Residents group hit out at Edinburgh Council for misleading on Spaces for People scheme

Longstone, Inglis and Lanark Road are part of a 4.4 mile stretch of carriageway that has been earmarked for the introduction of emergency cycle lanes by the council.

South West Edinburgh in Motion (SWEM) is a broad coalition of local residents who are opposed to the current proposals on the grounds that they are “a solution to a problem that does not exist.”

SWEM also challenged the legality of the council’s proposals, insisting the local authority has misled the public with regards to the evidence for the works and the level of public support.

But the council is adamant that their proposals have support following feedback from various local stakeholders.

It has also doubled down on the necessity of the SfP works - citing both the need to improve congestion along the Union Canal and Water of Leith pedestrian routes as well as to make it safer to cycle along the 4.4 mile stretch of road.

The council responded to concerns by saying that the implementation of these emergency Temporary Traffic Restriction Order (TRRO) measures were mostly based on the knowledge of expert officers that have been built up over a number of years and through the collection of data from bike counters at Spylaw Park.

Cycle counters adjacent to Splaw Park during May and June of 2020 saw an increase of around 169 percent in bike traffic - leading to calls for pressure to be alleviated on the route.

The council was unable to elaborate on what made up the basis of the expert knowledge and conceded that a consultation with local residents was not part of the implementation of the plans.

SWEM and Colinton/Fairmilehead councillor, Jason Rust, have said that they doubt the level of community engagement by council officers that has gone into implementing these measures.

Earlier this week, representatives from SWEM and local stakeholders including businesses, met with the transport convenor, Lesley Macinnes, to discuss their concerns.

As a result, the council altered their plans by adding additional parking spaces near concerned premises - though SWEM and councillor Rust feel this was not enough.

On this, councillor Macinnes said: “Earlier this week council officers had, what we thought, was a productive meeting with community members and representatives on the Lanark Road and Longstone Road proposals and we are preparing a more formal response to SWEM on their legal challenge to this scheme and on some of the other points raised. We have responded to concerns raised by local businesses and residents and, as was explained on Monday, have made significant changes to the original proposed designs.

“We have made several changes to this scheme in response to residents and businesses, and, thanks to its temporary nature, we will be able monitor and tweak designs once it’s on the ground. This follows the process set out and approved by the Policy and Sustainability Committee in May, and ensures the community can continue to have an input and raise any concerns once they see the scheme in place.”

The transport vice convener, councillor Karen Doran, added: “We are in a unique situation where we need to implement changes quickly, across the city, to help people to travel safely by foot, bike or wheelchair, and our officers have been working extremely hard to implement a programme of measures in the areas where they are most needed.

“Of course, we appreciate some people will have concerns around changes, and we’ve made every effort to address these while maintaining the effectiveness of schemes for protecting public safety. We’ve already received feedback from many people, including local children, who welcome the introduction of a cycle lane on Lanark Road and Longstone Road, which will provide a safe and convenient route out of the city.”

But SWEM have hit back by saying that there is no trust amongst residents that the council will adapt and modify this scheme as they have previously promised to do.

A spokesperson said: “The council has run a Commonplace survey that they say will inform their plans on SfP projects - but it just seems as if it has been a tick box exercise. Not only have the responses to this survey been ignored but they have also ignored all of the 300 email objections and 1,400 petition signatures. Why do they feel able and justified to do this?

“Quite simply, it is because in their own words, they are using a TTRO as ‘TTROs have a simpler legal process and, unlike a TRO, cannot be objected to.’ The council are being disingenuous with the way they are alluding to general public support for the works on Lanark, Inglis and Longstone Road."

Councillor Rust added: “I’m extremely concerned by the council’s failure to engage with residents from the outset and this has created such a lack of trust. Public input could have validated the project. Instead the Council is foisting a scheme on a community which has been overwhelmingly opposed and not sufficiently evidenced.

"It seems the plans were prepared months ago and there was more than enough time for the Council to have progressed a Traffic Regulation Order and had proper consultation had it genuinely wanted. It is really disappointing that the council is still not getting the message.”

Councillor Macinnes added: “The introduction of a segregated cycle lane and lowered speed limit will significantly improve cycle safety on this route, where we have previously seen many near misses and, tragically, a fatality.

"Our officers, who have a great deal of knowledge in this area, identified this measure to provide an alternative safe cycling route to the Union Canal and Water of Leith, alleviating pinch points, which have been an area of concern for many years and are a particular issue as people attempt to physically distance.

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