Edinburgh residents frustrated after JK Rowling’s hedge works cause standstill traffic during rush hour

The Harry Potter author has come under fire after a four-way traffic signal staggered traffic during the school run

Frustrated Edinburgh parents took aim at JK Rowling’s hedge trimming works that saw long queues of traffic during rush hour period

Edinburgh parents have expressed anger and frustration after JK Rowling’s hedge trimming works saw long queues of traffic during rush hour. 

Several parents took aim at the Harry Potter author after a four-way traffic signal was erected to allow landscaping works to take place at the 58-year-old’s 17th century Barnton home - with the temporary lights creating large tailbacks and causing some children to be late for school.

As reported in the Scottish Sun, the works on Whitehouse Road are expected to carry on throughout the week between 7.30am and 3pm to allow a cherry picker to trim the hedges at JK Rowling’s £2.2million home. 

Speaking to the Scottish Sun, one parent said: “The disruption to all the families trying to get to Cramond Primary School on time was extremely frustrating and I’m sure many families will be late for school.”

Another parent said: “To cause traffic to come to a standstill at rush hour to cut a hedge – doesn't make sense. It just took over half an hour in the car to do what is normally a five-minute journey. Resulting in my child and many others being late, I can’t understand why the work can’t be done at the weekend or out-with these busy times – like 9.30am until 2.30pm.”

Images shared online show long queues outside the celebrity author’s home, with some drivers claiming that the temporary traffic lights were set to red for 15 minutes. Bus diversions are also in place to accommodate for the works. 

Disruption brought on by the hedge trimming works outside JK Rowling’s residence has been reported in recent years. In July 2019, the City of Edinburgh Council requested that the Harry Potter writer have the hedges trimmed ‘as a matter of urgency.’ The works were then postponed due to restrictions owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and carried out in late October 2020 and again in subsequent years.