'Back to basics' plea to reprioritise Edinburgh's Spaces for People projects

EDINBURGH'S Spaces for People programme should be reprioritised to focus on safe journeys to school, clearing vegetation from paths and removing railings, a meeting of the city council will be told today.

Councillor Mowat says some parents at Tollcross Primary do not have a safe route to school

Tory City Centre councillor Joanna Mowat claims the way controversial road closures and other emergency traffic measures have been implemented during the Covid crisis is undermining public confidence in local government.

And she will plead for a “back to basics” approach with the strongest emphasis on the safety of children going to and from school.

In a motion to today’s full council meeting, she calls for the council to bring forward “Safe Transport to Schools” proposals for every school in the city, clear all overgrowing vegetation from the council’s off-road path network and speed up the removal of railings on pavements, in line with agreed council policy.

Edinburgh was awarded £5 million of Scottish Government funding to make temporary changes to streets as lockdown began to be eased.

Cllr Mowat said: “There were very specific aims for Spaces for People and I'm concerned there is a drift away from that quite tightly-drawn creating space on pavements and for pedestrians. We've out in all sorts of cycle links and some of that is very welcome, giving people options, but we're still quite behind on the schools work. Some is happening, but some schools juts haven't had their Spaces for People measures and we're at half-term tomorrow.

“We do need to be pulling back and saying where is the priority.”

Many of the measures across the city have prompted protests from businesses and residents, although the council insists the majority have been welcomed.

Cllr Mowat said: “I think we've probably bitten off more than we can chew. We're trying to do so much we've lost focus.

“The number one priority has to be getting the kids to school safely. Are we making sure there is enough space, that for the tiny ones mum can wait and see them through the gate?

“Each school will be different and require different measures. Do you need to create a bit more pavement space so the children can queue safely, which might mean taking a bit of road space?

“I know there are parents in Tollcross who don't have a safe route to school - and that puts them off letting the children go to school by themselves and then people are tempted to take the car.

“I've always believed the best way to encourage walking and cycling is to making it safe for children to get to school because then you create good habits.”

And on clearing vegetation she said: “There's a bush in Bellevue that's so overgrown, because it's a narrow pavement it means you have to go into the middle of the road. That has been reported since March and we haven't had it trimmed.

“Let's concentrate on the basics - get rid of the railings, make sure the kids can get to school safely before we start any further schemes.”

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