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Scott Arthur Latest

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  • Started 2 years ago by chdot
  • Latest reply from chdot
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  1. chdot
    Admin

    “I expect the "failure to prepare" was nothing to do with the vote, but that the Labour admin hadn't planned to put down enough double yellows on main roads.“

    Wouldn’t that involve planning and TROs?

    I increasingly believe a lot of the problems at CEC are down to Cllrs proposing and voting for stuff without the faintest idea about ‘resources’ - inc availability of staff/contractors.

    “It was also clear that there were going to be issues in implementing the ban in Telford, and so it has turned out with people now parking on the main road, disrupting traffic flow and buses. The Labour council administration failed to prepare properly – despite the warnings of my SNP colleagues on the Transport and Environment Committee.

    Came from -

    https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-community-plagued-pavement-parking-28697545

    Posted 9 months ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    Q "We should talk about where cars belong and where they don't belong" @CllrScottArthur this is difficult esp because goods vehicles need access, but need to reduce non essential car journeys & avoid delays for buses #SpokesMtg

    https://twitter.com/bjpaddy/status/1763305137949253821?

    Posted 8 months ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

    .
    @CllrScottArthur
    - we've always prioritised the movement motor vehicles, and that needs to change

    https://x.com/bjpaddy/status/1763301416167203050?

    Posted 8 months ago #
  4. chdot
    Admin

    Thanks to all for the healthy debate this evening - very pleased to hear comments from businesses, drivers and pedestrians as well as cyclists.

    Thanks to Emma and Ewan for ensuring we behaved, and @laura_laker for making sense of it all.

    https://x.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1763338084488548552

    Posted 8 months ago #
  5. Kim
    Member

    The windbag was showing ignorance last night. There is a massive opportunity to make real change, but he is more worried that he will get stuck on a bus, than take that opportunity.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  6. chdot
    Admin

    In February 2023 City of Edinburgh Council set it’s budget for the coming year, and that included a one-time £11 million surge in funding for road and footpath maintenance. This reflected the state of the roads and footpaths Councillors inherited after the 2022 election. Indeed, when I became Convener I inherited a situation whereby road and foot path maintenance was underfunded by £8 million per year (I question the roads engineer here).

    This is because good quality Pavements, Streetscapes, Lighting and Roads infrastructure benefit all our citizens and visitors whenever they walk, wheel, cycle or use public transport. Investment in our infrastructure improves safety and enhances the appearance of our city. It’s essential that we continue investment in both basic infrastructure and active travel.

    Labour’s proposal will mean of these funds will include investment in road safety and community-lead projects and in improving areas identified as feeling unsafe in the Women’s Safety survey.

    https://drscottarthur.scot/2024/02/14/a-short-note-on-road-and-footpath-maintenance-budget-2024-45-for-city-of-edinburgh-council/

    Posted 8 months ago #
  7. chdot
    Admin

    My bold

    Getting Stuff Done - New bus service for Edinburgh estate could be in place by summer.

    Me - "It's really important to get Dumbiedykes connected.  Edinburgh has a fantastic bus service, but if you live in Dumbiedykes, which is just at the edge of the city centre, you probably get angry every time you hear that because you've no bus service."

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-buses-new-bus-service-for-dumbiedykes-could-be-up-and-running-by-summer-4539756

    https://x.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1763922184022421608

    Posted 8 months ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    I am working with @TransformScot on this, we plan to send the Scottish Government a fairly stern letter.

    https://x.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1765125501331308964

    (Zebra crossings)

    Posted 8 months ago #
  9. pringlis
    Member

    What on earth is he doing sending Tweets during the meeting, literally while council officers are talking on the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route?

    https://twitter.com/CllrScottArthur/status/1765746590768070731

    Posted 8 months ago #
  10. chdot
    Admin

    However Cllr Arthur said overhauling the transport system, getting more cars off the road and reducing congestion would be essential to cope with 37,000 new homes being built across the city over the next few years.

    He said: "I feel that investing in walking and cycling is key.

    "Above all else, however, prioritising our fantastic municipal public transport system will help us tackle that challenge whilst also reducing inequality and supporting economic growth. I was pleased that this approach was supported by a public consultation last year."

    He added: "Indeed, as a committed socialist himself, I am sure “Bonnie Prince Bob” will agree that we need a transport system which works for everyone and that it is time that Edinburgh caught up with other progressive European cities.

    "I accept that people may have questions about this transition, and I am open to hearing alternative proposals to deal with the challenges we face. Trying to squeeze more cars into Edinburgh, however, will not work."

    https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-campaign-set-highlight-war-28768490

    Posted 8 months ago #
  11. Dave
    Member

    Scott Arthur has just voted to destroy one of the city's most credible attempts at a 20 minute neighbourhood, so comrade Bob is clearly having more of an impact than he realised ;-)

    Posted 8 months ago #
  12. SRD
    Moderator

    I don't see how he can face the parents of any of those children mentioned at the start of the meeting after this.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  13. acsimpson
    Member

    I certainly have questions about this transition. I'll start with "Why are you trying to squeeze more cars into Edinburgh when you already know it will not work?"

    Despite his comments earlier in the week he has clearly already stopped thinking about Thomas Wong. He has exhibited no desire to see children being safe on their way to school by this plan to allow all vehicles to criss cross the area with no restriction.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  14. Arellcat
    Moderator

    On my ride home today I cycled up Braid Road from Morningside and had a go with the zebra crossings. Let me put it this way: drivers RIGHT NOW aren't even looking for people waiting to cross.

