Haymarket Station – Give us Time to Cross campaign – Score Scotland Social Event – End of term – Rose Street pub given thumbs down
Now that the tram project is looking more likely that it will soon be a real form of transport, we turn our attention today to Haymarket Station which is to be opened this morning with a plaque unveiling by Transport Minister Keith Brown.
Network Rail has spent £25m on the redevelopment of the station which they now consider to be one of the most accessible in Britain. There is more space for passengers and more shops for them to use when travelling.
The Edinburgh Reporter will be at the ceremony this morning and we hope to bring you photos and video later.
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![placard_3_-_small[1]_1](https://i0.wp.com/www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/placard_3_-_small1_1.png)
The Transport Minister has also added his support for charity Living Street’s calls for more time to cross at pedestrian crossings. Living Streets is campaigning for a review of the assumed walking speed at crossings which was apparently first calculated in the 1950s. It now appears that 75% of over 65s have trouble crossing the road in time. Living Streets is calling for an average of just 3 more seconds green man time on our crossings to allow everyone to cross the road in comfort. More details on the campaign here.
The Green Party want to have research done on the subject as well as a rollout of more 20mph zones and better street design.
Alison Johnstone Lothians MSP who asked Keith Brown MSP to look into the matter said:-“We need to put the needs of people on foot back at the heart of our street design, and there is a convincing case for longer crossing times. I’m pleased to see the Scottish Government backing this campaign, but there’s more they can do right now to improve safety for pedestrians. I want to see 20mph as the norm in residential and shopping areas and a complete redesign of our worst road junctions.”
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Term ends today for most schoolchildren in Edinburgh and the new one starts on 7 January 2014. All details of school term dates can be found here.
Yesterday Boroughmuir High School was evacuated due to a bomb threat.
One pupil told The Edinburgh Reporter that police were already at the school on arrival at just after 8.30. The pupil said:-“I was told to walk on the pavement on the oppposite side of the road but was not allowed to go in. I had to wait outside until a teacher from Bruntsfield Primary came and took us back there. We were seated in the main assembly hall for two hours and allowed to watch a video. Mr Dempster came to speak to us and told us it had been a bomb hoax. The whole school was searched but nothing was found. I was allowed to go home for the rest of the day.
Boroughmuir High School’s website reports that all end of term activities will take place today as planned.
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The council decided yesterday to refuse the planning application by Waxy O’Connors to convert the Charlotte Baptist Chapel into a 900 person pub. Neighbours were delighted at the outcome which ran contrary to the official recommendation to allow the pub with secondary glazing and additional noise baffling.
This part of yesterday’s Development Management Committee meeting was treated as a hearing and was webcast. You will be able to watch the recording here soon.
Today’s photo courtesy of Thomas Haywood.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
