Category: Travel and Mobility

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Cycle lane from Hawthornevale to Seafield – Send in your views NOW!

If you do JUST ONE THING this weekend – please do this!

We have only until Sunday 17th November to respond to the current consultation on the proposals for a new cycle path to be built all along Seafield Street, Salamander Street, Bernard Street, Commercial Street, Lindsay Road, narrowing the road, removing or moving bus stops, removing bus lanes, and many other features such as new crossings, revamped junctions etc.

All the plans are here, in the form of very detailed drawings https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnections/supporting_documents/30197119ARCHGNZZDRHE00001to00023%20Updated%20Notes.pdf

It may be easier to make sense of them via the survey at: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnections/

You can respond with your views in two ways. Either fill in the survey at https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnections/

Or, send an email expressing your views to LeithConnections@edinburgh.gov.ukf

Or do both!

For the latest Newsletter with an overview of all the Leith Connections plans, see https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/35786/leith-connections-newsletter-october-2024

 

Major roadworks incoming…

The next phase of the Leith Connections work is about to start, so be prepared for significant disruption to pedestrians, traffic, cyclists and bus services…..

Work starts next week on Great Junction Street, and will work its way gradually down Henderson Street throughout winter, spring and summer 2025, to Sandport Bridge. At the same time, works will be taking place up from Commercial Street, Sandport Place etc.

Download a leaflet here that outlines the work.

Buses may go down Cables Wynd instead of Henderson Street.

It’s not going to be fun for road users or for pavement users, so you might want to start rethinking journey times and/or figuring out alternative routes….?

If you have concerns / problems, please email leithconnections@edinburgh.gov.uk
and copy to your Councillors:
chas.booth@edinburgh.gov.uk, adam.nols-mcvey@edinburgh.gov.uk, Cllr.katrina.faccenda@edinburgh.gov.uk

 

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Important – Leith Community Centre, Tuesday 29.10.2024 2pm-6pm

You need to know about more big changes proposed for Leith roads!The next phase of the Leith Connections scheme is about to be launched, and we are entering a very important consultation phase. Some residents have had leaflets delivered but many locals are totally in the dark about what is planned. The plans are very extensive: the creation of  new cyclepaths on the main roads through Leith for vehicles including public transport will have a big effect on many Leith residents.The following streets will be affected:

  • Great Junction Street
  • Henderson Street
  • Sandport Place Bridge
  • Yardheads
  • Parliament Street
  • Salamander Street / Baltic Street
  • Bernard Street
  • Commercial Street
  • Lindsay Road
  • Hawthornvale path to Seafield Road
  • Replacement of Lindsay Road Bridge

 

You can see more details (and can sign up to receive the email Newsletter, to keep up to date) on the Leith Connections website

Please go along to the Leith Community Centre on 29th October between 2pm and 6pm to view the plans and give your feedback to the development team.

And/ or please fill in the online survey to be found at consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnections

You can also email your views directly to the team at LeithConnections@edinburgh.gov.uk (copy to Miles.Wilkinson@edinburgh.gov.uk)

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Your last chance to comment on Low Traffic Neighbourhood! Do you like the bus gate on Links Place?

There are a few aspects of the Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood that still have ‘temporary’ status, and could perhaps still be overturned. You must send in your views before 8th April. They don’t make it easy for you – no clear questions on the Consultation Hub – you need to email in with your views. But please, do take the time to do this!

How to respond

Leith Connections  – Low Traffic Neighbourhood
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling-walking-projects-1/leith-connections/5
Email your views on the Experimental Traffic Order (eg. on the bus gate on Links Place) and/ or general views on the low traffic neighbourhood to Edinburgh.Consultation@projectcentre.co.uk
and copy to leithconnections@edinburgh.gov.uk

We are aware that the community holds mixed views on the Low Traffic Neighbourhood overall, but there does seem to be consensus on one particular issue – the ‘bus gate’ on Links Place. The Community Council discussed this at our recent meeting and agreed to share the view that we find the bus gate to be unnecessary and unhelpful – potentially dangerous – and would like to see this overturned, with Links Place returned to two way traffic, for the following reasons. But of course, if you disagree, feel free to comment here below, and to send in your views to the consultation.

