Edinburgh Holyrood Park: Calls for car ban sees MSPs clash in Scottish Parliament

Campaigners have long argued that removing vehicles would make the park safer for children and families, stop air and noise pollution and encourage more people to walk and cycle there. And stopping through traffic is part of the strategic plan outlined by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which manages the park.

In a debate in the parliament, sponsored by Lothian Green MSP Lorna Slater, she welcomed the strategic plan and called for an end to motor traffic in the park, except for disabled access.

There have long been calls to ban traffic from Holyrood Park | Ian Georgeson

She said the park was used as “a rat run for city traffic” and spoke about a recent well-attended community meeting where the top priorities were improving nature and active travel.

She said: “There were many people calling for cars to be slowed down, traffic to be reduced, or for cars to be banned altogether except for disabled access”.

But several MSPs argued that the park was a key route for people traveling around the city. Tory MSP Liam Kerr, who grew up in Edinburgh but represents North East Scotland, said Ms Slater’s call to end traffic in the park came across as “a solution in search of a problem”.

He said: “She has given us no data on pollution, which is a pity, as there could have been an interesting exercise around the negative and unintended consequences of Edinburgh’s draconian low-emission zone moving traffic around.

“The road through the park serves as a convenient and scenic route connecting the city centre of Edinburgh with areas such as Duddingston village.

“If cars are banned, residents will presumably be required to take a lengthy detour to reach places such as Meadowbank, Abbeyhill, the city centre and Leith Walk. That wastes time and creates unnecessary extra traffic, both stationary and moving, which in turn increases pollution in areas where the urban environment will prevent its dissipation.”

Edinburgh Northern & Leith SNP MSP Ben Macpherson said: “For people who are travelling from the centre to the east, the avenue through Holyrood park is quite an important way through for drivers, in particular as Salamander Street, in my constituency, is so congested.”

He said there was a “lack of connectivity” in terms of bus routes to Holyrood Park. “There is only one bus route that stops in the right place to enable people to access the park.”

And Edinburgh Eastern Alba MSP Ash Regan, whose constituency includes the park, agreed it was a key route. She said: “Since the consultation was published last year, I have been inundated with constituents’ concerns about the perceived threat to this key commuter and business access route. We need certainty that Holyrood park will continue to be an asset to the people who live here and do business here, and to those who want to visit here.”

But she added: “Through thoughtful planning, consultation and practical measures, I believe that the co-existence of road users, walkers and cyclists in Holyrood park can be balanced.”

Ms Slater also raised broader issues about the future of Holyood Park. She said the most loudly voiced concern at the community meeting had been about the restrictions currently in place on the Radical Road and a feeling they were in conflict with people’s right to roam. The path has been closed since 2018 because of concern about rockfalls.

And she suggested it was time to consider whether care of the park should be handed to a dedicated local organisation with the remit and resources to take care of it properly.

She said: “Is the legislation covering the park fit for purpose and is Historic Environment Scotland the right organisation to be managing it? Is it right that the entire park is a scheduled monument, putting it out of sync with the right to roam and with how a public park might reasonably be expected to operate?

“We do not know exactly how many people visit Holyrood park in a year, but estimates are in the millions—maybe even 5 million. Compare that to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park, which hosts about 4 million visitors a year and has an annual budget from the Scottish Government of £13.9 million.”

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack, who had also attended the community meeting, spoke of the “urgent need” to reopen the Radical Road, which she said was a vital part of the park’s history.

“Strong arguments were put forward to call on Historic Environment Scotland to invest in making the park safe, in order to allow people not just to access the incredible views from the Radical Road but to access and explore the geology of the park.

“At the meeting, the point was made forcibly that nothing had happened since that meeting last year. There is a bit of frustration because, although people get consulted, there is a sense that we need more action.”

Replying to the debate, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson acknowledged there were “divergent views on traffic management in the park” but said he was pleased HES and the council were working together on the issue.

And on the Radical Road closure, he said: “Although I appreciate that there can be frustration at such measures, it is paramount that the highest priority be given to the health and safety of all park users and workers.”