City pf Edinburgh Council’s ‘SpacesforPeople’ scheme is proposing the following changes to Great Junction Street in order to make it better for pedestrians and cyclists.
Consultation time is very short – all comments must be in by 1200 on Friday 10 July to spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk
“Covid-19 Cycling and Walking Emergency Response Measures
Proposed waiting/loading restriction changes to facilitate footway widening – Great Junction Street
We would suggest that you view the attached plan to see the detail of what is proposed. In summary it shows:
- Intervention to widen footpaths where necessary adjacent to commercial properties, unfortunately Great Junction Street has considerable street clutter that reduce the available width. Additional parking/loading/unloading facilities can be provided in adjacent side streets, and reintroduced where possible.
- All of the existing bus stops will be retained.
- Unfortunately, due to the limited width on the footway, and the presence of on street queueing significant footpath widening is necessary.
- Footways widened into the bus lane on both sides of the road from Leith Walk to Junction Place, to enable social distancing in the area of highest density business premises.
- Remainder of bus lane outside of widened footway to be availible for cyclists.
- South west footway widened from Junction Place to Bangor Road to provide additional capacity for social distancing and to aid businesses reopening.
- Note that it is planned that several narrow points at existing bus stops will be widened under Phase 2 when temporary ramp materials are available.
In the first instance these measures will be introduced quickly using temporary traffic management equipment, such as cones. Where deemed suitable, this equipment will then be replaced with more robust semi-permanent materials once available.
Given the urgency to make the required changes any comments relating to these proposals should be received by 1200hrs on Friday 10 July to spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk.
All feedback will be reviewed and where possible the scheme will be further refined. Feedback will be summarised in an assessment feedback form which will be presented to the Council Incident Management Team for approval. Please note that we will be unable to respond to each and every email.
If the proposal is approved for implementation, publicity will then be undertaken so that local people are aware of the changes. A dedicated inbox will help us to manage any feedback around proposals –spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk
The introduction of, or changes to, any restrictions will be implemented under emergency delegated decision-making powers using a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order.
Regards
Spaces for People Team”
(you will see the map better if you open the view the attached plan document, this is just a screen shot)
Leith Links Community Council is a member of the coalition ‘Community Councils Together on Trams’ (CCTT) alongside Leith Central Community Council, Leith Harbour & Newhaven Community Council and New Town & Broughton Community Council. CCTT meets monthly with the Tram Team to discuss, scrutinise and influence the step by step development of the Trams to Newhaven project, on behalf of our local communities.