"If you want to make a nice space for pedestrians you need to do more than ban the cars (although that may very well be an improvement), you need to bring life to the space. Or at least bring enough people there."
That may be 'true' - or part of the problem of judging success.
Obviously 'we' might be something of a minority wanting all/most cars banned - certainty removing the centre parking at least, but "life"?
Recent arrangements in George Street have increased "footfall". Presumably people in Essential Edinburgh know if that's people visiting shops or the tents that are supposed to now be removed permanently.
Are they expecting tumbleweed or marauding gangs of cutpurses?
"Edinburgh has had as many pedestrianisation schemes that have been seen as failures (Festival Square / South St Andrews Street) as have been successes (Royal Mile, Cowgate)."
Well
So the uniqueness of the RM is a pedestrianised success - that's good. Medieval charm is hard to replicate.
Festival Square - bland and soulless, quite often cold and windy too - looks a bit too much like the patio of a posh hotel.
Might have been better if the sculpture/fountain thing had been in the centre.
Cowgate's part-time pedestrianisation was done for the safety of the punters. No doubt the pubs have benefited, but an exciting public space?? Perhaps...
(Or maybe they meant the Grassmarket?)
S St A St - really??
Perhaps they meant Castle Street. Who thought marble was a good seating material in Edinburgh?