Locals in the west of Edinburgh have been left baffled after a huge lilac and white road painting appeared at the end of their street.
As part of the Corstorphine Connections project, the area is set to be used as a mini playground for children with planters and benches set to be installed in the coming weeks - and cars banned from the zone.
Despite residents being made aware of the changes, many have been left angered as access to Featherhall Crescent is set to be closed off during the 18-month experiment.
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With images of the large road marking circulating on social media in recent weeks, many have been left baffled at why the area has been targeted as a zone for children to play and socialise. Many locals claim there are few who were in favour of the idea and made their feelings known to the council.
To get some local opinion on the Corstorphine Connections project and the new road marking at the junction to Featherhall Crescent, we headed over and spoke to various residents who expressed their displeasure.
Linda Dougal, who has lived on Featherhall Crescent South for three years, said: "It looks disgusting. How they actually got planning permission for that I'll never know as the mix of colours is awful. I understand it is designed to give the area a bit of colour but that can be done without marking the road.
"We did get notified but I know many people who wrote to the council to disagree with the plans. There is slightly less traffic on the road during school time with the road being closed but I don't think it was a particularly busy road anyway.
"There's actually fewer and fewer places to park now as nearby workers just leave their cars on the street all day. If you literally look at the road just before the road marking it's full of holes. They should be fixing the road and pavements first."
One of Linda's neighbours, who wished to remain anonymous, also spoke of his frustration regarding the works and said he has been left scratching his head as to why it was pushed through in the first place.
He said: "We're not happy at all. I'm trying to figure out what reason the council have for closing off the road and making it into some sort of playground. There are parks nearby and I'm more worried about people coming over from McDonald's and leaving litter.
"Over the last month traffic has actually increased. People are having to drive via Featherhall Avenue which is one of the worst roads in Corstorphine and it has become busier and difficult to get through. They say it is an experiment but I've no doubt it will be made permanent. They're hardly going to come and remove that big road painting.
"The whole thing doesn't make sense to me, there was an initial meeting about it during Covid online and lots of us voiced our complaints but heard nothing back - it's pointless complaining."
Transport and Environment Convener Scott Arthur confirmed that as part of the first phase of Corstorphine Connections, the placemaking improvements on Featherhall Crescent will also include planters, seating and signs in the coming weeks.
He added that after all the changes have been implemented, locals will be able to share feedback on the measures.
One of the residents who lives right next to the road marking, Jacqueline, said she's furious and is planning on building a bigger fence in her front garden to block out the mini playground.
She said: "Nobody here is happy about it, I've not spoken with one person who thinks it's a good idea. This corner of road always floods but the council are more worried about this.
"I'm actually going to get a bigger fence because who knows what type of people this is going to attract when it's finished. If you look at it you can see it is already chipped and that's just after weeks. The workers have also just left signs outside my gate.
"I recently paid for this new white line outside and it has been damaged already. The road is a complete state with holes everywhere. I know it's meant to be for children but I wouldn't send my daughter out there to play.
"There's a man on the corner who regularly phones an ambulance and how are they going to get access quickly? They'll have to take the long way round. I'm actually debating moving but I don't want to as I've been here ten years. When the work was being carried out, my whole house was actually shaking too."
Several other residents spoke of how the street has become an eyesore and described the idea as "a load of rubbish." Also speaking anonymously, the two women commented: "Who came up with this?
"I live on the street and have the beauty spot of Corstorphine Hill to look at out of one window, and then this out of the other. The council say it was passed on feedback but as far as I know, everyone here hates it.
"I think it will attract youths to the area whereas kids already have nearby parks to play in."
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We’re currently in the process of implementing the first phase of measures to walk and cycle around Corstorphine Connections, including placemaking improvements for families on Featherhall Crescent, which is now closed to traffic. Over the next week we’ll be adding seating, signs and a planter to the street – I hope that these changes will mean this soon becomes an area where families can use.
“We’ve carried out lots of engagement with the community on these improvements and have written to residents in recent months to update them on our progress.
“These local streets are key school routes and creating safe and welcoming streets for children to walk, cycle and wheel to school has been one of the key considerations in the project’s development. The scheme is being implemented as trial and will be carefully monitored with further community consultation to be undertaken as part of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).”
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