    It's a very simple set of manoeuvres to get from the northern section of Braid Rd to Braidburn Terrace, crossing Hermitage Drive and then the southern end of Braid Rd. I had to wait for three or four drivers to steam past before I got to cross the first zebra - and then another three or four to cross the second zebra, and the driver who stopped did so only at the last minute. And the driver behind them blew their horn, presumably in indignation.

    I fail to see how removing the current filter will make anything better for anyone not in a metal box. Drivers have barely got used to the current setup, and it sounds like we're all set to go changing it yet again.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  15. Stickman
    Member

  16. Dave
    Member

    Putting thousands of new vehicle movements through what could have been a quiet "20 minute" style neighbourhood but then trying to say it's ok because you'll spend a fortune on partly mitigating it on just one street.. as though somehow "safety measures at junctions" with thousands of turning vehicles is safer than actually removing the vehicle conflicts at source.

    It looks like there was only a difference in balance of maybe 250-300 responses (that made option 3 more popular than option 1). That's less than 1% of the population of the immediately surrounding wards! Knowing what studies have shown about who responds to consultations and who doesn't, portraying this as the inevitable will of the residents is just such garbage.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  17. Dave
    Member

    Just 4% of respondents on Braid Avenue supported Scott Arthur's reopening plan?

    Posted 8 months ago #
  18. Morningsider
    Member

    I think that blog headline is quite revealing of how Cllr Arthur views all this. It's about "parties" and "positions", politics as football - which team "wins", who is up and who is down, which group has the noisiest fans, and who can get the media onside.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  19. chdot
    Admin

    However city transport chief Councillor Scott Arthur said the consultation response “isn’t really what I expected,” adding: “I thought there would be broader support.”

    https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-locals-divided-over-plans-27859518

    Posted 8 months ago #
  20. Dave
    Member

    This has to be some of the worst gaslighting out there, considering Scott Arthur just voted to rip up the quiet route and low traffic neighbourhood because it didn't command an outright majority at consultation:

    people in the Braid estate, many of whom support [removing the low traffic area], are going to be contacting us, possibly asking for some of these filters to come back. And as a committee, given the nature of this debate, I think we have to be open to those requests.

    As he's framed this as a righteous correction of previous "popularity contest" consultations not being observed, it's obvious that the bar for local residents, concerned parents, etc is now impossibly high. How will they ever get a new "yet another consultation" off the ground, let alone bring home a majority of the vote? While just 4% of residents on Braid Av support reopening today, that's still not enough to win the consultation. It will inevitably be a lot less when asking to bring in restrictions that aren't already there showing benefit on the ground

    Posted 8 months ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    Redford Road

    I ran a campaign to have it reduced to 20mph, and it may well happen.

    https://twitter.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1765859103044182223

    Posted 8 months ago #
  22. Dave
    Member

    At consultation 58% of people did not support further 20mph rollout.

    If he can rip apart a quiet neighbourhood scheme on the balance of well under 1% of residents' "votes" on a turnout in the single figures, but then impose speed limit changes despite them not being supported, what does any of this really mean? Corstorphine scheme also rejected but overridden. Scott Arthur can effectively cherry pick what he wants to kill and what to support.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  23. gembo
    Member

    Yes but is the one per cent not in the constituency he is trying to win? As an MP?

    Posted 8 months ago #
  24. acsimpson
    Member

    That doesn't make sense either. The local people support the scheme.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    We are obliged to consult on this. Even is we agree to make Redford Road 20mph, the law requires further engagement.

    https://twitter.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1766386963093885241

    You have to feel sorry for SA, he clearly doesn’t have control/influence over most things.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  26. chdot
    Admin

    Consultation long grass. Brilliant. I tend to care more about reducing the number of injured and dead children than people’s ‘opinions’.

    We and the world know that speed kills.

    Doesn’t need a consultation. I pray every day my children cross Redford Rd.

    https://twitter.com/sbarlster/status/1766386224657289631

    Posted 8 months ago #
  27. Dave
    Member

    There's an alternative universe where, instead of greasing along with everybody and ripping out infrastructure to keep in with the Tories and the motoring vote (while unveiling impractical unfundable grand future schemes as an attack strategy against central govt), Scott Arthur created a huge legacy of liveable neighbourhoods and was remembered as a bold leader of the city who ushered in a rampantly popular and successful active travel network.

    Instead of being like a Jon Burke or Khan-like figure, alas, Scott Arthur in real life is like an anti- version of Burke. Destroying the Braids scheme days after the killing of a child will be one of his defining moments IMO

    Posted 8 months ago #
  28. chdot
    Admin

    @ Dave

    Agree

    “a bold leader of the city”

    Real problem is that he ISN’T a “leader” beyond the title Convenor.

    This is primarily about petty Party politics where SA isn’t one of the louder voices.

    Posted 8 months ago #
  29. neddie
    Member

    Scott Arthur gets a roasting:

    https://t.co/OEnMbDbDzM

    Full Twitter thread:

    https://twitter.com/blackfordsafer1/status/1766447383120888009

    Posted 8 months ago #
  30. chdot
    Admin

    Next week Colinton Community Council's March meeting will include an invited session from the Council on roads and footpath maintenance. In attendance will be:

    1 The Transport Manager - Asset and Performance
    2 Head of Roads and Infrastructure

    The meeting is open to local residents: 12 March 2024 at 7.30pm in Colinton Bowling Club, 49a Redford Road.

    Come along to find out how the extra money allocated this year will be prioritized.

    Well done to @ColintonCC for organizing this.

    https://twitter.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1766920052991840352

    Posted 8 months ago #

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