#EdinWebcast
#QuietRoute ctd

Cllr @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social says process has lasted 5 years, and clarity now needed, not another experiment

Vote:
Lab/Green/SNP - 7 for Option C
LibDem+Con - 4 for combined LD/Con motion

So now goes to TransportSubcttee for final decision on the #TrafficFilters

Transport Cttee (TEC) 2..4.26

Papers--> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocume...
Watch--> edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/...

includes:
- #QuietRoute #trafficfilters
- Coordinating #roadworks, impact on 🚲🚶👩‍🦼
- Road resurfacing projects

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @johnrobson87.bsky.social

Start of Spokes deputation... The Lothian Cycle Campaign Postal address [we have no staff]: St. Martins Community Resource Centre, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2JG Website: www.spokes.org.uk Email: spokes@spokes.org.uk Bluesky: @spokes.org.uk Answerphone: 0131 313 2114 Transport & Environment Committee 02.04.2026 Spokes Lothian Planning Group Deputation - 31.03.2026 Implications of Standards Commission decision for Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route - Late Report and 9.2 Motion by Cllr Booth Spokes Planning Group writes to support the proposal noted within the Late Report to TEC as "Option C - Refer objections to the current trial scheme to TRO Sub-Committee". ‘Option C’ is the best and safest solution of those shared in the Late Report. We also note that it will bring to an end the tortuous process which has caused such protraction and confusion for all parties, let alone the huge amount of (valuable) time which officers have had to expend rather than working on other projects, and which would continue extensively should ‘Option B’ be selected. A key concern of Spokes Lothian is the safety and encouragement of existing and potential cycle users of all ages and abilities. We strongly support retention of a Quiet Route from Greenbank to the Meadows given the clear benefits to cycle users in an area poorly served by cycle infrastructure, with heavily congested and dangerous arterial streets such as Morningside Road, and residential areas formerly plagued by rat-running.

Remainder of deputation text... Spokes therefore urges Councillors on TEC and TRO Sub to make the current filters in TRO/21/29D legally permanent, as in Option C, given the clear safety benefits for cycling (of all ages & abilities). We understand that the physical measures themselves will then be upgraded to permanent materials in due course as part of the rolling programme. Although north-south quiet-route travel is the main intention of the scheme, we also highlight that the Order has an important further positive side-effect in making east-west cycling much safer and pleasanter, thanks to the filters. also making journeys to and from South Morningside Primary School safer for children. We also emphasise that "Option A - Abandon TRO/21/29D" is intolerable given the use of the route as a safe active travel route for journeys to and from five City of Edinburgh Council schools at South Morningside, Canaan Lane, James Gillespies Primary / High and Bruntsfield Primary; as well as the independent Royal Blind School and St Peter’s Primary. p1 Finally, we note that the filters on this route have now been in place for several years (over half a decade). They are now a known and understood part of the streetscape. During those years, traffic patterns have adapted with the safer and quieter conditions now relied on by many residents and people passing safely and quietly through by bike, foot or wheeling. This shift has embedded and yet still retains motor vehicle access to all properties (albeit by different routes) for those that need it.

Graphics.. 1. Crashmap extract showing crash locations on Morningside Rd 2. Two photos of cyclists (including children) using the existing quiet route Text.. Extract of Crashmap.co.uk data of road casualty data along the A702 Morningside Road which the Quiet Route parallels and 2 images of the Meadows to Greenbank Quiet Route in use by cyclists of all ages and abilities which indicates the route is a safe haven compared to the hostile A702 corridor it parallels.

🙋 Keep the #TrafficFilters

#BraidsEstate #QuietRoute, Spokes deputation to #TransportCommittee

--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

@edi.bike @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @johnrobson87.bsky.social @bjpaddy.bsky.social @cllrbenparker.bsky.social @harryjwilliams.bsky.social

post by Blackford Safe Routes showing map of existing traffic filters... ‪Blackford Safe Routes‬ ‪@blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk‬ · 21h There are more modal-filters* in Edinburgh than you might think! It’s almost like they’re not controversial! *strategic closure to motor traffic Fun map to explore: www.lowtrafficneighbourhoods.org/map/modalfil...

Cyclestreets map showing existing filters of various types in Edinb city centre

Edinburgh 'Future Streets' proposed filters to remove through private-motor traffic, map taken from... Fig5.4 p61 of 1.2.24 TEC, 7.2, Future Streets

Key to map. Red dot - existing filter Blue dot - proposed

#TrafficFilters

🤔 Compare with council #FutureStreets promise to remove private #CityCentre through-traffic

[7.2, part 2, here--> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocume...

@edi.bike @davidho.bsky.social @sw20.info @ericlesley2.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @harryjwilliams.bsky.social

Start of Spokes article... 2025–>2026 : What for Edinburgh Cycling Policy & Action? Will 2026 see Edinburgh City‘s new ‘Primary Cycle Network’ definition start to turn from policy into reality? And what of the City’s hugely ambitious 30% by 2030 traffic-reduction aims? What other decisions or actions may we see in the coming year?

