited them myself, I have asked officers to carry out an appraisal and report back as soon as possible.”

Forth councillor Cammy Day – who is also the city’s community safety ‘champion’ – also discussed ‘some concerns’ with the lighting team yesterday.

Many North Edinburgh residents have expressed anger over the brightness and quality of new ‘eco-lights’ installed across the area over the last week. They believe the lighting makes the streets unsafe and could result in more crime and antisocial behaviour.

However the city council says the lighting project will achieve: 

  • Reduced energy costs. Energy costs are expected to double in the next decade. The use of modern lighting equipment will greatly assist in reducing the impact of increasing energy costs.
  • Improved environmental performance. This new equipment is more energy efficient and lamps have a longer life span.
  • Provide continuous lighting throughout the night. A number of local authorities have been switching off lights for periods of time during the night to save energy.  The City of Edinburgh Council is not currently considering this option.
  • Compliance with EU directives.
  • Brighter and clearer lighting. White lights improve colour recognition and improves images captured on CCTV at night.  They also allow clothing colours and car registration numbers to be more easily identified.

The council also cites an October 2012 pilot project undertaken in the Gilmerton and Saughton Mains areas of the city: 271 lights were changed and the results from consultation with local households achieved around 90% satisfaction levels.

Blinded by the light?

Definitely not sweetness and light: new street lighting gets thumbs down from local residents 

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Some images of the new ‘eco lights’ in operation in Easter Drylaw – that’s them peeking out behind the ‘old’ street lamps!

Which do you think is the more effective?

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The new lights don’t seem to be lighting up the lives of local residents. Comments so far include:

‘I’m a car owner. I don’t have a garage or a drive in so I have to park on the street. My car has been vandalised three times in the last year- if it wasn’t that I need my car to get to work I would have got eid of it ages ago. These new lights will make it even easier for the neds to run wild.”

‘They are not bright at all. It’s very scary coming home when it’s dark. There’s not much light – I think they should be brighter for everyones’ safety’

‘They are not bright enough’

‘It looks really nice but it’s also very scary and dangerous at night when walking home alone’

‘I am always careful about letting my children out after tea in the evening. That won’t be happening at all now, not until the clocks go forward. It’s a disgrace.”

‘These lights are nowhere near good enough – the streets are far too dark and pity help any kid who tries to cross a local road in the evening. It’s plain dangerous’.

‘I don’t like them. The streets look darker now unless you are standing directly under the lights. There are spots in which the light doesn’t hit. I think it’s a bad choice and I won’t be surprised if the crime rate increases.’

‘I don’t like the new lights and I think the council should go back to the ones we had. There have been a lot of break-ins in Drylaw and I think these lamps will just make things even easier for the criminals to get away’

‘I know the council is trying to save money but they are cutting the wrong things. They have got a duty to keep people safe. These lights are a bad idea.’

‘I don’t know if it’s just this part of the town or not, but I will bet my last penny that they won’t be putting up with this sort of crap in Corstorphine or Morningside. It’s a disgrace’

No doubt there will be more to follow …

Trinity CC February News

‘Without intervention traffic and parking in Trinity will rise’

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See below for the latest news from Trinity Community Council, whose latest meeting focused on parking, an issue of concern raised by several residents …

TrinityCC Feb

 

Do you have an opinion on traffic and/or parking issues in Trinity? Please share your thoughts with Trinity Community Council, who would be interested to hear your views.

To get in touch, email tcc-comms@outlook.com

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Six Nations Rugby travel advice

Wales' Jenkins tackles Scotland's Lamont during their Six Nations rugby union match the Millennium Stadium in CardiffScotland play host to Wales in their first home game of this Six Nations tournament today and 67,000 spectators – a few of them Scots! – will flock to Murrayfield Stadium for the sell-out match.

The fixture is the first Six Nations home game since Edinburgh Trams passenger services began last year and the operator is putting in place arrangements to cater to the many thousands of fans who are expected to travel to and from the match by tram.

Advice for anyone planning to travel by tram can be found on the Edinburgh Trams website. Passengers are also advised to keep an eye out for updates from Edinburgh Trams’ Control team on the day via @EdinburghTrams.

To ensure pedestrian safety and to minimise traffic disruption, pedestrian diversions will be implemented around the Haymarket Station area following the match.

The City of Edinburgh Council is working closely with Police Scotland to keep road and pedestrian traffic moving smoothly before and after the game.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “Six Nations home games are always a very exciting fixture in Edinburgh’s events calendar and I know there will be thousands and thousands of people getting ready to make the trip to Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday. I’d encourage everyone to plan their journey carefully and take heed of travel and parking information so that they can have as enjoyable a time as possible. Good luck to Scotland!”

A number of temporary road closures and parking restrictions will be in place.

Police and stewards will be on hand to help direct members of the public from the Stadium to the city centre.

Those heading back into the city centre on foot will be diverted left off the main road up Magdala Crescent to continue back into town.

Pedestrians travelling by rail from Haymarket Station will be guided along the main road towards Haymarket and stewards will be on hand to provide further assistance and advice as they approach the Station.

