Edinburgh's Spaces for People controversy set to continue as self-righteous council fails to listen – John McLellan
As the Spaces for People road restrictions were being dismantled from George IV Bridge, we might have been forgiven for thinking the controversy surrounding these temporary traffic controls was passing.
But that would ignore the determination of the council’s traffic supremos to salvage something from the not-so-magic wands which have caused so much division across the city.
It was agreed that communities would be consulted about the future of the most contested schemes, but it appears that residents affected by the most controversial of all, Lanark Road, have been given a multiple choice selection which does not include an option to remove.
As far as the stretch opposite Dovecote Park is concerned, they are being given options, but one of them isn’t putting things back the way they were.
Option one is to remove parking, option two is to move parking to the opposite side of the road and option three is… there is no option three.
Not surprisingly, the South West Edinburgh in Motion pressure group is less than impressed with what it calls a Hobson’s choice, and after all that’s happened it would beggar belief if officers thought locals wouldn’t see through this.
And so it goes on, more residents feeling like the council doesn’t care about their views, another consultation which appears to be trying to endorse a predetermined outcome, and another reason for people not to trust an authority which is supposed to serve them.
Will they ever learn? An administration so convinced of its own righteousness isn’t capable.
John McLellan is a Conservative councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston