Edinburgh 7-7-7 bus lane trial could force shops to close warn traders

Independent traders in Edinburgh have warned that a controversial bus lane trial could mark the beginning of the end of their businesses.

The 7-7-7 trial - which would see bus lanes in force from 7am to 7pm seven days a week - is due to be tested on a route between Greenside and Duddingston over 18 months from October this year.

Following the trial, a decision is due to made on whether to make the change in restrictions - which are currently in place between 7.30am and 9.30am and 4pm and 6.30pm Monday to Friday - permanent.

The trial was announced by council officials last week as a means to tackle “longer and less reliable journey times throughout weekdays, particularly ahead of the evening peak, and across much of the day at weekends”.

Traders like Nicola Boyd of Nikki's Fleurs is concerned of the impact on footfall of the proposals | Nikki's Fleurs

But the trial has been criticised by small businesses who say that the restrictions will impact their ability to trade and will have a significant impact on the local community.

Nicola Boyd, owner of Nikki’s Fleurs on Wolseley Place, said the changes will make it difficult for her to transport large floral displays.

She said: “Some of these pieces are absolutely huge, extremely heavy and delicate, and can take two people just to lift them into our vehicle. We simply cannot carry something like that halfway down a street to a designated loading bay. These are tributes made for someone’s funeral and they need to be handled carefully, respectfully and arrive in perfect condition.”

Ms Boyd said that whilst the council has proposed loading bays, it is not realistic that they will be outside of individual businesses.

She continued: “Restricting when businesses can load and unload simply doesn’t reflect how small businesses actually operate. Funeral directors don’t arrange funerals around my loading times, suppliers don’t necessarily arrive when it suits the council, and customers certainly don’t.”

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Ms Boyd believes other businesses in the area could be affected by the restrictions—as passing trade is impacted.

She said: “The wee baked potato shop next door to me is another perfect example. A huge part of his business is passing trade, particularly between 11am and 2pm at lunchtime, with Saturday being one of his busiest days. People want to stop, grab their lunch and go. They’re not going to park streets away and walk back—they’ll simply go somewhere else.

“That’s what worries me. It might look like a small inconvenience on a council plan, but when you multiply that across every independent business along the route, it could have a massive financial impact.”

She added that she has not been consulted on issues such as the number of deliveries made, when suppliers arrive or busiest periods among other factors.

She fears that the restrictions could lead to empty units if they impact footfall on the stretch of road.

Ms Boyd said: “I’m not against buses. I’m not against public transport and I’m certainly not against improving Edinburgh. What I’m against is introducing restrictions without properly considering the businesses, residents, elderly and disabled people, tradespeople, delivery drivers and families who actually use these streets every single day.

“You can’t continually make it more difficult for people to access small businesses and then wonder why shops close and we’re left with empty units.”

City of Edinburgh Council has been approached for comment.