One-way plan for Queensferry High Street shelved over funding fears

Plans to introduce a new one-way system on Queensferry High Street have been shelved because of funding constraints imposed by the Scottish Government.

A proposal was pushed forward to change the high street to one-way traffic from west to east, in a bid to tackle congestion. But plans have been revised after Scottish Ministers said the money must be committed by the end of March or would be lost. The legal orders needed to create a one-way system cannot be agreed before the end of the financial year.

Liberal Democrat ward Cllr Kevin Lang said: “Queensferry High Street is one of the most iconic parts of the city. This multi-million pound project offers a real chance to make the area an even better place for residents and the visitors who come from around the world.

“The various community consultations showed real concern over the congestion which has long plagued this narrow high street. At weekends and holiday periods, the whole area can get completely jammed. It’s why many residents supported a one-way system. However, it’s clear such a change would almost certainly have gone to a public inquiry which would have put the £1m of funding at risk. It would have been terrible if this money had been lost.

“It’s frustrating that these kinds of funding restrictions by the SNP Scottish Government has forced a rethink at such a late stage in the process. I feel sorry for the council staff who have worked hard on this.”

Last week, the council agreed to allocate the £1m of Scottish Government funding to the project – boosting the budget to around £2m.

Cllr Lesley Macinnes, transport and environment convener, said: “We’re delighted that £1m of town centre funding received from the Scottish Government will be invested towards the South Queensferry High Street project. This doubles the money available for the improvements, allowing much more work to be carried out than originally expected.

“We’ve been discussing this project with the community for a long time and are we’re confident these proposals meet everyone’s expectations – without having to go through a time consuming TRO process. We’ll be carrying out further consultations on the details in the near future with a view to starting work as soon as possible.”

The updated scheme will include a three-way signalised junction installed at the foot of the Loan in order to improve road safety with a pedestrian crossing. Large vehicles could be restricted from passing through the high street on environmental or emissions grounds – but HGVs would still be able to service businesses.

Conservative ward Cllr Graham Hutchison said: “A long-running public consultation has helped put together a plan which would have significantly improved the public space in the High Street. It was most disheartening therefore to see the finalised plan which, aside from a much needed crossing and turning circle, is delivering very little.

“The residents of Queensferry are being short changed as a result of the funding restrictions of the SNP Scottish Government and this long awaited project will not deliver the revitalisation that this picturesque and charismatic street deserves.”