Sheriffhall objections reach 2400 with one week to go

Around 2,500 objections have been lodged to a proposed £120m development of Sheriffhall roundabout on the Edinburgh City bypass, with a week still to go on the Transport Scotland consultation.

Lothians Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who launched the campaign last week, said the objections must be considered by the Scottish Government when planning all future road expansion projects.

This follows a report by the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Commission this week which advised ministers there should be “a presumption in favour of future-proofing and maintaining our existing road network, rather than building new capacity”, because of the climate emergency.

Responding, Alison Johnstone said: “I’m delighted but not surprised by the interest in my campaign. We’ve known since the 1960s that building more roads increases traffic, yet it’s a model the Scottish Government seems determined to repeat again and again. They told us the Queensferry Crossing would make more people use public transport, yet we’ve seen a million more car journeys over the Forth.

“Even the written proposal for Sheriffhall admits the development will increase congestion in and out of Edinburgh. It’s time we started building the sustainable neighbourhoods of the future instead of repeating the mistakes of the past, especially considering the urgency of the climate emergency.

“Instead of roundabouts and ringroads, the Scottish Government must listen to their own advisers and reduce the cost of public transport, increase its capacity and reach, and make our journeys by cycling and walking as pleasant and safe as possible.”

Greens launch campaign to stop Sheriffhall ‘spaghetti junction’

The council estimates that congestion costs Edinburgh £225m a year, yet they and the Scottish Government insist on repeating the same failed mistakes of the past.Alison Johnstone

A proposed £120m spaghetti junction at Sheriffhall roundabout will increase congestion and should be scrapped, according to the Scottish Greens.

Scottish Green MSPs and councillors have launched a campaign to halt the proposal and instead use the money to improve clean transport across the city region, reflecting Edinburgh’s proposed new ten-year City Mobility Plan.

The campaign highlights how £120m could be better invested in segregated cycle paths, bus lanes and park and rides, transforming the city’s transport infrastructure.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Lothians MSP and Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone said: “The council estimates that congestion costs Edinburgh £225m a year, yet they and the Scottish Government insist on repeating the same failed mistakes of the past.

“Since the 1960s we’ve known that if you build more roads, they fill up with cars. That’s why the proposal to turn Sheriffhall roundabout into a spaghetti junction isn’t an upgrade, it’s a step backwards, especially when we now know 60,000 cars are coming into the city every morning.

“This is the 21st century, and we are in a climate emergency. £120m could go a long way in transforming our capital for the future. It could pay for 120 miles of segregated cycle paths, for example. It could boost our bus lanes and park and ride offerings to get our city moving again, instead of sitting in gridlock every day.

“The SNP in Edinburgh council and Holyrood need to match their rhetoric with real transformative change if we are to build a sustainable future. That means ditching the failed old ways like spaghetti junctions.”

Edinburgh Green councillor Claire Miller said: “There is only one credible direction for Edinburgh, which is at least reflected in the council’s draft plan, but Edinburgh has struggled to get even basic bike schemes off the ground, while developing a single tram line was fraught. That can’t continue.

“The city region deal needs to catch up too, that’s why £120m going towards a spaghetti junction at Sheriffhall just does not add up. The prize is a much better Edinburgh for everyone.”

You can object to the proposals here

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