Council approves controversial Spaces for People project

A controversial project of road closures and traffic management throughout Edinburgh has been approved by the council.

The ‘Spaces for People’ programme was approved during a meeting with Edinburgh City Council on Thursday after a number of changes were made to the proposal.

New measures will be brought in on South Bridge, the A1, A90, Lanark Road and Warriston Road.

The changes include:

South Bridge – The carriageway will be reduced down to two lanes, north bound will be closed to all traffic except buses and taxis between 7.30am and 6.30pm, cycle segregation will be introduced on both sides, and all bus stops will be relocated to North Bridge.

Lanark Road, Longstone Road and Inglis Green Road – Installation of cycle segregation lanes, revised parking arrangements, introduction of bus lane on approach to Gillespie Crossroads, and reduction of speed limit to 30mph.

A1 and A90 – Segregated cycle routes, pedestrian safety improvements and street clutter removal along both arterial routes.

Among the four measures highlighted for more significant amendments is the closure of Warriston Road, which is no longer considered necessary due to decreased pressure on the North Edinburgh Path Network.

On Victoria Street, limited servicing access will be introduced, to allow delivery and servicing access where required, and Silverknowes Road (north section), which is currently closed, will be reopened to public transport, along with a segregated cycle lane.

Councillors have also approved the continued closure of Braid Road, as part of the wider Greenbank to Meadows scheme.

Councillors have been updated on the various smaller schemes the council is set to implement as part of the Spaces for People programme, using temporary coronavirus powers.

Council officers are set to introduce:

Pavement widening and an uphill cycle lane on Broughton Street;
Pedestrian crossing improvements on Broughton Street roundabout;
Pavement widening and an uphill cycle lane on Restalrig Road South (Smokey Brae);
Pavement widening with ‘give and go’ traffic management on Starbank Road;
Installation of a pedestrian/cyclist crossing point on Fillyside Road;
Pavement widening on Fillyside Road;
Footpath widening at the West End of Princes Street;
Cycle segregation from the City of Edinburgh boundary into Portobello;
Improved signage and minor interventions to reduce speed of cyclists on Portobello Promenade.

Council officers have updated councillors on the schemes the council is currently developing, which they hope to bring before the committee in January 2021.

This includes a scheme in south Corstorphine, where measures are proposed to close some local roads and to introduce waiting restrictions to reduce intrusive traffic and improve road safety in the Featherhall area, and in Leith where measures proposed include closing some local roads and introducing waiting restrictions to reduce intrusive traffic and improve road safety.