Tag: Spaces for People

Transport leaders welcome support for retaining Spaces for People/Travelling Safely measures

Edinburgh’s Transport leaders have welcomed calls by more than 140 medical professionals to retain and expand upon measures introduced to support walking, wheeling and cycling during lockdown.

Doctors and health workers from across the city have published an open letter to the City of Edinburgh Council in support of the Travelling Safely programme, formerly Spaces for People.

The group cites the positive impacts of more active travel on health, inequality, air quality and in tackling the climate crisis, amongst other benefits.

In June, Transport and Environment Committee approved proposals to retain some of the schemes on an experimental basis, to remove others post-pandemic and to engage further with communities on options for a handful of measures.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener said: “The collective voice of this wide range of medical and health professionals is incredibly welcome.

“We’ve been vocal about our commitment to encourage travel by foot, wheel or bike, and the benefits this brings, but to have the support of the medical profession demonstrates just how crucial investment in safe, protected routes is.

“Over the last year and a half we’ve introduced changes which have helped many people to feel newly confident about walking, cycling and wheeling safely. There are, of course, tens of thousands of people in Edinburgh who don’t have access to a car. We now have the opportunity to extend the lifespan of many of these measures and to improve upon them so that they work for as many people as possible.

“The evidence is clear and well expressed in this letter – there’s so much to gain from active travel, in terms of health, quality of life and in limiting our impact on the climate. We simply cannot return to the status quo, where private car journeys dominate the streets.

“By retaining the majority of schemes introduced through Spaces for People, we’re laying the foundations for a happier, healthier future for everyone here.

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “It’s indisputable that walking, wheeling or cycling, whether for leisure or commuting, has a positive impact on our health, our state of mind and our pockets, as well as the air we breathe. We wholeheartedly recognise and support these calls to retain and expand on the measures we’ve introduced during the pandemic.

“Temporary protected cycle lanes, widened pavements and quiet routes have helped families to walk safely to school, shoppers to spend time strolling through some of our iconic city centre streets and people trying out cycling for the first time.

“We really want to continue delivering these benefits, and we’ll be working hard to make sure the measures we have kept do just that.”

Read the full letter below:

Open letter to the City of Edinburgh Council 

Dear Councillors,  

We are a group of doctors and other health professionals, living or working in Edinburgh, and write to support the retention and extension of changes to travel infrastructure in Edinburgh and the Lothians, to improve public health and mitigate climate emergency. We hope that the points and evidence below will support the council to make decisions that will help to benefit, protect, and reduce inequalities in the health of the population of Edinburgh.  

Climate crisis and health 

One of the duties of a doctor as stated by the General Medical Council is “to protect and promote the health of patients and the public”1. As health professionals we have been reminded by our professional bodies of our responsibilities to raise the profile of the climate emergency, which is a public health emergency likely to have a much greater impact than COVID-192,3.

We have a responsibility to speak up for disadvantaged groups who are disproportionately vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of the climate crisis.  

Health Inequality

Those living in areas of deprivation are less likely to drive but much more likely to be injured in a road traffic collision6. Rates of pedestrian casualties are twice as high in children as in adults, and pedestrians over 70 years of age have the highest fatality rate7.  

Many of our patients do not have the financial means, health status, or abilities to access private car transport. Children, the frail elderly, and people with chronic illnesses or disabilities are disadvantaged in opportunities to access services and community by systems which prioritise private car transport.  

Moves to promote safe active travel, including widening of pavements and provision of segregated paths, make the urban environment more accessible for people with disabilities and release road space for reliable and efficient public transport.  

Measures to improve the urban environment and promote active travel in Edinburgh will differentially benefit the most disadvantaged members of our community and so help to reduce health inequalities in Edinburgh. We ask that councillors carefully consider the differential impact of decisions to prioritise private car transport on those for whom private car transport is not an option.  

Air pollution and health 

Air pollution is strongly associated with poor health outcomes. A joint Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report estimated that outdoor air pollution causes 40,000 deaths a year in the UK. Data from Scotland shows a particularly strong association between air pollution and respiratory disease and deaths. Transport – predominantly car transport – is the main source of air pollution in Scotland.  

Edinburgh City Council has six Air Quality Management Areas, with concerning levels of air pollution related to vehicular traffic.  

Decisive action from the council to promote active travel and reduce private car traffic in Edinburgh will help to reduce air pollution and associated harm to health.  

Physical activity and health 

Regular physical activity is associated with improved health outcomes at all ages13.  

UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children and young people should engage in moderate physical activity for at least one hour every day. For adults, 150 minutes of moderate activity per week is associated with a 40% reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes, 35% reduction in heart disease, 25% reduction in joint and back pain, and 20% reduction in bowel and breast cancer13.  

National data indicates that in Scotland during 2019 only 66% of adults met this target, whilst in the same year fewer than 50% of journeys under two miles were made on foot14.  

Segregated active travel infrastructure allows everyone to increase their physical activity levels through active travel; not only those who already enjoy regular physical activity.  

We ask that the council considers the beneficial and protective health effects of physical activity when considering its decisions about travel infrastructure in Edinburgh.   

Behaviour change for public health 

Changing established patterns of behaviour is difficult. We understand that a move away from the current position of private car dependency can feel difficult.  

Bold Scottish strategies have led to strikingly effective population shifts in behaviour for better health; tobacco smoking restrictions have saved many lives, and early data suggests that minimum alcohol unit pricing has reduced the amount of alcohol purchased by the heaviest alcohol consumers15,16. Both of these strategies met with initial resistance, but are now broadly supported. 

Now, local government in Edinburgh has the potential to lead a bold and exemplary modal shift away from car-dependence which will benefit and protect the health of the people of Edinburgh.