  • The bus gate is dangerous. Because of the bus gate, all traffic (including buses, though excluding taxis) trying to head west is forced to turn right into Salamander Place. This creates a very congested and dangerous junction at the corner of Links Place / Salamander Place / Links Gardens.
  • The Salamander Place roadway was not designed as a major traffic through route, and is not fit for purpose;  it is cobbled and has many large holes and bumps along its length. Two way bus traffic is making the surface worse every day. It is dangerous for pedestrians as it is quite wide, but there are no crossing points except at the junction with Salamander Street.
  • Because of the location of St. Marys Primary School nearby, many children heading into and home from school have to cross the road at this dangerous junction. The school crossing patrol officer on duty at this corner often comments on how dangerous the junction at this corner is. Locals often observe chaos at the junction as buses and lorries have to ‘queue up’ on either side of the road narrowing build out on Links Place to make the turn.
  • The bus gate on Links Place actually makes Links Gardens much more dangerous for pedestrians, including pupils, staff and parents at St. Mary’s Primary School. All traffic coming up Salamander Place (including lorries from the docks etc.) now has to turn left along past the entrance to the school.
  • The bus gate is unnecessary. Links Place is not a particularly busy route for traffic anyway, since the introduction of the trams and the consequent closure of the south end of Constitution Street to traffic – plus the later closure of Tolbooth Wynd and Burgess Street, Sandport Bridge etc. – there is no ‘through route’ anyway westward along Links Place, so the traffic using it would be mainly local people, rather than it ever becoming a ‘rat run’.
  • This stretch of Links Place is not in fact a densely populated residential area anyway, so it is unclear why this particular stretch was chosen for extra  ‘protection’ from traffic. There is park all along one side, and the other side is largely taken up with offices (Great Michael House), plus a few detached houses, and only one block of tenement flats. Yet at the same time, the bus gate has actually made things far worse – not better – for nearby neighbours, by forcing traffic to reroute through the very densely residential area behind Links Place (Fox Street, Pattison Street, Elbe Street) with narrow streets, and for Salamander Place which has a large residential population in very large blocks of flats on both sides.
  • Closing Fox Street etc. to through traffic as well  – as has been threatened – would make things even worse, as then there would simply be no way for local people to get to where they are trying to go! Even thinking of closing off the Fox Street route is an admission of failure by the Leith Connections Team as they have to recognise that the closure of Links Place west bound is not working well.
  • There is already a serious issue in Leith of ‘lack of resilience’ in the face of unexpected events. For example, if road repairs, utility based road works, a fire or road accidents take place, there are simply not enough routes left open in Leith to let traffic bypass the trouble spot and find another route. This leads to great congestion and delays, extra emissions etc. Keeping Links Place open would help to reduce this problem if it occurs.
  • And finally  – There is no bus that ever goes along Links Place anyway (nor will they in future, because they can’t get round the corner at Constitution Street by the Police Station, where the pavement has been built out), so it makes no sense to reserve this stretch of roadway for buses.
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Vital Consultations – please add your views

There are a number of consultations currently live on Council websites on issues that will impact all of our lives, in some cases quite profoundly. Please take some time to respond to these, before the deadline.

Leith Connections  – Low Traffic Neighbourhood
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling-walking-projects-1/leith-connections/5
Email your views on the Experimental Traffic Order (eg. on the bus gate on Links Place) to Edinburgh.Consultation@projectcentre.co.uk
And/ or general views on the low traffic neighbourhood to leithconnections@edinburgh.gov.uk

Closes 8 April 2024

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Lindsay Road Bridge Regeneration https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/lindsay-road-bridge/

Closes 4 April 2024

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Edinburgh’s Public Libraries – future vision and strategy https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/cf/edinburgh-future-libraries/

Closes 19 April 2024

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There are several other consultations that you may find of relevance, please explore the full list here https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/consultation_finder/

 

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Last Chance – please fill in traffic survey!

Leith Links Community Council survey about traffic & parking changes in Leith

Low Traffic Neighbourhood? Road closures? Planters? Parking restrictions?
Have you filled in this survey yet? Please do so, to have your voice heard, regarding how your life as a local resident, is affected – positively and/or negatively – by all the recent changes to traffic and parking in our area. Timing is key, as some of the changes which were temporary (such as the ‘bus gate’ on Links Gardens / Links Place) are about to be made permanent unless people report that they are not working well.

Give your views via the Community Council survey here.
We are closing the survey on 4 March in order to give us time to collate and report the results, so this is the ‘final call’.

You can also make your views known direct to the council via this link, unti 8th April:

edinburgh.gov.uk/leithconnections

What’s happening in Leith Links?

