As expected, this was passed at full Council.
Fair to say Lesley Macinnes was fuming at the Tories.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
“Plans to make Edinburgh city centre ‘largely traffic free’ “
(191 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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Conservatives, clue is in the name. Not keen on the future
Posted 5 years ago # -
Well, it's certainly a novelty to see the Tories calling for more scrutiny of a policy these days...
Posted 5 years ago # -
"Transport and environment convener, Cllr Lesley Macinnes, told councillors that the city centre transformation project will “build a capital city fit for the future” with a “ground-breaking approach”.
She added: “Cities across Europe are looking to us for leadership. We must address the challenges of congestion, pollution and stress caused by an increase of vehicle use.”"
I understand that Cllr Macinnes spoke very eloquently at the Council meeting, so respect to her. However I am curious about which cities in Europe would follow Edinburgh’s example, when there are plenty of other cities like Siena, Oslo and Llubljana who are well ahead in transforming their city centres, let alone the usual City Godheads of Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
Posted 5 years ago # -
What Rosie said
"
I understand that Cllr Macinnes spoke very eloquently at the Council meeting, so respect to her. However I am curious about which cities in Europe would follow Edinburgh’s example, when there are plenty of other cities like Siena, Oslo and Llubljana who are well ahead in transforming their city centres, let alone the usual City Godheads of Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
"+1
Copenhagen and Amsterdam have done it already so it really frustrates me with the level of "patheticness" of schemes for pedestrians and cyclists in Edinburgh. Just look at all the lights where motorised traffic has priority.... Why can't we just not copy what those cities have done in terms of design and has been shown to work?
The ironic thing is that motorised traffic flows well in places like Copenhagen because there is so little of it.... put all the people on bikes back into cars and....?
I do take some solace though in the number of people you see on bikes now in Edinburgh. It's not unusual to share an ASL with at least 2 or 3 others :-)
Posted 5 years ago # -
largely snarled up just now, due to the climate change striker
see the Superordinate Category on Climate Change that is often overlooked
Posted 5 years ago # -
COUNCIL chiefs have been accused of trying to “sneak through” an effective ban on cars from The Mound by putting the proposals to a small panel of councillors making urgent decisions during the coronavirus crisis.
Detailed plans for traffic changes in the city centre would see Bank Street - the stretch of road between The Mound and the Royal Mile - restricted to buses, taxis and cycles. Although cars could still travel in both directions on The Mound between Princes Street and Market Street, it would no longer be a north-south through route.
Market Street would also be closed to through car traffic, with only buses and taxis allowed, as well as cars dropping off people at Waverley station.
Council meetings have been suspended due to the coronavirus crisis, but the plans are due to be discussed via Skype today at the leadership advisory panel, which is made up of the leaders of the five main party groups on the council.
Tory group leader Iain Whyte said such major, long-term proposals needed proper scrutiny and should not be brought to the panel during the Covid-19 crisis.
He said: “This should be coming to a proper committee to discuss. The leadership advisory panel is meant for taking urgent decisions, not big long-term strategic decisions.
“They are trying to sneak this under the radar here by dramatically changing the city centre layout when the news agenda is fully on other things. You would almost think they were playing fast and loose with council rules to get this through.”
Council leader Adam McVey said: “These projects are working to externally set funding deadlines and if we’re to take these projects forward we need to take cognisance of that.
“Our teams are working from home, in line with Government advice, to deliver project funding for improvements to our city. There has been no instruction to pause work where we still have the capacity to deliver it and staff aren’t needed to deal with the direct Covid-19 crisis.
“This has been explained to the Tories so it’s a pity they have chosen still to attack these projects.”
Posted 5 years ago # -
They all voted through the plans with this in months ago?.....
Posted 5 years ago # -
Tory group leader Iain Whyte said such major, long-term proposals needed proper scrutiny and should not be brought to the panel during the Covid-19 crisis.
Nope. This is exactly the right time to implement this measure. We should never go back to business-as-usual in terms of private motor traffic in the city centre.
It's a bit like saying "now's not the right time to implement gun laws after a mass shooting" or "now's not the right time to implement climate actions after a major flood"
Posted 5 years ago # -
I would ca'canny on this one. A whole load of folk are just itching to implement their pet policies on the back of this and some of them are our worst enemies.
Goose and gander both liable to saucing.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Too late.
Police and government have a whole load of new powers.
Free parking.
Posted 5 years ago #
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