Key Points

  • As health professionals, we have a responsibility to protect and promote the health of the population. We have a responsibility to address inequalities and to advocate for the needs of the most deprived and disadvantaged members of the population we serve.  
  • We are concerned about the impact of the climate crisis on health, globally and locally. 
  • We are concerned about harms to health caused by air pollution in Edinburgh. 
  • Regular physical activity is associated with improved health outcomes at all ages.  
  • We support the retention, and further development and integration of infrastructures designed to support active travel and clean air for the whole population of Edinburgh, to mitigate inequalities in health, local mobility, and air quality.  
  • This includes quiet routes in the vicinity of schools to allow safe active travel for families, an integrated network of segregated safe paths for cycling, city-wide subsidised cycle hire programmes, and low-emission zones.  
  • We are concerned that suggested steps to reverse active travel measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic would be a retrograde and harmful step for the health of the population of Edinburgh.  

Yours sincerely, 

Dr Laura McWhirter, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, Edinburgh
Neil Aitken, Physiotherapist, Neil Aitken Physiotherapy Ltd, Edinburgh
Dr Niall H. Anderson, Senior Lecturer in Medical Statistics, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Ross Archibald, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian
Dr Elika Aspinall, General Practitioner, NHS Lothian
Dr Katherine Atkins, Chancellor’s Fellow, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh
Dr Paul Bailey, General Practitioner, NHS Lothian
Miss Emily Baird, Consultant, Children’s Orthopaedics, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Edinburgh
Dr Kasia Banas, UG Talent Lead and Programme Director in Data-Driven Innovation for Health and Social Care, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Ravneet Batra, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, Regional Infectious Diseases Unit, Western General Hospital
Dr Roland Baumann, General Practitioner, Niddrie Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Dr Craig Beattie, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Monika Beatty, Consultant in Critical Care, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Sam Bennett, Foundation Doctor, Acute Medicine, Western General Hospital
Ms Katherine Bethell, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Programme Manager, Chalmers Sexual Health Centre (Lothian) and Sandyford Centre (GGC)
Dr David Birrell, Emergency medicine trainee, Royal infirmary of Edinburgh; Honorary Clinical Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Professor James Boardman, Professor of Neonatal Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Dr Friederike Boellert, Respiratory Consultant, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Kirsty Boyd, Reader in Palliative Care, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Tom Bloomfield, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Mr Paul Brennan, Reader and Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon, University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian
Mr Iain Brown, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr John Budd, General Practitioner, Edinburgh Access Practice, and Co-ordinator of Lothian Deprivation Interest Group
Dr Rosamunde Burns, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Peter Cairns, General Practitioner, Wester Hailes Medical Practice
Professor Alan Carson, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, University of Edinburgh
Dr Simon Chillingworth, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Professor Richard Chin, Professor of Paediatric Neurology and Clinical Epidemiology, Honorary Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People
Dr Sarah Clay, Locum General Practitioner, Niddrie Medical Practice, and Specialty Doctor in Palliative Care
Dr Elizabeth Cole, Anaesthetics registrar, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Catherine Collinson, Consultant Anaesthetist, Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Claire Cooke-Jones, Trainee Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Robert Cooke-Jones, Trainee General Practitioner, Inchpark Surgery, Edinburgh
Dr Nadine Cossette, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Helen Creedon, Clinical Fellow in Oncology, University of Edinburgh
Dr Julia Critchley, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Craig Davidson, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian
Professor Adrian Davis, Professor of Transport & Health, Edinburgh Napier University
Dr Christopher Dickens, General Practitioner, Edinburgh
Ms Lynsey Downie, Anaesthesia Associate, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Mr Andrew Duckworth, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, Edinburgh Orthopaedics and University of Edinburgh
Mr Joseph Duncumb, Orthopaedic Surgery Registrar, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Tamasin Evans, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre
Dr Alasdair Fitzgerald, Clinical Lead, Rehabilitation Services and Consultant in Neurorehabilitation, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Nicholas Fletcher, Trainee General Practitioner, NHS Education Scotland
Professor Sue Fletcher-Watson, Chair in Developmental Psychology, Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
Mr Martin Gemmell, Principal Educational Psychologist, City of Edinburgh Council
Ms Paula Gardiner, Neurological Specialist Physiotherapist and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Edinburgh
Dr Cameron J Fairfield, Clinical Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Gavin Francis, General Practitioner, Dalkeith Road Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Dr Allan Gordon, Retired Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Edinburgh
Dr Claire Gordon, Consultant in Acute Medicine, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Rebecca Gormley, Anaesthetic Core Trainee, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Peter S Hall, Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre at St John’s Hospital and the Western General Hospital
Dr Helen Hare, Junior Doctor, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Dr Simon Heaney, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Ingrid Hoeritzauer, Consultant Neurologist and Acute Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Catriona Howes, Consultant Psychiatrist, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Seán Keating, Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Malik Jahangeer, Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Marc Janssens, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Mr Aimun Jamjoom, Speciality Neurosurgery Trainee, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Dr Michelle Jeffrey, Consultant Sports and Exercise Medicine, Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Oriam, Edinburgh
Dr Guy Johnson, General Practitioner (retired), Sighthill Health Centre
Professor John Keating, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh; Honorary Senior Lecturer, Edinburgh University
Dr Stephanie Kelly, Clinical Fellow in Intensive Care, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Dean Kerslake, Consultant, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Alice King, Trainee General Practitioner, Edinburgh