Although Russell Road is currently closed for Network Rail works, pedestrians will be able to use two dedicated lanes to access and exit the Stadium.

Information about getting to and from Murrayfield Stadium by tram, bus or rail can be found on the Scottish Rugby website.

And the game itself? I’m something of an expert having played for Royal High School’s sixth XV on a number of occasions (yes, okay, twice then and that was over forty years ago, but still …) and I reckon if Scotland can get the basics right we can run the Welsh pretty close today. Cut out the elaborate, ‘fancy Dan’ nonsense, keep it simple and we’re in with a chance.

England exposed some surprising Welsh frailties last weekend and Wales are there to be beaten this afternoon – but Scotland will have to improve and avoid silly mistakes. Unforced errors and conceding daft penalties could prove suicidal, for even when the Welsh are not functioning at concert pitch they can always call on the unerring boot of Leigh Halfpenny. Be brave, Scotland, but beware …

And on another (musical) note – isn’t the Welsh National Anthem the most stirring of them all? Enjoy the game (kick off 3pm)!

 

Work to start on Foot of the Walk junction

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The next phase of the Leith Programme is due to get under way on Monday (16 February), focusing on upgrading the junction at the Foot of the Walk.

Contractors MacLay Civil Engineering Ltd, who are carrying out the project on the Council’s behalf, have begun preparing the site for the works, which are expected to take 15 weeks to complete.

Aimed at simplifying and improving the junction, the redesign will see four improved pedestrian crossings installed at the bottom of Leith Walk, Duke Street, Great Junction Street and Constitution Street.

Once fully operational the junction will allow pedestrians to cross more easily than at present, enhancing the overall accessibility of the area in line with the design principles of the Leith Programme.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “We’ve been delighted with the positive feedback we’ve had on how much the Leith Programme has already transformed the look and feel of Leith Walk and we know residents and businesses are keen to see the Foot of the Walk brought up to a similar standard.

“As always, every effort will be made to keep noise and disruption to an absolute minimum and we appreciate the public’s patience while this next phase of work is carried out.”

Traffic management arrangements have been drawn up in order to minimise disruption to traffic flow as far as possible. Constitution Street will be closed at its junction with Leith Walk for the duration of the works and local access to this area will be via Laurie Street, Queen Charlotte Street or Bernard Street.

Meanwhile, three-way temporary traffic lights will be in operation at the main Leith Walk junction to control traffic flow.

For details of the most up to date information regarding any bus diversions and traffic conditions affecting Leith Walk, members of the public are advised to keep an eye on Lothian Buses’ website or Twitter account as well as @edintravel.

Man in hospital following Telford Road collision

Accident

A man was taken to hospital following a two-car collision on Telford Road last night. 

The accident happened at about 22:40. The man was cut from the wreckage by fire crews and taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The hospital’s Medic One team was also in attendance at the scene.

No-one else was injured in the collision.

Keir concerns over Local Plan

‘I fear traffic gridlock, major health issues and the holding back of the economic potential of our capital city and nation’ – Colin Keir MSP.

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Edinburgh Western MSP Colin Keir has written to to Cllr Lesley Hinds, Convener of Transport & Environment at the City of Edinburgh Council, to express his fears over the latest Local Plan.

Mr Keir raises concerns over the ability of the existing roads network to cope with all of the proposed housing sites being released for development and also expresses fears over pollution and air quality.

In his submission Mr Keir states: “The city of Edinburgh is an economic driver for Scotland. We know that every town and city must grow. The difficulty our city has is that there is no connected vision between development and methods of sustainable transport that anyone is aware of in relation to the west of the city.”

The city council is expected to make a decision on the Local Development Plan on 26 February.

Lesley Hinds LDP letter

Road rage!

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A section of busy Pilton Drive will be closed for four weeks from Monday – but the local community council wasn’t even informed!

Pilton Drive will be closed to through traffic between Morrison’s and Ferryfield House from Monday morning to allow work to start on utility connections to the development site on the former City Park. Work is expected to last until 20 February.

Granton and District Community Council secretary Dave Macnab said last night: “I have just heard that Pilton Drive between Morrisons and Ferryfield House is closed. I did not know about this and we were certainly not advised.

“This is for four weeks – this during the period of course when Spartans have their cup match! There is also the issue of traffic from The Strada having to use local routes with the inherent dangers to pedestrians. Where was the communication with the community?”

Granton and District Community Council
http://grantonanddistrictcommunitycouncil.com/
Follow us on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GrantonDistCC

Boy knocked down on Groathill Road North

Accident

A five year old boy has been hit by a vehicle near Ferryhill Primary School on Groathill Road North.

The accident happened at around 2.45pm this afternoon. The boy was treated by medical staff at the scene before being transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. His condition is not thought to be serious.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Police in Edinburgh attended a road traffic collision involving a five-year-old child outside Ferryhill Primary School this afternoon. The child was taken to the Sick Kids Hospital to be treated for a minor injury.”

A similar accident involving a child happened close to the same spot in 2012 and Easter Drylaw Residents Association has campaigned on the issue of local road safety for over three years.

Witnesses should contact Police Scotland on 101