More changes planned for our area…?
The Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood has now been made permanent (and has apparently also been ‘renamed’ the “Leith Liveable Neighbourhood”)
But things have not stopped there. At the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee next week (6th March), Councillor Chas Booth is proposing a motion that signposts to further changes in our area. (See below) What do people think of these?
Can / should such steps just be imposed from ‘above’? Is it time for a public meeting, and a focused discussion with local residents, to explore the ideas Councillor Booth is pushing forward?
You can comment below, or email your views to: contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk
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| Motion by Councillor Booth – Liveable Neighbourhoods
“Committee: 1) Notes the decision of TRO sub-committee on 18 February to make the Leith Liveable Neighbourhood, introduced under ETRO 23/20, permanent; further notes that while the scheme was generally successful at reducing motor traffic, there was a traffic increase on Duncan Place and northbound on Salamander Place; 2) Notes that while there is a commitment in the City Mobility Plan (CMP) to roll out liveable neighbourhoods, this work is currently unfunded within the CMP action plan (action 105) but this is being assessed as part of the CMP CIP review agreed by committee in December 2024; 3) Requests a report to committee in 4 cycles setting out: a) options to address the increase in traffic on Duncan Place and northbound on Salamander Place including, but not limited to, moving the bus gate to Links Gardens and introducing a full modal filter at either the north end of Johns Place or the south end of Duncan Place; b) what further action can be taken to improve dropped kerbs, pavements camber and improve conditions for walkers and wheelers throughout the project area and in particular at Claremont Park/Gladstone Place, including the potential for a new pedestrian crossing near the nursing home; c) what further action can be taken to improve conditions for those cycling in the area, in particular along quiet route 10 between Sandport Bridge and Links Gardens; d) whether there would be advantages to coordinating the timing of any further changes to the Liveable Neighbourhood with rollout of the CPZ to the area south of Leith Links; e) any lessons learned from the Leith Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, in particular on how the council can better engage with disabled people who might be impacted by a scheme at the earliest possible stage.” |
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At the same meeting, it is proposed to launch proceedings to ban parking on a number of streets, by introducing new double yellow lines on both sides. Worryingly, according to a recent Evening News article, Claremont Park is included on the list – can this really be the case, given that it is a wide road with plenty room for buses to pass each other, and no record of pavement parking? Seafield Place, Seafield Road and Salamander Street are also listed. Further information urgently needed!
See the full meeting agenda here: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=7245&x=1
Thank you so much for all your hard work on this. We live on Restalrig Road, go to church in John’s Place and my husband is disabled and a wheelchair user. I’m also a cyclist. We would welcome an open meeting to share concerns about accessibility, particularly for the wheelchair on cobbles and broken pavements, and parking and congestion on Restalrig Road – it would make more sense to have double yellow lines up one side of Restalrig Road than any on Claremont Park.
We would not want to see any further traffic restrictions in our area, especially any motions:
(i) To extend the bus gate, and make it 2-way, at Links Place. For ourselves this would cause us to change our (3 times per week) morning route to Newhaven, thereby adding to traffic on other routes. We could also see a lot of problems with parents trying to drop off children at the school (U turns along Links Gardens) ……… this needs to be considered and all parents asked for feedback.
(ii) To restrict parking along Claremont Park. This is a wide road with no issues about lack of space for cars and buses in each direction. Any restriction there would impact on the adjacent roads, severly reducing the availability of parking.
One thing is clear, we will not be reducing our car usage, as we are sure will be the case for many other car users. The types of lives that we lead are not suitable to cycling or buses. We have a small car for town use and a larger car for carrying items necessary for our livelihood and longer distance travel. Any further traffic/parking restrictions will simply cause journey times to increase and pollution to increase on other routes. What is trying to be achieved? As electric vehicle usage increases (both battery and hydrogen fuel cell), pollution will be much less of an issue. So, is it a case that the Council want to remove cars completely? We wonder what the longer term (in 10 years) plans are, when pollution will not be an issue?