Dr Oliver Koch, Consultant & Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases, Regional Infectious Diseases Unit, Western General Hospital
Dr Rebecca Lawrence, Consultant Psychiatrist in Addictions, Royal Edinburgh  Hospital
Mr Graham Lawson, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Yvonne Leavy, Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist (epilepsy) Department for Clinical Neurosciences, RHCYP, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Katharine Logan, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy, Rivers Centre, Edinburgh
Dr Nazir Lone, Honorary Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Critical Care, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh
Dr Carey Lunan, General Practitioner, Craigmillar Medical GroupDr Saturnino Luz, Reader in Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh
Dr Saturnino Luz, Reader in Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh
Dr Sonia MacCallum, General Practitioner, Niddrie Medical Practice
Dr Claire Mackintosh, Consultant Infectious Disease Physician and Clinical Director, Regional Infectious Disease Unit, NHS Lothian
Dr Ivan Marples, Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia, Leith Community Treatment Centre
Dr Katie Marwick, Clinical Lecturer in Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
Dr Alexander von Maydell, Junior Doctor, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Miss Julie McBirnie, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Spire Shawfair Park Hospital
Professor Alison McCallum, Centre for Population Health Sciences, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Dermot McKeown, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Professor Andrew McIntosh, Professor of Biological Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Edinburgh
Dr Christina McManus, Doctor, Western General Hospital
Dr Carinne McMurray, General Practitioner, Craigmillar Medical Group
Professor Stewart Mercer, Professor of Primary Care and Multimorbidity, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh; General Practitioner, NHS Lothian
Dr Eve Miller-Hodges, Senior Clinical Lecturer & Honorary Consultant in Inherited Metabolic Disorders and Renal Medicine, Scottish Inherited Metabolic Disorders Service & University of Edinburgh
Dr Lyle Moncur, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Mr Matthew Moran, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Catriona Morton, General Practitioner, Craigmillar Medical Group
Dr Megan Mowbray, Consultant Dermatologist, Clinical Lead Dermatology, Skin Cancer Lead NHS Fife, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline (& resident of Edinburgh)
Mr Samuel Molyneux, Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Ms Mome Mukherjee, Senior Research Fellow, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Nóra Murray-Cavanagh, Clinical Lead General Practitioner, Wester Hailes Medical Practice
Dr Susan Nelson, General Practitioner, Mackenzie Medical Centre, Edinburgh
Dr Anna Noble, General Practitioner, Wester Hailes Medical Practice
David Obree, Archie Duncan Fellow in Medical Ethics and Fellow in Medical Education, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Richard O’Brien, Consultant Stroke Physician, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Laura O’Conaire, General Practitioner, Braefoot Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Dr Rory O’Conaire, General Practitioner, West End Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Dr Ailis Orr, Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh
Mr James Patton, Clinical Director Orthopaedics, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh
Dr. Meghan Perry, Consultant Physician and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and General Internal Medicine, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Sharon Peoples, Consultant in Clinical Oncology, Edinburgh Cancer Centre
Professor Martyn Pickersgill, Co-Director of Research, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Evgeniya Plotnikova, Teaching Fellow, Master of Public Health Programme, University of Edinburgh
Dr S.G. Potts, Consultant in Transplant Psychiatry, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Michael Quinn, General Practitioner, Craigmillar Medical Group
Dr Martin Quirke, Research Fellow, Centre for Environment, Dementia and Ageing Research, University of Stirling (& resident of Edinburgh)
Dr Kristiina Rannikmäe, Consultant Neurologist and Clinical Research Fellow, Forth Valley Royal Hospital and University of Edinburgh
Ms Aїcha Reid, Registered Educational Psychologist, Edinburgh
Dr Helga Rhein, General Practitioner (retired), Edinburgh
Dr Helen Riches, General Practitioner, Restalrig Park Medical Centre, Edinburgh
Professor Craig Ritchie, Professor of Psychiatry of Ageing, University of Edinburgh; Director of Brain Health Scotland
Dr Alasdair Ruthven, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Edinburgh; Honorary consultant neurologist in NHS Lothian
Dr Euan Sandilands, Consultant Toxicologist and Director National Poisons Information Service (Edinburgh); Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Ms Chloe Scott, Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Ann Sergeant, Consultant Dermatologist, NHS Fife (Edinburgh resident)
Dr Anthony Simon, General Practitioner, Craigmillar Medical Group
Dr Chris Smith, Foundation Doctor, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Nick Spencer, Anaesthetic Trainee, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Andrew Stanfield, Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Edinburgh
Dr Elizabeth Steel, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal infirmary Edinburgh
Professor Jon Stone, Consultant Neurologist, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and University of Edinburgh
Professor Cathie Sudlow, Professor of Neurology and Clinical Epidemiology and Head of the Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Digby Thomas, General Practitioner to the homeless 2001-2021, Edinburgh Homeless/Access Practice
Dr Sarah Thompson, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Professor Lindsay Thomson, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh; Medical Director of the State Hospitals Board for Scotland and the Forensic Mental Health Managed Care Network
Dr Fionn Toolis, General Practitioner, Wester Hailes Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Professor Neil Turner, Professor of Nephrology, University of Edinburgh; Honorary Consultant, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Stefan Unger, Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People
Dr Helen Usher, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Anna te Water Naudé, Acute Medicine Core Trainee, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Stephen Walls, Senior Charge Nurse, General Intensive Care, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Charles Wallis, Consultant Anaesthetist and Chair of Bicycle Users Group, Western General Hospital
Dr Andrew Watson, Associate Medical Director for Psychiatry, NHS Lothian
Ms Abby White, Psychiatric Nurse, Edinburgh
Mr T.O. White, Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon (Clinical Lead for Trauma), Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, and Honorary Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr William Whiteley, Reader in Neurology, University of Edinburgh; Honorary Consultant Neurologist, NHS Lothian
Dr E.B. Wilson, Emergency Department Consultant, Emergency Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Dr Hilary Young, General Practitioner, Mackenzie Medical Centre / University of Edinburgh

