Edinburgh roads: Officials recommend Corstorphine low traffic neighbourhood should become permanent

But calls are being made for the bus gate at Manse Road - the most contentious measure in the scheme and target of repeated vandal attacks - to be scrapped.

The trial low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) - known as Corstorphine Connections -  was introduced to stop drivers taking short cuts through residential streets and create a "safer and more comfortable" environment for residents walking, cycling and wheeling.

Calls are being made for the Manse Road bus gate to be scrapped

The bus gate bans all traffic except buses, cycles and taxis from turning onto St John’s Road from Manse Road at peak times.  Other measures include widened pavements, improved crossings. traffic restrictions, planting and seating.

Monitoring revealed a 9.2 per cent drop in traffic near Corstorphine Primary School at peak periods, but an overall increase in traffic in the wider area of 6.5 per cent - higher than the city-wide rise in traffic. 

A decision is now due on whether the scheme should continue. And a report by officials to the newly-established traffic regulation orders sub-committee recommends that objections to the LTN - numbering 556 - should be set aside and the scheme should be made permanent. 

The only change proposed is to reduce the bus gate's hours of operation from the current 8-10am and 2.45-6.30pm to 8-9.30am and 2-4pm, bringing it more or less in line with the traffic restrictions outside Corstorphine Primary School.

But Lib Dem group leader Kevin Lang said he hoped the sub-committee would scrap the bus gate while allowing the rest of the measures to be made permanent. 

He said: "I think it was important there was a trial but the results of the trial have shown that particularly the bus gate in Manse Road has created far more problems than it ever solved.

"We've seen increases in traffic on other residential streets as a result of the bus gate, there has been confusion and uncertainty and many drivers have been caught out.

"While there are many supported aspects of the project, including crossings and wider pavements, I think the bus gate in particular has not worked and I think it’s right that that is now taken away."

Tory transport spokeswoman Marie-Clair Munro welcomed the prospect of the bus gate being removed, but said the whole scheme should be scrapped. “Taking away the bus gate would be one thing, but it doesn’t solve the problem of the LTN across the whole area.

“Residents believe the entire scheme is flawed and we as a party believe LTNs must gain a buy-in from residents and businesses when considering whether they are working. I think the vast majority of residents do not want it.”

Officials say in their report that making the LTN permanent but amending the bus gate hours would retain the benefits the project had achieved in increasing cycling and walking and keep traffic reductions around Corstorphine Primary School while also responding objections about car accessibility for those who are car-dependent, particularly disabled people.