Monday 26th February – next Leith Links Community Council meeting, 6:30pm. This will be an ONLINE ONLY meeting (TEAMS). Agenda available here.

Email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk if you wish to attend, and you will be sent a link.

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£EITH CHOOSES Results night 22th February 

The results of which local charities / community groups have been successsful in winning funding will be announced ‘live’ at 6:30 pm at Leith Community Centre (cafe area). All welcome, do come along to hear the news, and for refreshments and a chat. Short meeting.

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February  – Leith Links Community Council survey about traffic and parking changes. Have you filled in this survey yet? Please do so, to have your voice heard, regarding how your life as a local resident, is affected – positively and/or negatively – by all the recent changes to traffic and parking in our area. Timing is key, as some of the changes which were temporary (such as the ‘bus gate’ on Links Gardens / Links Place) are about to be made permanent unless people report that they are not working well.

Give your views via the Community Council survey here

You can also make your views known direct to the council via this link:

edinburgh.gov.uk/leithconnections

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Events on the Links 2024 

We have just been informed that the City of Edinburgh Council has REFUSED permission for the proposed event FLY Summer Of Love’92 to take place on the Links, in May 2024. This is good news, as the community council and many local residents had objected to the application, feeling that this particular large scale, long and very loud event and Leith Links, so close to residents, were not a good fit for each other.

Music Encounters March 2024

Provided by the Council, there will be some live music on the Links for all local residents and ‘ordinary’ park users to enjoy, free of charge, on Saturday 16th March, from 1300h to 1500h. More details to follow later.

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Have YOUR say on recent traffic changes around Leith – do it now!

Leith Links Community Council has created a survey to find out how the traffic changes recently introduced to Leith are affecting local people. We really want to hear from everybody – please fill it in!

You can access the survey here:

Leith Connections Low Traffic Neighbourhood LTN & Leith Zone N8 Controlled Parking Zone CPZ

City of Edinburgh Council will be monitoring various aspects of changes in traffic, but as your local community council we would like to know more about how you feel about the changes and how these changes have affected your life. Leith Links Community Council will analyse the results of this survey and share the information with the relevant teams within City of Edinburgh Council.

Please don’t delay, fill it in now. We will be collecting this information throughout January and February and will collate the information received and pass it on to the Council so that they have detailed information from real people who live and work here. The next few months are crucial. Not all of the changes are permanent yet – some, such as the bus gate on Links Place, and the blocking of Tolbooth Wynd, have been carried out on a ‘Temporary Traffic Regulation Order’, so feedback from local residents could help to determine whether or not they are made permanent, modified, or dropped.

Other changes are meant to be permanent, but if there is enough evidence to suggest they are not working well, there should be scope for them to be reviewed.

We’ve included both the low traffic neighbourhood and the controlled parking zone, because although these are the responsibility of 2 separate departments in the council, we know that both these schemes interact with each other in affecting our lives as local residents. Equally there is space for free text so you can add other comments.

Some people don’t bother with ‘consultations’ because they feel that the Council ‘always just does what it wants, whether people support it or not’. But this survey is different – it is NOT a Council consultation – we are your neighbours, and we WILL do our very best to use the information you supply to make the Council listen. The basic survey does not take long to complete, although there is scope within it to go into details about each different street, and specific changes, if you want to.

Thank you!

Oh, and, please pass the link on to your neighbours and ask them to fill it in too.

https://forms.gle/EinHqiXkak4hj6Ly7

or via QR code

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Joy to the World

Seasons Greetings

If you were writing a new Christmas Panto script and you were looking for an idea, then Leith’s Christmas tree could be it.

Our sad tale begins in Leith with tram works and a modern-day plague.

Constitution Street and Leith Walk ripped up, and then Covid strikes.

The Christmas Tree that was installed and stood proudly in the Kirkgate for many, many years had to find a temporary home, and after little or no consultation a decision was taken by council officers to place a tree in Taylor Gardens instead, with 6 lights (4 working) added to lamp standards.

It’s a nice enough tree, but really not the true location where  Leithers would expect it to be, and that is something council officials don’t grasp in their decision making process.

It was supposed to be a temporary move, not permanent, but although it may tick boxes with council officers they miss the point of how the community view things.

When I first asked our elected councillors why the tree hadn’t returned to the Kirkgate, Councillor Faccenda kindly wrote to council officers and received a reply with reasons why it couldn’t go back to the Kirkgate. But all of those ‘problems’ really could have been worked out, had there been a willingness from council public servants.