Post-publication supporters: (added after 6th September 2021):

Dr Anna Gaskell, General Practitioner, Newbattle Medical Practice
Dr Andrew Grant, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Lydia Howells, Lead Nurse for Quality & Standards, NHS Lothian
Dr Catriona McLean, Clinical Director and Consultant Clinical Oncologist – Lower GI Cancer, Edinburgh Cancer Centre
Professor Gillian Mead, Chair of Stroke and Elderly Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Dr David Noble, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre
Dr Faye Robertson, Oncology Registrar, Edinburgh Cancer Centre
Professor Roy Robertson, Chair of Addiction Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and General Practitioner, Edinburgh
Louise Starkey, Practice Nurse, Slateford Medical Practice, Edinburgh
Dr Lucy Wall, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre

Find out more about the Travelling Safely programme on the Council website.

Controversial Spaces for People initiative’s now Travelling Safely!

Council’s Capital Coalition to outline next steps for Spaces for People Travelling Safely programme

The city council’s Transport and Environment Committee will hear an update on the future of measures introduced to help people walk, cycle and wheel safely during the COVID pandemic on Thursday (19 August).

Under the Travelling Safely programme (formerly Spaces for People) steps are being taken to retain some schemes on an experimental basis, to remove others post-pandemic and to engage further with communities on options for a handful of measures – and those proposals have come in for plenty of stick, too.

Following approval by full Council to extend the lifespan of many interventions, officers are carrying out a ‘technical review’ of the changes. This involves detailed scheme reviews and considering comments received during public consultation and, where appropriate, improving designs. Engagement and design sessions will then be carried out with key stakeholders including the emergency services, public transport operators and access groups.

As agreed by Council, a number of schemes – Lanark Road, Comiston Road, Braid Road and Drum Brae North – will be subject to more detailed consideration and engagement with local communities to develop options for their retention or modification. A report on these will be brought to committee in October.

In line with a motion to Council in June, future plans for George IV Bridge have been considered.

Three options have been put forward – retaining the current scheme; revisions to the design, including moving segregation closer to the kerb and adding kerbside loading areas; or removing the scheme entirely.

Removing the scheme and reinstating the original road layout has been recommended to improve access for public transport and local businesses’ deliveries.

Permanent, long-term changes are planned under the Meadows to George Street project.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Over the last year and a half the Spaces for People programme has helped people to travel safely by bike while restrictions were in place on public transport, given room for parents to drop their children at school while physically distancing and provided much-needed space for exercise during the depths of lockdown, amongst other benefits.

“Now, as restrictions are lifted, we’re looking to the future of these changes, and how they can support people to make journeys by foot, bike or wheel. Right now, officers are working hard to review and improve those schemes being retained longer term, to engage with community members on those where further development is needed and carefully plan for the removal of measures that we agreed to wind down.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “Thanks to feedback to the major consultation carried out earlier this year we’ve been able to carefully assess the schemes we’re planning to keep on an experimental basis for any changes that could be made.

“We’re also continuing to listen to residents, businesses and public transport operators. As a result we’re planning to make some immediate amendments to schemes to make sure they work for everyone, particularly as traffic levels return to normal.”

It is proposed that measures approved for removal, primarily in town centres, should be taken out after the festival, in line with Scottish Government guidance.

This will involve careful planning and communication with stakeholders, in particular organisations like the RNIB and Guide Dogs Scotland. Some immediate changes are recommended, such as the removal of the widened footpath on St John’s Road, due to the likely impact on bus services.

While schemes introduced around schools, such as motor traffic restrictions, have been largely set aside over the summer, the majority will be reinstated around term start dates in August. Over the coming months the Road Safety team will undertake a review of measures around schools to consider retaining them by appropriate traffic orders.

Read the full report – Active Travel Measures – Travelling Safely (Formerly Spaces for People) – on the Council website.

You can watch members of the Transport and Environment Committee discuss the report live via webcast from 10am on Thursday, 19 August.

Serious Concerns: Disability campaigners urge councillors to reconsider making Spaces for People changes permanent

Disability campaigning groups have written to the city council’s Transport and Environment Committee to express concerns over controversial proposals to make changes to the capital’s streets permanent.

The Committee meets today to consider the findings of its recent ‘Retaining Spaces for People’ consultation, a review of how the Council has implemented the Scottish Government’s push during lockdown to reduce the number of cars and vehicles by creating more cycle-lanes and pedestrianised areas.

But the campaigners’ letter warns that measures put in place too hastily and without adequate consultation could inadvertently make going outdoors more hazardous for wheelchair users and pedestrians with other disabilities.

The letter, jointly signed by members of Edinburgh Access Panel and the sight loss charities RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland, says: “We want to reiterate our concerns about the implications of making temporary Spaces for People measures permanent.

“Any decisions taken will have serious and long-term implications for the citizens of Edinburgh in terms of how they access their city and its amenities.”

An online petition to ‘Stop Edinburgh council making dangerous road changes, cycle lanes & parking cuts permanent’ has attracted more than 16,800 signatures.

Guide-dog owner Ian Drysdale of Corstorphine said “The changes have taken away my independence and mobility. Before the Spaces for People changes, I had no problem getting out and about. But now the areas I feel safe in are getting smaller and smaller.”

Catriona Burness of RNIB Scotland said: “We are concerned that momentous decisions about changing the way we walk, wheel and cycle are being made before any of us know what the future, post-Covid, Edinburgh will look like.”

