The council has opened a major consultation which they hope will to help to outline the way that everyone in Edinburgh moves around, or travels to and from the city.
Several joined up action plans designed to transform transport in Edinburgh was approved for consultation when councillors met in December and February.
The plans are the:
- Active Travel
- Public Transport
- Parking
- Road Safety
- Air Quality
- Action Plans which are designed to create cleaner, greener, safer, more accessible and affordable travel choices. The council aims to also cut congestion, and reinforce the capital’s net zero 2030 goals as well as boosting the economy.
Each of the plans sits under the emerging Circulation Plan and its associated Streetspace Allocation Framework, which combined will ensure the transition towards a less congested, more liveable, healthier and more sustainable place to live.
The council is now looking for comment on all these plans collectively, including through an online survey, public drop-ins, focus group and key stakeholder discussions and a toolkit to support community involvement.
The consultation will run until 9 July and outcomes will be reported to Transport and Environment Committee later this year, culminating in the finalisation of each plan.
Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Edinburgh is a growing, evolving capital, facing the same challenges as cities around the world – from climate change and poverty to traffic congestion and poor air quality.
“We want to transform the way people move around the city, which we hope will go some way to addressing this, and we’re looking at how we can create safer, sustainable and affordable transport options. This is also about working to support economic growth and building people-friendly spaces across the city, while helping to end poverty and isolation. We’ve put people, particularly those with a disability, at the heart of these plans.
“The draft action plans set out a range of actions to achieve this, and we want to collaborate with people and businesses in Edinburgh to shape how we deliver these plans. Combining all the plans into one big citywide conversation means we can really capture the interrelated issues and ensure actions are mutually supportive of each other.
“As a city we know and agree that we must cut congestion, boost the economy and hit net zero. This consultation is a chance for people to both comment on our proposals and also make alternative suggestions for delivering these key policies. Doing nothing, however, is no longer an option as we have a duty to face these challenges.
“We need to balance different travel needs with the limited street space we have, and that’s going to involve some real dilemmas. I’m particularly pleased, however, that making public transport more accessible and reliable is at the heart of these plans.
“Gathering views from our communities and businesses, alongside data and technical evidence, will be critical to these decisions. Whether you’re interested in improved public transport links, better walking, wheeling and cycling routes or making our streets more accessible and pleasant places to spend time, I’d urge you to take part in our consultation.”
Residents and businesses can share their views on proposals and priorities in a range of areas, including making streets more accessible, improving public transport and enhancing active travel networks, as well as achieving ambitious accident reduction targets and creating people-friendly, thriving neighbourhoods and shopping streets.
These actions support Edinburgh’s City Mobility Plan and aim to help drive down the number of kilometres travelled by car in the city by 30% by 2030, reduce air pollution and improve public health.
Find out more about plans to shape Edinburgh for future generations and take part in the consultation online.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
