Category: Travel and Mobility

You are viewing all articles on our website relating to Travel and Mobility.

You may also be interested in viewing our Travel and Mobility Sub Committee page, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Low Traffic Neighbourhood – hunt for the buried survey!

Have you tried to register your comments yet, on the proposed Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood? It is very important that everybody has their say, as the plan will have a major impact on the area and all who live and work here.

But actually FINDING the survey is easier said than done! A link is provided to the consultation as a whole:

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/low-traffic-neighbourhoods/

BUT they have completely buried the link to the ‘Give us your Feedback’ section under layer after layer of background, project development, feedback from previous consultation, FAQ and all sorts of other bits and pieces of documentation and other links that can take you round and round in circles, getting more and more puzzled / frustrated….

Why, it’s almost like they didn’t really want people to find the survey and fill it in……

There is a real concern that some people may in fact NEVER find the actual survey bit – or even lose the will to live!

While we do advise everybody to read, ideally, all the background and explanation stuff, you may nonetheless find it useful to also have a link to the actual survey because it is so difficult to find!

Or you may get so annoyed by being ‘led’ on various points – or be short of time and/ or temper-  and might prefer to cut to the chase and give your views uninfluenced by all the preamble.

So here is the key link to the actual survey
https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=162192819351

Please respond by 4rth July

Leith Connections: Public meetings to be held in relation to Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood and segregated cycle route between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal

City of Edinburgh Council have today published full details of their two planned virtual public meetings about Leith Connections.

The virtual public meetings are not mentioned on the leaflets currently circulating in our community so please do help us to spread the word.

Meetings will be held on the following dates & times;

If you are unable to go to one of the meetings due to them being fully booked please email anna.mcrobbie@aecom.com to register your interest in attending as they may hold further meeting/s.

Leith Links Community Council would encourage you to fully participate in the Leith Connections consultation by filling in the project teams online survey and attending one of the public meetings.

 

 

Public meeting information from Eventbrite website:

Join the project team to discuss the concept designs and proposed interventions of the Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood

About this event

We are hosting public co-design workshops so that residents can share their views and help inform the designs of the Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood. In these sessions we aim to:

  • gain local insight into the study area
  • listen to community feedback on the proposals
  • involve the community in helping to develop the designs
  • provide background to the project
  • raise awareness of the project and its objectives
  • summarise engagement and data findings to date

The first session will be held on Wednesday 23rd June and the second on Thursday 1st July. Both sessions will be held between 6.30pm-8pm.

Further details on how to access the meeting will be issued along with an information pack in advance of the meeting upon registration.

 

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Leith Connections – Consultation launched on Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood and segregated cycle route between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal

On Friday 4 June 2021 City of Edinburgh Council launched its consultation on the proposed Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme. This latest consultation follows community engagement activity earlier this year.

Leith Connections consists of two areas of development;

  1. Development of a high quality segregated cycle route between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal
  2. A Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) to create streets that are safer for walking, cycling, wheeling and spending time by ensuring lower traffic conditions across the area.

The City of Edinburgh Councils consultation survey says – ‘Leith Connections will create a safer and more comfortable street environment for residents and visitors walking, cycling, wheeling and spending time in the local streets and outdoor spaces of Leith. The project will build upon the City of Edinburgh Council’s current cycling and waking projects, our Active Travel Action Plan, the QuietRoute network and also the cycle and walking improvements that are part of the Trams to Newhaven project.’

 

Promoting the proposed developments

City of Edinburgh are/have been delivering leaflets to local residents and are planning on displaying leaflets & posters within the local community. Social media is also being used to spread word on the proposals. Photographs of the leaflet are at the end of this post.

Public meetings

City of Edinburgh Council have informed us that they plan to hold two online public meetings regarding Leith Connections on 23rd June and 1st July 2021. As of the date & time of this blog post we have not been given details such as the time of the meetings or details as to how people can sign up.

As soon as we hear from City of Edinburgh Council what time the meetings are taking place and how people can sign up to attend we will post details in a new blog post on our website, and share on our social media.

 

Consultation survey

City of Edinburgh Councils consultation survey is online until 4 July 2021, click here to read about the plans and submit your views.

If anyone wishes a version of the survey in braille, large print, paper, audio or another language please email miles.wilkinson@edinburgh.gov.uk, telephone him by calling 0131 332 1122 or by writing to him at – FREEPOST RTRS-YLCY-EAEA, Community Engagement: Leith Connections, Clocktower, Unit 1 Flassches Yard, South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9LB.

Paper copies of the survey can also be requested from Leith Links Community Council by emailing contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk.

Please note that if comments not submitted via the consultation survey, such as on social media, may not be viewed, recorded or considered by City of Edinburgh Council.