The safety of pedestrians, particularly those who are more vulnerable, must be the deciding factor when determining changes, the letter emphasises. “The current wave of temporary measures show a greater regard for the interests of cyclists than those of pedestrians,” says Anne-Marie Barry of Guide Dogs Scotland.

The campaigners are concerned that some of the measures introduced have made things more challenging and potentially dangerous for blind and partially sighted people and wheelchair users. For example, poorly designed ‘pop-up ‘cycle lanes which incorporate ‘floating’ bus-stops do not take account of disabled people getting on and off buses.

RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland are urging the Transport and Environment Committee to postpone making any decisions this week and to support having an independent, third-party national review of the Spaces for People initiative.

You can watch the Transport and Environment Committee live via webcast, from 10am this morning.

“Working for Everyone”

Full steam ahead for Spaces for People?

Next week, the council’s Transport and Environment Committee will consider recommendations on whether, post-pandemic, to retain ‘on a trial basis’ or remove temporary measures like protected cycle lanes, widened pavements and traffic restrictions on roads outside schools.

Proposals have been published for the future of Edinburgh’s Spaces for People schemes, which have been introduced to help people walk, cycle and wheel while physically distancing during the pandemic.

Officer recommendations are based on a series of criteria including the impact of projects on encouraging walking and cycling, if they benefit the street environment and how they affect public transport or disabled road users.

They also take into account longer-term Council objectives relating to climate change, health and the city’s economy, as well as responses received as part of a major public consultation. This attracted more than 17,600 participants and has been considered alongside the results of independent market research and comments from key stakeholders.

Amongst the schemes recommended for retention ‘on an experimental basis’ are the pedestrianisation of Waverley Bridge, Cockburn Street and Victoria Street and protected cycle lanes on Old Dalkeith Road, Crewe Road South, Lanark Road and Comiston Road.

Council officers have also recommended retaining projects that help join up routes for leisure walking and cycling, including the closures to general traffic on Cammo Walk and Silverknowes Road North.

Any projects to be retained on an experimental basis would be subject to reviews of their design, associated parking restrictions and local traffic.

The reviews would take into account comments received since projects were installed as well as feedback received through consultation. There would be a focus on reducing any negative impacts, especially for disabled people, and seeking to address concerns around features like ‘floating’ parking (i.e. parking with a cycle lane between the parking space and the kerb).

A number of measures are expected to be recommended for removal, such as the majority of shopping street changes. These are facilitating physical distancing during the pandemic, but can impact on servicing, parking (including for disabled people) and, in some cases, bus services.

Officers have also recommended removing pedestrian and cycle infrastructure on Forrest Road and George IV Bridge.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Over the last year we’ve responded to an emergency situation, making great strides to provide families with protected spaces to exercise, to help people cycle safely to work and to give the public room to physically distance while spending time in local shopping streets.

“We know people have benefited from the changes and we want to see if we can keep as many as possible of the project benefits as we hopefully move out of the COVID pandemic.

“As we look toward the end of the pandemic, we want to make a sustainable, successful recovery. By helping people to walk, cycle and wheel, many of the changes we’ve made to streets will support this, as well as our broader ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality, reduce air pollution and to improve the quality of life for all those who live in and visit Edinburgh.

“Projects have been controversial, and some groups, notably those representing people with mobility and visual impairments, have raised concerns about their impacts, especially on parking.

“Other concerns include ‘floating’ car parking and impacts on traffic levels on some roads. I’m committed to making sure we listen to feedback and make improvements as we move into a new stage of trialling projects. I want the measures we keep in the longer term to get the balance right, working for everyone.”

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “When we agreed to explore retaining some of these changes longer term, we recognised how beneficial they could be to encouraging active travel, improving road safety and reducing air pollution, amongst other positive impacts.

“We’re committed to delivering these benefits, but we want to bring the public with us. By extending the life of any of these measures on a trial basis, we’ll be able to continue monitoring schemes and working with communities to shape and enhance them while they’re in place.”

If approved, the majority of schemes would be implemented on a trial basis using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs). This allows officers to continue monitoring and modifying changes if needed, in close liaison with the community and stakeholders, to make sure they’re working for as many people as possible.

A report with recommendations on the next steps for each scheme would be brought back to Transport and Environment Committee in around six months after the implementation of ETROs.

Measures introduced under Spaces for People would be retained while public health advice continues to advocate maintaining physical distancing measures to manage the impact of the virus.

Some of the key recommendations for measures, once they are no longer required to maintain physical distancing, include:

Schools

  • Retaining road closures outside Sciennes and James Gillespie’s Primary Schools
  • Work with the many other schools which have had part time vehicle prohibitions with a view to bringing forward proposals for new School Streets or, in a few cases, road closures, to replace temporary measures by the end of 2021

City Centre projects

  • Retain pedestrianisation on Victoria Street, Cockburn Street and Waverley Bridge
  • Remove the measures on George IV Bridge and Forrest Road, while retaining the uphill segregated cycle lane on The Mound

Shopping Streets

  • Remove most of the measures on shopping streets, though give consideration to retaining some small lengths of footway widening, in particular where the existing pavement doesn’t provide enough space for people to walk
  • Retain the measures introduced on Queensferry High Street

Protected cycle lanes

  • Retain all protected cycle lanes, including on Crewe Road South, Comiston Road, Lanark Road, Fountainbridge/Dundee Street, Silverknowes Parkway, Ferry Road, Willowbrae Road, Old Dalkeith Road and others.
  • Carefully review schemes during the development of the ETRO to minimise the impacts on disabled street users, also considering adjustments to loading restrictions and to ‘floating’ car parking
  • Consider amendments to benefit bus services

Connecting routes for exercise and cycling and walking for pleasure

  • Retain measures including the closure of Braid Road to northbound traffic, the closure of Cammo Road to motor vehicles and the Meadows to Greenbank Quiet Connection
  • Retain measures on Silverknowes Road North, Silverknowes Road South and connecting streets, forming a connection to Silverknowes promenade
  • Remove closure of Links Gardens, though consider reinstatement as part of proposals for a Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

The Transport and Environment Committee will consider the report, Potential retention of Spaces for People measures, on Thursday (17 June).

