Council plan diversions away from the New Town

August 7, 2012 3:53 pm

New traffic management plans were announced today following discussions with local residents and businesses affected by the city centre tram works, some of which took place as recently as last night at the New Town Community Council meeting which we brought to you live.

The Council has been consulting with the local community in recent months to decide the best way to manage traffic while tram works are carried out in York Place. Many residents have complained about the apparent increase in volume and speed of traffic in certain New Town streets such as the corridor from Heriot Row to Broughton Street, but council staff were on hand last night to show off their traffic modelling. They claimed that this would mean less traffic in the New Town if the primary route through the city centre was opened up to two lanes on Princes Street at the East End next to the Balmoral Hotel.

The following arrangements have now been confirmed:

Princes Street reopened to general traffic between south St David Street and the east end from the end of November after this was identified as a key priority for road users and local businesses.

The Albany / Broughton Street junction will be open to all traffic from mid-September but signalised pedestrian crossings will be installed

Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said:- “The tram works are making good progress and I am very pleased that we are now in a position to plan the traffic management around the next phase of work.

“We are committed to listening to the people that are most affected by the works, with the aim of minimising the impact as much as we can. We have taken the views local residents and businesses into account and they have helped shape the new arrangements. Their input has been invaluable and we will continue to liaise with them as we focus on the delivery of Edinburgh trams.”

A feasibility study will also consider reopening Shandwick Place to pedestrians, and later buses, from Lothian Road to Canning Street. The study will look at the impact this would have on the Council’s completion targets and measure it against the benefits of improving access while the works are carried out.