“Unfortunately due to the installation of the Tram lines we are now unable to provide any festive Lighting on Leith Walk which involves working at height. The installation on a cut Christmas Tree involves using a telehandler to lift the tree into position and then a cherry picker later to install the lights”

Where there’s a will there’s always a way of achieving the impossible?

Someone in the council also had the idea to plant a fir tree in Taylor Gardens which could become the Leith Christmas tree of the future.

 

 

In reply to Councillor Faccenda the council said about this tree (- and please don’t laugh but I suppose it’s panto time. It’s behind you!)

The decision to move the Kirkgate Christmas Tree along the road to Taylor Park has enabled us to plant a tree which will hopefully be ready for dressing with lights within the next 5 years or so. We will continue to provide an 8m cut tree here until the planted tree is ready.

Now as I’m of a certain age and don’t have a life, I’m drawn to TV programmes like Gardeners’ World and Landward, and having done a few Christmas Quizzes I can confidently say that planted tree will not be ready in ‘less than 5 years’

Quiz answer is 15 years before an average Christmas tree is ready.

So why do council officers put nonsense in emails and expect us to accept what they say without challenging them? I suppose their get-out clause legally was ‘or so‘.

They apparently know even less about trees than me and it comes across that they really don’t care,and possibly haven’t been down to Leith to have a look because they call it Park not Gardens.

They reply in a confident ‘I know what I’m talking about because I’m a council officer’ manner then they don’t expect to be called out for nonsense speak, they expect the community to just say ok,move on.

However they miss the point that it’s not just about location of a tree on a spreadsheet.

They don’t take into account how people who live in the area view it, and have shared memories of good and bad times

The historic heart of Leith for a tree has, for as long as I can remember, been the Kirkgate beside Queen Victoria’s statue. If you take a walk down there today it looks drab and uncared for, and especially at this time of year it could do with some cheer.

We keep getting told that Leith is hip and has a vibrant community and is a top 10 destination as a place to visit and stay.

You wouldn’t think that if, as a tourist, you arrived at the Foot of the Walk by tram to an area that Christmas seemed to have by-passed all because of council bureaucracy which prior to lockdown had never been an issue.

But if you get it right, people will keep coming back, and spend money in our community, and tell their friends what a great place it is with friendly and helpful locals.

It doesn’t have to be over the top flashy lights.

It just has to be welcoming, which is supposedly what we in Leith are good at.

I would like the community to support me in bringing the tree back to the Kirkgate in 2024 and hopefully with help from local businesses in the Kirkgate, to brighten the place up.

Take a trip out to Davidson Mains Street or the front at South Queensferry and you will see what some communities and businesses can achieve at this time of year.

Let me know what you think, and more importantly hit the email inboxes of your elected Leith Councillors, MP and MSP

Don’t moan, just drop them a quick email: BRING BACK THE CHRISTMAS TREE TO THE KIRKGATE

Yes, I know life is hellish at the moment for many, many people, and you can’t eat Christmas trees, but let’s give it a go for our own pride and self-respect returning.

Thanks, and have a peaceful and enjoyable festive holiday.

Jim Scanlon MBE

Chair, Leith Links Community Council

 

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Community Council Scheme and Boundary Review 2023

Overview

Community Councils are voluntary organisations set up by statute by the Local Authority to act on behalf of their areas. They are involved in a range of activities which promote and protect the well-being and identity of their communities; and help bring local people together to make things happen. They advise, petition, influence and advocate numerous causes and cases of concern on behalf of local communities.

Edinburgh currently has 46 community council areas. All local authorities must provide a Scheme for Community Councils, which outlines their governance arrangements, which also includes details on boundaries for Community Council areas. The last review of the scheme was carried out in 2019.

As the city’s population increases, the scheme needs to be reviewed to make sure that our Community Councils are the right size to fairly represent our new and growing neighbourhoods.

Why your views matter

The council has a statutory requirement to consult with affected stakeholders as part of the review. There are three phases to the consultation process. This is the first phase, where City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) wants to hear your views on community councils and any suggestions on how we can improve the scheme and boundary areas.

Phase 2 will then ask for views on any proposed changes to the scheme and boundaries. These proposals will be based on the initial feedback received during Phase 1. Phase 3 will give you the opportunity to make any last comments before the final scheme is adopted.

You can find more information on Community Councils in the related section below. You can also download the current scheme for Community Councils and access a map tool where you can see the boundaries for community councils.

Give us your views

Online Survey

 

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