Private Members’ Bills
Two Private Members’ Bills were introduced at Westminster on Wednesday by two of the Edinburgh MPs.
Scott Arthur MP for Edinburgh South West and Tracy Gilbert both won a slot in the ballot procedure to bring forward bills which would make a difference.
Council back to business next week
After a week of recess the council will begin to meet again on Monday. On Tuesday the Policy and Sustainability Committee meets under the Convenership of the Council Leader. Among the published papers there is a nugget of information or two in the report on the proceedings of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
The work to refurbish the Granton Gasholder is progressing and the area should open as a visitor attraction – “a public park within the frame for recreation and leisure use and is key to the placemaking vision for the wider regeneration of the area” – in the first quarter of the year.
But the news about Sheriffhall Roundabout is not quite so upbeat. The initial cost budgeted in the deal is £120 million. But Scottish Ministers have still to make an announcement on what will happen.
This is from the report:
4.18 The existing A720 Sheriffhall roundabout is currently the only junction on the
Edinburgh City Bypass that is not grade-separated, which means that the City
Bypass is at the same level as the A7 and A6106 local approach roads. This at-
grade, six-way junction, often experiences significant queuing, especially during
peak hours.
4.19 The purpose of the proposed Scheme is to separate local traffic from strategic traffic
on the Bypass, thus improving traffic flow journey times, journey time reliability and
safety for all users. £120 million has been allocated by the Scottish Government,
within the CRD allocation, specifically to support improvements for the grade
separation of the roundabout. Any financial risk to deliver the project sits with
Scottish Ministers and not the City Deal partners. The City Region Deal Joint
Committee ratified their support for the proposed Sheriffhall Roundabout Scheme at
the meeting on 3 September 2021.
4.20 A Public Local Inquiry on the Scheme was held between 30 January and 8 February
Following this, the DPEA (division of the Scottish Government) Reporter
issued their report to the Scottish Ministers’ advisors on 10 October 2023, and the
subsequent decision from the Scottish Ministers regarding the scheme is to be
published in due course.
Critics have said that there is no need for such road infrastructure in light of the Climate Emergency, and that it would be better spent on taking vehicles off the road and encouraging more people to use public transport. And the figure of £120million is said to be far short of what the work would cost today.
Read the council papers and find the link to watch the meeting here.
New sculptural benches installed
This is a lovely good news story for Gorgie-Dalry as two artists from Gorgie Collective have designed new benches for the area – and the council has now installed them. Read more here.
Pentlands Book Festival
Tickets for the Pentlands Book Festival are going fast. The Pentlands Book Festival is an annual festival with talks by authors held in Currie and Colinton Libraries and various other venues locally. It runs each autumn, coinciding with Book Week Scotland, and is organised by local volunteers in conjunction with Currie and Colinton Libraries.
The Pentlands Book Festival has been going since 2015. Events last about an hour and give an opportunity to meet and chat with the authors. Featured books will be on sale, perhaps at a discount, and may be signed.
An evening with Joseph Coelho
Joseph Coelho, OBE, former Waterstone’s Children’s Laureate is appearing at Waterstone’s West End next week. He will be in conversation with Vivian French. In his verse novel he blends Greek myth with a 21st century quest.In Ancient Greece Theseus makes a dangerous and courageous journey to find his father, finally meeting the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. While Theo, a modern-day teenage boy, finds himself on a maze-like quest to find his own father. Each story tells of a boy becoming a man and discovering what true manhood really means.
The path to self-discovery takes Theo through ‘those thin spaces where myth, magic and reality combine’. Doubts, difficulties and dangers must be faced as Theo discovers the man he will become.
There will be a book signing after the event and a Q&A.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
