Edinburgh City Council has revealed that 57 percent of respondents objected to the city’s Travelling Safely programme - previously known as Spaces for People - either in full or in part.
The 1,230 responses have been quantified and released ahead of a Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday to hear an update on the future of Travelling Safely measures.
Most objections related to traffic congestion, safety issues, cycling and cycle lane comments, pollution, accessibility, and parking, but the council said it is worth noting the ‘relatively large number of supportive comments’ which are generally related to feeling safer in the current cycle lanes and feeling encouraged to cycle more often.
According to the council’s Travelling Safely Update, 57 percent of public engagement objected to some or all of the schemes, and 24 percent of responses were supportive of some or all measures. The remaining responses were considered general comments or queries.
Three Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) in the south of the city received the highest amount of feedback during public engagement.
Cycle segregation and a 24-hour bus lane on Comiston Road received 234 comments from the public, with most concerned about traffic congestion. However, the council believes the congestion is attributable to the Braid Road one-way rather than the measures on Comiston Road itself.
Various closures around the Meadows and Greenbank also received a lot of mixed feedback. 373 comments were received, and the council has proposed better community engagement to explore successes and weaknesses. The council will also consider modifications, including an additional modal filter on Clinton Road to mitigate the impact of through traffic.
The one way scheme on Braid Road received 376 comments, and the council has proposed re-opening Braid Road as a two way street south of Braidburn Terrace. They will also consider a temporary junction layout while awaiting a permanent scheme contractor in late 2022.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said:
“Last year, Transport and Environment Committee agreed to retain many of the schemes introduced through Spaces for People, now Travelling Safely, on a trial basis, to explore how the measures could continue to support people to walk, wheel and cycle safely in Edinburgh.
“It’s essential that the people who live here are part of this process though. In addition to a major consultation and market research carried out in 2021, a recent period of public engagement has helped to identify changes and amendments that can further improve measures when they are extended under Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
“If the committee agrees to progress these ETROs, a full and proper statutory consultation will be carried out alongside it, so that the Council can continue to learn and improve upon the changes.”
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The programme, formerly known as Spaces for People, was introduced in 2020 and 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the council, steps have been taken to “retain some schemes on an experimental basis, to remove others post-pandemic and to engage further with communities on options for a handful of measures.”
The full council previously approved extending the lifespan of many interventions on a trial basis under ETROs, and officers have carried out public engagement on the proposed changes along with detailed scheme reviews to identify any technical issues and improve designs where needed before proceeding with ETROs.
As a result, amendments have been recommended to a number of schemes, for approval by Transport and Environment Committee. Following the introduction of the ETRO, a formal six-month consultation period will commence, during which time individuals or organisations can share feedback on the schemes, which will be taken into consideration.
As agreed by the council, a number of schemes, including Lanark Road, Comiston Road, Braid Road and Drum Brae North, have been subject to more detailed consideration and engagement with local communities to develop options for their retention or modification.
More information about the Travelling Safely programme can be found on the Edinburgh City Council website
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