Edinburgh transport projects: The Causey and Portobello Town Centre added to list to 'proceed'

The Causey, which aims to transform a triangular traffic island into an urban oasis on the city's South Side, looked as if it had fallen foul of the council's exercise to identify which projects could be funded and delivered within the next decade.

A report to the transport and environment committee recommended 73 projects to proceed and 61 to be paused. But the committee has now agreed to switch three projects, including the Causey, from the "pause" list to "proceed".

The Causey project aims to create "a beautiful accessible public space” in the South Side, | supplied

Sarah Drummond, chair of the Causey Development Trust, said the council had recognised the project as a significant community initiative as early as 2009 and it had later been hailed as "exemplary".

"The entire project is based on active travel elements with vehicle movements reduced, segregated cycle lanes and safer access for people walking and wheeling."

She said it was centred on the triangle at the junction of West Crosscauseway and Chapel Street and would establish "a beautiful accessible public space, recreating the buzz of the historic meeting place bordering the World Heritage Site, a respite from busy Nicolson Street, connecting other key spaces The Meadows and Holyrood Park".

SNP councillor Euan Hyslop said the Causey had been given commitments several times in the past over funding, none of which had come to fruition. And he said: "I fear if we were to let this project fall by the wayside when we have given it so much commitment over the years, it would come with some reputational damage.”

The SNP also successfully argued for the Portobello Town Centre project - improving junctions and widening footways to reduce the impact of through traffic on Portobello High Street - to be allowed to proceed, along with plans for a cycle connection along the A71 from Bankhead Avenue across bypass to Heriot Watt University.

The plan to revamp George Street as a pedestrian and cyclist priority area was included on the "proceed" list, like most of the council's major transport projects. But work planned for some of the "cross streets" at George Street - like Frederik Street and Castle Street - was listed to be paused.

However, the New Town and Broughton Community Council argued they were essentially part of the same project and crucial for the relocation of bus services and residents' parking away from George Street. And the committee agreed to defer any decision on pausing them until its next meeting.

The Conservatives produced their own list of projects to "proceed" and "pause". Tory group leader Iain Whyte said the Labour administration's proposals were "all about ensuring we snarl up the city" and involved "spending a huge amount of money we don't have".

He said the public had told the council in last year's budget consultation that their top priority was to repair existing roads and pavements. "And when they were asked where the council could save money, the two ideas that came top by a considerable distance were 'stop introducing LTNs and Spaces for People' and 'reduce active travel spend'. Here we have a huge list of projects that largely do the exact opposite."

Transport convener Stephen Jenkinson accused the Tories of following a "pro-congestion agenda". He said: "I don't think it's going to be particularly popular out in the real world. It may well be in Conservative circles, but I think in the real world there is an acknowledgement we have a very congested city and we have to take steps to solve that problem rather than ignoring it."

He also rejected Lib Dem call to delay the decision on prioritising the transport projects until August.

But he accepted a call by the Greens for Edinburgh to approach Glasgow council and others to discuss road user charging, which they said could generate significant revenue to invest in transport projects.