Residents call for one-way system for pedestrians at Edinburgh's Holy Corner to help with physical distancing

RESIDENTS have suggested a one-way system for pedestrians at one of the city’s best-known crossroads in a bid to give people more space for physical distancing.

Merchiston community council says it is “very disappointed” that the latest proposals for wider pavements and other road changes around the city do not address the “well-established congestion problems” at Holy Corner.

In a response to the city council’s consultation on plans for Bruntsfield, chair Ian Doig says: “Widening the narrow pavements at Holy Corner is an urgent priority because of the large throughflow of pedestrians, which makes this corner a Covid-19 risk ‘hot spot’ because physical distancing is very difficult.

“A one-way pedestrian system could be introduced to encourage pedestrians to use the junction like a roundabout, with walking direction one way. This would facilitate physical distancing and allow elderly, buggies and able-bodied pedestrians to walk safely.”

Mr Doig says the removal of parking spaces along Bruntsfield and Morningside Road is helpful to widen pavements for physical distancing but adds that more short-term parking will be needed in side-streets nearby. “Otherwise customers will be deterred if no parking is available and go online or elsewhere.”

Morningside Tory councillor Nick Cook said traders in Bruntsfield wanted customers to be able to travel to them by all modes of transport - bus, car, foot or cycle. “They feel the proposals don’t take into account any of the initial consultation the officers did with them. They feel their views were disregarded and they’re still taking away the ability of customers to park.”

And he said traders were also concerned about the loss of loading outside their shops. “For a lot of them loading bay across the road is no good to them because of the type of goods that are being transported into their stores.”

But Green councillor Melanie Main said: “Residents want to feel safe and particularly older people feel they need more space on the pavements to allow for queuing to and getting into shops. They have gone up and seen how wonderfully busy it is, but they don’t feel very safe.”

She said some traders welcomed the changes and others did not. “But if you look at the studies that have been done elsewhere, where you improve walking and cycling it really helps footfall and increases turnover in shops.”

Plans have also bee drawn up for measures in Tollcross.

Paul Beswick, of Tollcross community council, said there was general support for more space for pedestrians and cyclists. “There is criticism that at Tollcross there is far too much space for cars - there are about 20 lanes in and out of the junction.”

But he said a lot of the extra space was being created at the expense of short-term parking. “We’ve been here before,” he said. “More than a decade ago they did away with all these spaces then seven or eight years ago they realised that was one of the things killing the High Street so they were reinstated.”

Tory councillor Joanna Mowat said the Tollcross plans included cycle lanes which appeared to stop and start again.

“You’re in a cycle lane, then you’re not in a cycle lane - and if you’re wanting to encourage people to cycle who are not all that comfortable about cycling on the road I’m not sure that helps.” And she said she was disappointed about other aspects of the plans.

“I was really hoping they would improve the route to school from Quartermile down to Tollcross Primary School, which has been an issue for a long time.

“Tollcross as a pedestrian experience is something we’ve been trying to do things on and there are loads of plans sitting on the shelves. It has been really bad for pedestrians for years so I would have got really radical here.”

Transport and environment convener Lesley Macinnes said: “Residents have already told us about many of the city’s pinch points, including narrow footways and a lack of space for cyclists in some local high streets. This latest phase of measures takes this into account, while retaining some loading access, introducing temporary widened footpaths and segregated cycle lanes so people can easily walk, cycle and wheel to shops, cafes and restaurants.”

The Bruntsfield consultation ends today and the Tollcross one on Friday.