It’s that time of year again. All the party proposals here:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=150&MId=7602
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Edinburgh council budget 2026/27
(16 posts)-
Posted 6 days ago #
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Interestingly, the SNP propose 10% ring fencing of the transport budget for active travel projects in areas of high SIMD.
Tories have blamed every travel ill on cycling and want to stop all future cycle lanes.
Posted 6 days ago # -
I do wonder how big the anti-cycling vote is. In Edinburgh, cycling isn't some weird, niche activity. 10% of working residents cycle to their workplace. Must be hard to paint cyclists as some oddball minority when a lot of people are cyclits, live with cyclists, or work with them.
The success of the Voi bikes will make such views even harder to sustain, as they do seem to be used by a broad spectrum of people simply going about their business.
Also, young people are less inclined to take up driving (for various reasons) today than in presvious years, so it can hardly be a vote winner there.
Posted 6 days ago # -
Bashing cyclists is just in the Crazy Sue Playboook. I pass her walking her dug every so often and slow down, ensure she has seen me, and she thanks me. All polite. Also. Well behaved dog. But this rhetoric is part of a narrative that right wingers believe gets them elected. The anti-cycling is just part of the narrative.
The 10% corresponds kinda with green support. The Greens are the only pro-cycling party, LibDems use above rhetoric, Labour and SNP do nothing.
THe young whilst not driving also dont vote. So much. You cant really blame them given the turkey necks on the ticket. Some favour more direct action which i feel is correct given the options others are a bit apathetic cant blame them.
Edinburgh does seem to be full of large single occupant motor cars. People complain about potholes which are caused by large single occupant motor cars amongst other factors.
Fix the Potholes could get a mayor elected if we elected mayors.
Reform has a councillor in West Lothian. You dont need to support Rangers to vote Reform. But it helps.
I look forward in my work to the upcoming period of not talking politics formerly known as Purdah.
One of the really lovely helpful chaps at my work drives the biggest most stupid motor I have ever seen, unless he runs a lumberjack firm on the side.
I think some of the council officers themselves will seek to block change. Motornomativity is everywhere.
Posted 6 days ago # -
SNP folks have to be looking at what their Glasgow colleagues are getting done, though; and my experience of flagging up cycling stuff with their group has been very positive at least in terms of welcome and response…
Posted 6 days ago # -
Also in the Conservative motion:
"Agrees to terminate the Council’s membership of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities delivering an annual saving of £295,000 from 2027/28"
Is this as bananas as it sounds?
Posted 6 days ago # -
Yeah - it's the council equivalent of Brexit. CoSLA leads collective bargaining with the Scottish Government, on issues such as the budget, on behalf of all Councils.
Posted 6 days ago # -
Hopefully if the sort of hung parly with Councilor Cammy D doing the dirty is replaced by SNP majority they will @bakky
Posted 5 days ago # -
I’m still bitter the coup attempt from SNP & Greens didn’t work out - mere handful of votes in it if I recall.
Posted 5 days ago # -
@Morningsider good to hear lessons have been learned at a local level from such national wellbeing footguns :)
Posted 5 days ago # -
On CoSLA, Glasgow came out of the coalition a few years ago but seemed to rejoin at the next possible alternative. The idea of CoSLA is that deals with Scottish Govt dont just suit the big authorities. THe downside is that bigger authorities do tend to subsidize the tiny authorities in various non-massive ways. Eg Edinburgh has schools that council tax payers in West Lothian use. Or if you like Edinburgh has roads that are worn down by drivers from W Lothian. Hence the need for a Congestion charge
Posted 5 days ago # -
Webber has launched the Tory national transport policy today. As expected, massively car-brained. And this would effectively ban all future cycle lanes.
Making space for drivers and pedestrians, by directing councils to ensure that new cycle paths are clearly segregated from existing roads and pavements, and do not encroach on existing road space. We would also introduce a law to compel local authorities to remove all the temporary active travel infrastructure installed using emergency Covid legislation, and prevent local authorities from installing floating bus stops.
https://www.scottishconservatives.com/policies/get-scotland-moving/
Posted 4 days ago # -
Perhaps start by asking the Tories how they would fund their commitments, which likely total over £15 billion. That is:
dualling the A1, A75, A77, A9, and A96.
Electrifying the ECML between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Electrifying the Borders Railway and extending it to Carlisle.Also, wait until they find out no cycle lanes in place today are authorised under emergency covid legislation, or that the Scottish Government doesn't have the power to direct a roads authority how to exercise its road management and maintenance functions, or even that the legal definition of a "road" includes footways, cycle paths, and the carriageway.
Posted 4 days ago # -
You mean their “emergency laws” won’t cover all that?
Posted 4 days ago # -
“
Can you cycle on the pavement? What about a footpath? The answer is “no”, isn’t it? Unfortunately, not. As with many seemingly simple questions, the answer is a less than satisfactory “It depends”.
“
Posted 4 days ago # -
I go with Mr Dizee Rascal’s assessment of Sue WEbbermad [short pause…..] BONKERS
Posted 4 days ago #
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