The report includes information on a fraudulent attempt by one member of the public, who created a bot to submit more than 18,000 fake responses to the consultation, each strongly opposed to Spaces for People schemes.

These responses were quickly identified and removed by officers and will have no impact on the outcome of the consultation. The incident has been reported to Police Scotland and as a result action has also been taken by the Council, in addition to existing measures in place, to prevent future fraudulent activity in Council consultations.

Read the report on the Council website and watch the discussion live via webcast from 10am on Thursday, 17 June.

Briggs: Powderhall Green Corridor delay due to Spaces for People

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.”

“A total dog’s breakfast”: City council publishes Spaces for People feedback

60% of residents AGAINST Spaces for People

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.

Find out more about the market research and consultation responses online.

New Spaces for People plans for Braid Road

”Thanks to our ‘try then modify’ approach, we’ve been able to tweak the design” – Cllr Karen Doran

Changes to a scheme for safer travel on Braid Road will help improve journey times and reduce intrusive traffic on nearby streets, while retaining protected space for active travel, the city council has announced.

Braid Road was one of the first Spaces for People schemes to be implemented in May 2020, when it was closed to traffic to help people walk, cycle and wheel safely to and from the Hermitage of Braid while physically distancing.

Thanks to the temporary nature of the measures, officers have since been able to amend the design to reduce an observed impact on southbound bus travel on Comiston Road, as traffic levels have increased.

As part of the new layout the city council will be reopening Braid Road one-way to southbound traffic and introducing segregated cycleways, following approval by Transport and Environment Committee in January.

They will also be installing traffic calming interventions around Midmar Drive to manage the return of intrusive traffic and protect the Meadows to Greenbank Quiet Route.

These measures will include no entry onto Braid Crescent from Comiston Road and ‘diagonal filters’ at the junction of Braid Road and Hermitage Drive, the junction of Hermitage Gardens and Cluny Drive and the junction of Braid Avenue and Cluny Drive, which will effectively remove through traffic from the affected streets. Once implemented, the changes will be monitored closely.

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: We first introduced the closure of Braid Road to help people exercise and travel safely by foot, bike or wheelchair back in the early days of lockdown, when walking and cycling surged. 

“We’ve had some great feedback from the many families and individuals who have enjoyed using the route since then, but we’re also aware that, as traffic levels begin to rise, there has been an impact on neighbouring streets.

Thanks to our ‘try then modify’ approach, we’ve been able to tweak the design, as well as introducing traffic-calming measures on nearby streets, helping to alleviate pressure on surrounding areas while also continuing to provide a protected space for all those walking, cycling and wheeling here.”

Recent workshops with local stakeholders, involving ward councilors, community councils and the emergency services, amongst other groups, have helped us tweak the scheme further to meet the needs of community members. 

Additional changes include retaining two-way traffic on Braid Road between Braid Hills Drive and the main entrance to the Braid Hills Hotel, closing the southbound ‘slip road’ between Braid Road and Hermitage Drive to discourage southbound journeys from the Morningside Clock and pavement-widening at the south-east side of the junction of Braid Road and Hermitage Drive.

The council is currently implementing the changes, and plans to reopen Braid Road to southbound traffic by Monday (19 April). Once in place, the new layout will continue to be monitored and amendments will be made where necessary.

Find out more about the Braid Road scheme on the Council website.

Community Council slams Spaces for People consultation

New Town & Broughton CC has responsed to the city council’s ‘retaining Spaces for People measures’ consultation – and has given the process a scathing thumbs-down:

Executive Summary

As noted below, the New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) considers the consultation to be deeply flawed.

The inclusion of questions about measures not yet implemented is highly questionable. Until there has been an opportunity to evaluate the success or otherwise of any particular measures, it is impossible to make any valid judgment on whether they should be retained or removed.

Many of the questions group cycling and walking together but the needs of these two groups are quite different making it impossible to properly judge the merits of specific measures for each of these groups.

The survey is designed to encourage simple yes/no answers to questions about whether measures should be retained and does too little to obtain any insight into the consequences both favourable and otherwise from the implementation of the measures.

The Commonplace Mapping tool would have been a far more effective means of obtaining genuine and considered feedback on the various measures that have been introduced. This lack of qualitative feedback will hamper any decision making by Council officials and Councillors.

Edinburgh Council and its citizens deserve better than this hastily prepared and poorly designed survey.

With regard to the specific schemes already implemented in our area:

  • We are in favour of continuing with the changes to The Mound and Princes Street East with some provisos.
  • We are opposed to the measures on Waverley Bridge and London Road being retained and indeed believe that they should removed before the end of the current TTRO’s.
  • We do not agree that any of the measures yet to be introduced in our area including those to Broughton Street, Broughton Roundabout, Bellevue, Rodney Street or Canonmills should be considered for retention until there has been an opportunity to better assess their effectiveness.
  • We are also very concerned about the impact on traffic in our area of the planned changes to South Bridge and would urge that implementation is delayed until the consequences of the planned restrictions to vehicular traffic can be better understood.