 

Local Councillors

There are three City of Edinburgh Council Councillors representing Leith Ward 13, in addition to completing the survey you may wish to communicate with your Councillor.

If contacting Councillors please do so respectfully.

 

 

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Keep or throw out the Spaces for People measures? Don’t forget to have your say!’

You still have 9 days to make your views known! Deadline is 5th April 2021.

Do you think that Edinburgh should keep the Spaces for People introduced over the past year as ‘temporary measures’  – or should they be removed?

Please fill in the consultation form as soon as possible. The consultation allows you to support or reject ALL of the measures, or to comment on some particular roads.

The Spaces for People measure that affects our own Leith Links area is the closure of Links Gardens to motor traffic. What is your view – should it be re-opened or stay closed?

Another proposed scheme that has had very little publicity is the intention to make a wider pavement and uphill cycle path on the Smokey Brae – which would then become one-way only (down) for motor vehicles. (This is not in the Leith Links area but it’s a route that many of us use, especially while Leith Walk is out of commission.)

Many people have felt that the voice of local communities has not been listened to, over the introduction of these measures. Well, now is your chance to say what you think! Please fill in the consultation. Do read it very carefully, as some of the questions are framed in unexpected ways so you might end up ticking the opposite of what you mean…. (the fact that the consultation is actually called ‘retaining spaces for people’ is a bit of a giveaway as to how the survey may be ‘leading’ you…)

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/bi/retainingspacesforpeopleconsultation/

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Leith Links Community Council response to ‘Leith Connections’ consultation

On Monday 1 March 2021 we held a virtual public meeting (using Zoom) where Community Councillors and assembled citizens gave due consideration to the City of Edinburgh Council ‘Leith Connections’ proposal & consultation.Leith Connections

We were very pleased that thirty two local citizens participated in the meeting, alongside our Community Councillors (and Councillors Booth & McVey) came along to engage with attending Council officials.

We used the discussions that took place as the basis of our formal response to the City of Edinburgh Council, which are we are pleased to make public this evening. Click here to view our response.

Our Chairperson, Jim Scanlon MBE said today ‘Firstly I’d like to thank Miles and Martyn from the City Council Leith Connections project team who gave up their time to attend the community council public meeting and answer questions from local residents.

We had an interesting range of questions and ideas from the community and hope that the team consider them as they produce finalised designs.’

 

Click here to sign up to our quarterly e-newsletter. We produce a new issue every January, April, July and October, with occasional special editions. We wont spam you and each issue includes a link to unsubscribe, which you can do at any time.

 

 

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Come to discussion meetings on traffic / travel / parking

Edinburgh City Council is proposing various new traffic schemes for our area as if they were completely separate events. But if you add together all the various effects of each scheme, there will be a major impact on local residents.

Is the community getting enough chance to share information and air its views? 

The next two (online) meetings of the Leith Links Community Council will be on:

1. Monday 1st March at 6:30 pm, and

2. Monday 8th Match at 6:30 pm

For both meetings, the Agenda will be turned over entirely to discussion of travel & mobility changes proposed that will affect our area.

Please come, and make your views known!

More about the meetings

1.

On March 1st we will discuss the ‘Leith Connections’ / Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme for Leith scheme (because this consultation has an earlier deadline date).

To register to attend this meeting (free, obviously) please click here. (Now closed)

If you would like to submit a question to be asked on the evening please click here. (Now closed)

‘Leith Connections’ is about a new, safer cycle route through Leith which involves removing parking, moving bus stops and closing some roads to motor traffic.

‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’ involves closing several roads to traffic / creating one-way routes and cul de sacs, with the intention of making the area safer and nicer to walk or wheel through.

You can view the plans and should respond directly via this consultation which closes on 28th February.

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leith-connections/
Or email your comments to miles.wilkinson@edinburgh.gov.uk 

2.

On Monday 8th March, we will discuss the proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the area between Easter Road / Lochend Road / Restalrig Road.

To register to attend this meeting, please click here. (Now closed)

If you would like to submit a question to be asked on the evening please click here. (Now closed)

See the plans and comment here: https://consultprojectcentre.co.uk/ph2westleith
(consultation runs until 14th March)

You can also visit the consultant’s virtual drop-in session on 24 Feb. or 2 March (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/west-leith-cpz-drop-in-session-tickets-138733558809)

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What’s going on?

City of Edinburgh Council is proposing a set of big changes to the road  / traffic / parking  systems in our area. For example – in addition to the tramworks of course – a controlled parking zone all through Leith Walk and Leith; possibly making Spaces for People road closures (eg Links Gardens) permanent; a controlled parking zone for ‘West Leith’ (actually the Easter Road / Lochend Road / the colonies / Restalrig Road area); a new cycle route through Leith that includes road closures and removal of parking spaces; a Low Traffic Neighbourhood’ that would effectively close Leith off to through traffic (and make the road alongside the Links one of only two main routes). The aim of all of these is to reduce emissions and make the area safer and more pleasant, which in theory everybody of course would agree with, and support. There would however be big impacts on people who need to use cars for work, or because of age or disability or family reasons, and for businesses.