Picture of a bollarded route due to be upgraded in 2026 as part of the main-road 'Primary Cycle Network'

Picture of Foot of Walk to Dock Street under construction - opening in 2026

Huge amounts of precious time having to be spent by officers in reassuring & re-reassuring worried councillors on issues where evidence is already pretty solid... In conclusion, a random thought Looking back on the stories above, one has to be struck by the huge amount of precious officer time that is devoted to handling the concerns of councillors worried by objections which in the end often prove either irrelevant or largely unfounded. Time which could be spent far more productively. Here are some examples… There is no better example than the saga of the Travelling Safely experimental Orders and the role of the TRO subcommittee (see ‘2025’ near the start of this article), resulting in additional meetings and literally hundreds of pages of reports [e.g. this 682-page download for their third meeting covering much of the same ground] The Braid Estate story (see above) is another – huge amounts of time in meetings, massive reports, preparation of traffic orders, finding contractors, abortive costs – all in aid of a messy compromise experiment, unwanted by many, and which may now not happen Most recently, the decision of TRO Sub to postpone a decision on whether to allow east-bound cycling in Rose Street, where westbound has been legal for decades. Officers now have to prepare a report on issues such as whether bikes may collide with cafe tables or get through any roadworks that might happen, even though the existing west-bound cycling works perfectly well. Is there a solution to this tragic time-wasting, delaying projects which are far more safety and environmentally significant? Certainly, objections must be heard, and councillors must interrogate officers. Some objections do have real substance. But when evidence is clear, and plainly laid out by officers when questioned at Committee (as, largely, in the above examples) surely there must be a mechanism for making councillors think twice. Is yet another investigation, more reports, more meetings, mor…

#Edinburgh #Cycling developments 2026 (?)

Our thoughts--> www.spokes.org.uk/2026/01/2025...

🤔 #MainRoad protected lanes
🤔 #Tram
🤔 #PrincesStreet
🤔 #BraidEstate
🤔 Plans: #CCWEL extension, #LothianRoad
🤔 #DemandManagement: #TrafficFilters #charging
🤔 #BusLanes
🤔 Use of officer time
... and much more

Article intro from Local Transport Today... ‘Oxfordshire’s electorate has endorsed our approach to transport – we will not let them down’ In the local elections on 1 May Oxfordshire County Council went from No Overall Control to Liberal Democrat control. Andrew Gant was re-elected in his ward, and is carrying on in his role of Cabinet Member for Transport Management. In an exclusive piece for LTT, he considers the challenges now facing his administration as it plans to introduce traffic filters, expand the Zero Emission Zone; and introduce a Workplace Parking Levy.

There are a range of policies, all interlinked and overlapping, and all dedicated to the key objectives identified in our Local Transport and Connectivity Plan: safer, cleaner streets, better public transport, and more choice for the travelling public. All of this comes down to one quite simple fact: there is too much traffic on our roads. There is no solution which does not involve facing up to that and being prepared to do something about it. Central to our policies to tackle congestion are what we have come to call the three Core Schemes: the six traffic filters; the expanded Zero Emission Zone; and the Workplace Parking Levy. Many other policies and schemes sit alongside these, including our roll-out of 20mph speed limits, the Vision Zero programme, School Streets and much else.

👍 Good to see #LibDems super +ve for #WPL #TrafficFilters etc in @oxfordshirecc.bsky.social

--> www.transportxtra.com/publications...

🤔 Why less in #Edinburgh?

@edi.bike @andrewgant.bsky.social @emilykerr36.bsky.social
@jackrmcaldwell.bsky.social @euandavidson.bsky.social @nellibdems.bsky.social

The speakers, Transport and Environment Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, and the Council’s Head of Transport Strategy and Partnerships, Deborah Paton [formerly at Glasgow City Council], gave a joint presentation, with Cllr Jenkinson concentrating on policy and turning to Deborah to explain how this worked out in practice.

With around 100 people, this was one of our biggest meetings ever, showing the growing demand for improved cycling facilities and reduced car dominance. It was especially pleasing to see three other politicians take time from their busy lives to join the audience – Sarah Boyack MSP [Labour, Spokes member], Cllr Chas Booth [Green, Leith, Spokes member] and Cllr Ross McKenzie [Independent, Sighthill/Gorgie]. A full video of the meeting will be available soon.

Road user charging / Congestion charging Q: Cllr Jenkinson had confirmed in his presentation that Edinburgh was sticking to its target for car-km reduction, even though Scot Govt had said their own traffic-reduction commitment is ‘undeliverable.’ However, research commissioned (then sidelined) by Scot Govt had shown that substantial traffic reduction is achievable, but only by introducing one of several forms of road user charging. So, would Edinburgh implement charging? AECOM report – Executive Summary final para A: Cllr J said that demand management is essential; and that charging is in the Mobility Plan as an option and must be considered seriously. However, more was needed from the Scottish Government before the Council could take charging further. Answering a follow-up, Cllr J said he would be pressing the Government on this. Cllr J also believed that charging would be more effective if it covered an area wider than just Edinburgh.

Spokes note: In terms of safety, whilst fears about safety are often expressed in advance of bike hire schemes, the data, to the extent it exists, suggests that bike hire users are significantly safer than people using their own bikes. Possible reasons are: bike hire tends to be used on roads with low traffic speeds; bike-hire cyclists may travel more slowly than the average; motorists may assume hire bike users are less competent, so give them more space; bike share is often introduced at the same time as improved facilities, and may encourage Councils to do more. An overview of available evidence (now a little dated), by the International Transport Forum is here, and includes the graph below.

#SpokesMtg report with @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social

--> www.spokes.org.uk/2025/05/its-...

includes..
#CongestionCharging
#Tram / #RoseburnPath
#TrafficFilters / #BraidEstate
#BikeShare / #BikeHire
#WomensSafety
#TourDeFrance
#BusLane enforcement
#Delays
#GeorgeStreet
#ActiveTravel cash
& more ...