General Comments

  1. Despite the deadline for submissions being delayed to 5 April, it still appears that the whole process is being rushed. We do not agree with consulting on the retention of measures that have not been implemented yet. Until stakeholders including the public and local businesses have had an opportunity to evaluate the success or otherwise of any particular measures, it is impossible for them to make any valid judgment on whether they should be retained or removed. It is suggested that the results on any planned measures are discounted and that a new consultation, if required, is held after the measures have been in place for at least six months. This would allow counts of the number of pedestrians and cyclists using these temporary measures to be taken to support or otherwise their retention.
  2. There are three separate but almost identical surveys (for the Public, Businesses and Stakeholders) with the main difference being the number of words that the respondents can submit as comments. As a result, many of the questions do not make sense for someone completing the survey on behalf of a business or stakeholder group. There are clearly issues that will affect businesses and wider stakeholder groups that the survey is not able to capture. It is therefore difficult to understand how the results of such a survey will be used for any future decision-making.
  3. Many of the questions group cycling and walking together. The needs of these two groups are quite different and as such it will be impossible to properly assess the significance of the answers and thus draw any conclusions about the merits or otherwise of specific measures for each of these groups. There are also no specific questions about the needs of those using public transport. The implementation of segregated cycle lanes has introduced new hazards for bus users at bus stops. Asking questions about the experience of bus users would have been useful in better understanding these hazards and in identifying suitable mitigation measures.
  4. The questionnaire requires simple yes/no answers about which schemes should be retained or removed with limited opportunity to comment on the specifics of particular measures. It is unlikely that the responses will provide a valid basis for understanding which specific elements of the schemes are working or not. There is no requirement for adding comments and therefore someone completing the survey may vote in favour or against a series of measures in an area but 100% agreement or otherwise with a particular scheme should not be inferred. There should have been greater emphasis on understanding why the responses were for removal or retention. For example the closure of Waverley Bridge has required the buses that normally terminated there to be relocated mostly to St Andrews Square or Regent Road. In neither location are there any facilities for buses to wait until commencing their return journeys. The pavement on Regent Road where the buses stop is very narrow and it is impossible to social distance without stepping on to the carriageway creating new hazards for pedestrians.
  5. The survey encourages all or none responses, which may therefore overwhelm any more specific responses. Given that the survey is covering the whole of Edinburgh it is inevitable that awareness of the various measures will not be uniform among respondents. The views of a community most directly by specific measures may be swamped by the responses of others. The Commonplace Mapping tool that was used to establish where many of the measures were required would have been a better tool to gain feedback on which schemes were working or not.
  6. There is nowhere in the survey to record general points on the various measures including for example the conservation/heritage arguments, the continued presence of street clutter, the additional hazards associated with pavements which include sections partly at a lower road level, the lack of progress on increasing pedestrian priority at crossings. Our comments on each of these issues is shown below:
    1. Heritage Issues – we understand that given the emergency nature of many of the measures especially those introduced in the first period of the pandemic that it was not possible to ensure that the measures met requirements for such infrastructure changes to satisfy the normal expectations for a World Heritage Site but this can no longer be used as an excuse to perpetuate the sub-standard designs that have been implemented in many areas across Edinburgh. Any continuation beyond the current period of the TTRO’s should be subject to full heritage assessment.
    2. Street Clutter – the result of many of the measures introduced across the City has been to increase the level of street clutter that is not only unsightly but creates additional hazards particularly for pedestrians. Any extension of the current measures should be accompanied by a campaign to reduce the level of street clutter to improve the public realm. This again would have been a good use of the Commonplace Mapping tool to help identify any surplus street clutter.
    3. Pavement Hazards – the extension of pavements into the carriageway with wands to separate that space from the main carriageway or even no separation apart from road markings from adjacent cycle paths results in significant additional hazards for pedestrians due the changing levels and proximity with other road users. Where such pavement widening is retained it must be achieved with a single level of pavement of properly maintained paving and drop down kerbs at any road junctions. Cyclists and pedestrians should not be expected to share space. Any cycle lanes that are retained should be fully segregated from any pedestrian areas and of sufficient width to ensure proper separation.
    4. Pedestrian Crossings – there are many examples within our own area and also highlighted by Living Streets across Edinburgh of crossings at traffic lights where the time that pedestrians are expected to wait before crossing is too high and the time allowed for them to cross is too short. This does not reflect the stated priorities of the Council or the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy that should put greater emphasis on pedestrian movement. Again the Commonplace Mapping tool could have been used to great advantage to identify specific problem areas. Given that changing the timing on traffic lights would not incur any significant financial cost, the problems already identified by Living Streets and others should be addressed now rather than wait for the completion of this review.

Existing Schemes

There are a number of schemes within our area and we have focussed our feedback on these measures.