Have the plans been thought through well enough, by people who really know the area?

Has there been adequate engagement with the local community?

Controlled Parking Zones Phase 2 Consultation Leith

 

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The City of Edinburgh Council launched Phase 2 of its consultation yesterday on proposals for Controlled Parking Zones in the Leith area including Bonnington, Easter Road and what is described as ‘West Leith’ but is actually the area between  Lochend Road and Restalrig Road, East Hermitage Place and the colonies.

If you live in these areas please take time to look at the plans for the introduction of permit holder parking, pay and display and other measures. Then make your comments known via the online survey.

You can see the plans here.

The consultation company have also organised two virtual drop in sessions on

Wednesday, 24th February between 6-8pm

Tuesday, 2nd March between 1-3pm

You can sign up to attend these meetings through the link below

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/west-leith-cpz-drop-in-session-tickets-138733558809

Phase 1 of the consultation on parking took place in late 2019 for other areas of Leith.

This consultation is separate from the other consultation currently running on Leith Connections / Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

 

 

 

 

 

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CPZ Phase 2 Engagement opens Monday,15th Feb

Project Centre Limited, working on behalf of City Of Edinburgh Council, has made it known that they are undertaking an engagement exercise in this area. This exercise concerns the potential introduction of parking controls and will be starting on 15th February 2021.

CPZ – Controlled Parking Zone

This is what they say –

“The Council’s Strategic Review of Parking Review assessed parking across Edinburgh, as a means of identifying areas that might benefit from controlled parking. The outcomes from that review were reported to Committee in September 2019, with an expectation that initial consultations in each of the four proposed phases would follow throughout 2020. While the Phase 1 consultation took place in late 2019, the planned consultation for Phase 2, scheduled to take place in April 2020, was postponed as a result of Covid-19.

Phase 2 of this engagement will now take place over a four-week period starting on Monday 15th February 2021. Leaflets will be delivered to every property within the Phase 2 areas of Bonnington, Easter Road, West Leith (Lochend) and Willowbrae North. Anyone interested in the proposals will be able to view plans online, complete a questionnaire and leave comments on an interactive map on our website. We will also be holding virtual drop-in sessions for each of the areas listed above, where attendees can view the proposals, hear in more detail what is being proposed and ask questions regarding these proposals.

The following link takes you to the main landing page for this engagement, where each area of consideration is listed with links to individual pages available. The survey is located on the main page whilst the interactive maps are on the individual pages. Please note that the survey will be open from midnight Monday 15th February.”

www.consultprojectcentre.co.uk/parkingph2

Please respond to proposals for new cycleway and road changes in Leith

A new consultation has opened up this week about:

(1) a proposed new cycle route (called ‘Leith Connections’) from the bottom of Leith Walk to Ocean Terminal. The main aim is to create a segregated lane, to make cycling safer, but the plans also include some very radical changes to the roads and traffic along the route, including narrowing lanes, removal of parking and loading bays, moving bus stops and restricting access to several streets, including Yardheads, Parliament Street, Sandport Bridge.

(2) a proposed new ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’ (LTN) for the whole of Leith which would see many roads closed to through traffic. This is building on the city council’s ‘Active Travel Plan’ and aims to make the streets within the zone safer and more pleasant to walk and cycle and wheel in.

Either or both of these would mean very extensive permanent changes to how we get around Leith.

The Leith Links Community Council area is half in, and half out of the proposed LTN, but whether we happen to live inside or outside it, we will all be affected by the resulting effects on traffic.

Please take the time to read the proposals and respond to the consultation, which you can find here.

You can respond to the questionnaire as laid out, but it is one of those ones that sort of leads you into what the Council wants to hear, so it might suit you better to (also) use the other facility, which is to email your response to miles.wilkinson@edinburgh.gov.uk

The consultation closes on 28th February. Don’t put it off!!!

Feel free to also add comments below, if you wish, and we will try to incorporate these into the Community Council response.

 

FOOTBRIDGE DEMOLITION AT SEAFIELD

Local residents have received notification in advance of work to demolish the old footbridge which crosses the railway line at the entrance to Seafield Sewage Works. The area can already be a bottleneck for due to two sets of traffic lights between Seafield and Mcdonalds not synchronised which can lead to tail backs even when traffic flows should have reduced during lockdown. Work to remove the bridge will start on Thursday, 21st January until Monday, 1st February and will require a temporary 4 way light system so if you do have to travel then this could be the time to consider taking another route.

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