After the announcement by the Transport Secretary Michael Matheson last week of £10 million for councils to use in improving roads for those out cycling and walking, The City of Edinburgh Council was quick to act.
They immediately closed Silverknowes Road, with Braid Road and Links Gardens to allow more space for people out walking, running or cycling to stay two metres apart.
But it became apparent on Sunday that the closure of Braid Road to all traffic except pedestrians and cyclists was having a knock on effect on Braidburn Terrace which links the main road to the junction at Braid Road.
Transport Convener Lesley Macinnes and local councillor Melanie Main went to see for themselves what was happening in the street, and discusses possible measures with the local residents.
This morning, only five days later, a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order has been put in place and Braidburn Terrace has become a one-way street for vehicles travelling west to east. The council has told us that all local councillors in this ward and the adjacent ward were consulted on the temporary measures.
We went to meet Andy Glidden who explained what this will mean for the people living there.
Mr Glidden said: “We’ve been waiting quite a long time for a road closure here, but I think that the thing has brought it to head has been the social distancing, which is very difficult now under the circumstances of the dynamics of the road.
“There’s a lot of traffic comes down this road, and as you will see you most of the cars in the street have got damage on them where people have squeezed past. People are very impatient, drivers particularly, and the traffic is very busy. There’s a lot of pedestrians and cyclists as well who use the road. So trying to get some action has taken a very long time – many years.
You will see that the pavements are less than a metre and a half wide on one side, less than two feet on the other side. This means that for anybody that’s walking along the road means you have to step into the road if someone is coming the other way.
“Stepping into the road is dangerous because there’s a lot of road traffic and there’s a lot of cyclists. So, even before Braid Road closed this road was a problem.
“The closure of Braid Road on Sunday past meant that all the traffic that would normally go up Braid Road, were channelled down our street. Sunday was total madness. So at that point, I think that became the catalyst for some action to be done here.
“When Lesley and Melanie came down, I think it didn’t take them very long to realise that something had to be done. It was absolutely apparent. So they have all moved quite quickly since then.”
Andy also mentioned that it would be an improvement if vehicles would observe the speed limit too, rather than using it as a rat run, and of course the people living on Braidburn Terrace would really prefer it was closed to other traffic completely. That may take a bit longer than five days.
Cllr Melanie Main told us earlier in the week that she has been fighting alongside the residents to get something done with the road for at least five years, although the matter has probably been on the agenda for about 15 years. She said: “Everyone is pleased that the road is being closed. They do think that this is the right thing as it is very busy. The only improvement might be if the cars here were parked with more space in between them. That might help too.”
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, the Transport and Environment Convener, told us on Sunday that she had been pleased to go and see the street for herself. She explained that the immediate need for social distancing was behind all the road closures which the council was announcing. She said:” Our immediate move then was to look at where could we make the most impact to allow safe physical space – physical distancing where people are doing their essential exercise.
“Access around The Hermitage and all of that part of the city, and Braid Road, down Silverknowes Road – those kind of spaces are the fastest ones that we can have the most impact around. In terms of Braidburn Terrace there’s been a long standing request from residents to look at a one way system, and in fact, that’s been progressing quietlyin the background.
“It was Cllr Main who alerted me to the matter today and we immediately went to the street and had a meeting with residents, all spaced out on each side of the street.
“But the whole purpose of these road closures is to stop people driving somewhere, parking and then going for a walk as that creates hotspots, and these are unnecessary journeys.
“But it is clear that we will have to have a longer conversation about changes to transport in the city in terms of the link between transport and economic recovery.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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