  1. Princes Street East – this scheme places bus gates at the east end of Princes Street and on South St David’s Street, which operate during the daytime to restrict unauthorised vehicles from entering this part of Princes Street. It was initially proposed that the pavement on the south side of this section of Princes Street (between North Bridge and Waverley Bridge) would be widened but this did not happen (despite the Council’s own website stating that it has). There is also clearly an issue with compliance as many non-authorised vehicles are still entering Princes Street, which will require improved signage and more effective enforcement. We are in favour of this measure but the original plans for pavement widening should proceed, as it is very congested in this area due to the station entrance and a number of bus stops.
  2. Waverley Bridge – we considered that the closure of this road was unnecessary when first proposed, as the pavements were already very wide. Closure of this road to the many buses that terminated here has resulted in their relocation to St Andrews Square and Regent Road. In the latter case as many as eight buses at a time are waiting here before starting their return journeys blocking parking bays and creating additional hazards for pedestrians walking to and from Princes Street. We are against this measure being made permanent and indeed believe that it should be removed as soon as possible.
  3. The Mound – we are in favour of the segregated cycle lanes being retained but on the understanding that by creating a permanent north south segregated cycle route from the city centre that North Bridge should not have any restrictions imposed on vehicular traffic so that there remains a north south vehicular route on the east side of the City for private and commercial vehicles. This route is critical for the effective management of traffic on this side of the City, which may be expected to increase once the St James Quarter reopens later this year. There are no obvious diversion routes for traffic that would otherwise use North and South Bridge. We are in particular concerned that any restriction to traffic on this corridor will increase the volume of traffic using the roads around Holyrood Park that is such an important areas for exercise for many residents in this part of Edinburgh. Also given that there will remain a number of bus services using the Mound the safety of bus stops needs further consideration.
  4. London Road – we were against the introduction of a fragmented section of segregated cycle path for westbound cyclists only along the south side of this road from Easter Road to Leith Walk, as it would encourage cyclists into an area where the construction activities for the Tram work would be most active over the next 18 months. We are also concerned that until the Tram works are complete there will not be any connection to the existing cycle network on Leith Walk around Picardy Place. Based on our observations most cyclists are avoiding using this section of cycle path as the road surface is poorly maintained close to the kerbs where the cycle path is located and there is a frequent need to leave the lane to negotiate the bus stops along the route. We proposed that an alternative route should be implemented along Regent Road to better connect with current and planned cycle infrastructure and this remains our view. We are against this measure being made permanent and unless the current deficiencies are addressed it should be removed immediately. We would welcome discussions on creating an alternative cycle route along Regent Road.

Planned Schemes

There are a number of planned schemes within our area and we have focussed our feedback on these schemes but the proposed scheme for South Bridge has the potential to cause significant disruption to traffic flows in our part of the City and this is included below.

  1. Broughton Street – the lack of any measures at the top of Broughton Street is a major deficiency of the planned scheme as is the lack of any traffic calming or improved pedestrian crossings. We have made our views clear on the small section of cycle path and the movement of the loading bays to the side streets.  For all these reasons we are opposed to the measures being retained with the exception of the pavement build out at Barony Street. Indeed we would like to see further pavement build outs at junctions along Broughton Street to increase pedestrian space and slow traffic turning into these side streets.
  2. Broughton Roundabout – we do not know what will be eventually approved for this junction but apart from the widening of the pavements none of the proposed measures address the key issues identified by the Commonplace Mapping. We are against these measures being made permanent but that we are strongly in support of a radical improvement to this junction that prioritises the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. This should be part of a review of all of the streets leading to and from this roundabout and in particular East London Street.
  3. Bellevue/Rodney Street/Canonmills – while it is too early to make any decisions about the measures on this route, we would be in agreement with replacing the planned TTRO with an Experimental TRO to allow further evaluation of the measures to be made.
  4. South Bridge – this measure will introduce a bus gate restricting traffic entering South/North Bridge and effectively closing off this side of the City centre to private and commercial traffic during daytime. Traffic will therefore need to find diversions around this blockage, which will mean increased traffic congestion on small side streets and increased traffic through Holyrood Park neither of which is desirable. As with the other planned measures it is too soon to make any decisions about whether the intended measures are retained permanently but for the reasons stated we are opposed to this measure being retained and indeed would prefer to see the plans for a bus gate cancelled.

Letters: Spaces for People could create obstacles for blind and partially sighted people

Dear Editor

Tuesday, March 23rd, marks the anniversary of the day the UK was officially plunged into lockdown. We have lived through what is probably the most extraordinary year in most people’s lifetimes.

Blind and partially sighted people have had to adjust like everyone else  to the daily challenges this  has created. Thankfully, there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. But some ongoing measures could continue to be barriers to their independence and confidence.

People with sight loss can sometimes find it difficult to judge space, so we’re asking everyone to maintain their own distance, be patient and be helpful. 

video – https://youtu.be/D9cgim4Qv88].  

Just getting out and about can be more hazardous for those without sight. The Government’s ‘Spaces for People’ initiative has already transformed many of our streets and thoroughfares. We must take care that this doesn’t inadvertently create new obstacles for those with disabilities.

The covid crisis has given all of us a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability, of what it’s like to depend more on others.

So let’s make one positive legacy of this crisis a resolve to make sure we re-emerge as a society in which no one is left at the margins.

James Adams

Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland

12-14 Hillside Crescent, Edinburgh

Spaces for People consultation: Don’t forget to have your say

The city Council is considering whether to keep in place some of the temporary ‘Spaces for People’ measures that are helping people to physically distance and travel safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is because many of the temporary measures are likely to help us achieve the Council’s long-term objectives to improve how we travel, making it easier for people to get about and to help us meet our net carbon-free targets.

These plans include:

  • encouraging people to switch to more sustainable ways to travel
  • making it more pleasant, easier and safer for people to explore their local area
  • supporting high street and city centre businesses by providing more space for people
  • improving road safety
  • improving health
  • reducing carbon dioxide emissions, to help the city achieve its net zero carbon by 2030.

The council says trialling schemes for a longer period – or making them permanent – will allow them to ‘change the way people and communities interact and connect across our city’.

Once we have decided whether to keep any measures on a trial or permanent basis, we will of course follow the normal legal processes for Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETRO) or Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO).

This will include an opportunity for residents, businesses and stakeholders to comment and formally object.

Give us your views

Tell us how you’ve used the temporary measures and how you think we should move forward

Tell us what you think

Whether an existing temporary scheme is on your street, your family’s street(s), your local high street or somewhere you visit or pass through on your journeys, we would like to know what you think.

After hearing people’s views and assessing the temporary measures that are in place, we’ll make recommendations to councillors on whether to keep them either on a trial basis for a longer period or perhaps more permanently.